Moravian in Europe: May 2011

moravian college l study abroad l athletics l about moravian

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Guten tag from Vienna! It was heartbreaking to leave Prague behind but Vienna has not disappointed us. We began the day with a filling breakfast and then hopped on the bus towards the breathtaking city of Vienna. Our friendly tour guide, Bettina, kept everyone engaged and informed about some of Vienna’s history and culture. We learned that Hitler applied to a school in the city but was declined twice because he lacked talent. Others like Sigmund Freud were forced to leave the city because their views were considered controversial. On our tour, we saw monuments dedicated to Mozart and the apartment Beethoven lived in for the majority of the 19^th century. Our first stop was the Belvidere Palace. Even though we couldn’t go inside, the views from outside made for great pictures. We finally arrived at Schonbrunn Palace where Maria Therese, mother of Marie Antoinette, lived. Here, we were fortunate enough to take a walking tour through the inside of the palace filled with elegant and ornate décor and tradition. We spent some time in the palace gardens and enjoyed the beautiful flowers and scenery. After we left the palace grounds, we headed into the inner city of Vienna and strolled through the town. The streets were lined with cafes and shops, so it was nice to do some walking, shopping, and eating. After spending a few hours downtown, we took the metro back to our hotel to get ready for the game and spend some time in the amusement park across the street from the hotel. Most of us rode rides, including the swings that are considered the tallest ride of it’s kind in the world, and is actually in the Guinness Book of World Records. After some traffic, we finally got to the sports complex and won our game 86-44. Afterwards, we traded t-shirts with the other team, exchanged names and email addresses, and joined them for dinner nearby. They were very welcoming and spoke terrific English. On the way home tonight the coaches and parents challenged the team to a sing-off. Some of the highlights included “Lean on Me,” “Build me up Buttercup,” and of course a few songs by Taylor Swift. Needless to say, the players won the battle. Tomorrow we say auf wiedersehen to the exquisite city of Vienna and head to Munich for the remainder of our trip!

Ally Blair and Laura Jordan

Labels: Top Photo: in the rose garden at Schonbrunn Palace Botto photo out in front of Schonbrunn Palace

Hello Friends in America,

Our first day in Vienna, Austria was filled with fun. We had a scenic 3.5 hour bus ride through the countryside of the Czech Republic and when we finally got to our hotel we were pleasantly surprised with how nice and modern it was. We quickly unloaded our bags and walked around the corner to the Prater, an amusement park filled with tons of rides and games. Coach Endler thinks that the owners of the park found rides from around the world and just added them to their park. There was the Happy Sombero, Ik binder paco, a carousel with real horses, Disney tea cups, a 4 story fun house with a fake man climbing up the wall (which Coach Spirk thought was a real person), bumper cars, a log flume called Yaya, the Black Mamba, a hallo wein haunted house, and a Jurassic Park roller coaster. We found the Ejection chair ride, a two person sling shot (without a cage) that shoots you up 900 meters (okay fine more 100 meters) in the air just like they have at the Jersey Shore. Katie Marakos and Coach Sara were daring enough to take on this ride. We (Katie and Sara) hugged for good luck before getting strapped in for take off. Before we knew it we were screaming at the top of our lungs as we got shot up into the air. The view was unbelievable and the adrenaline rush was amazing.

Tonight took us into the small town of Grinzing, right on the outskirts of Vienna, for a team dinner and some folkfore music. We enjoyed a delicious buffet of ham, chicken, pork, vegetables, potatoes, sauerkraut, and topped it off with some cheesecake and ladyfingers for dessert. We were entertained all night by a two piece band consisting of the violin and the accordion. The parents and coaches (not Coach Sara) knew all the words to the folk music and started singing right along. After dinner, the man playing the violin played the chicken dance for us. We then requested the Macarena and Hilary, Katie M, Ericka, Danielle, Katie O, Laura Jordan, Laura Casey, Alyssa B, Coach Sara, and Robert, our tour manager, got up and started dancing. Even Ally and Ericka’s grandma got into the dance. Amanda and Sarah had some stagefright so they acted as our photographers. The atmosphere of the restaurant made the night all the better.

We headed back to the hotel, changed quickly, and walked back over to the Prater. Tonight we were on a mission to ride the ferris wheel, the oldest in the world. We split into two groups and entered the gondolas with great anticipation. Fifteen minutes was all it took for us to be mesmerized by the beautiful skyline of Vienna. When we got off the ride we spent time walking around the gift shop and some of us bought souvenirs for ourselves and family members. We headed back to the hotel and hung out in the lobby for a while. Right before we went up to bed, Alyssa Hann taught Coach Sara, Caitlin, and Ally how to do the Cat daddy. We had a mini dance party and then called it a night. We have a very busy day planned for tomorrow and everyone is excited to explore the wonderful city of Vienna.

I hope everyone had an awesome memorial day weekend and while you all have to go back to work we still have four days left of the amazing trip.

-Caitlin, Katie M, Laura C, and Coach Sara

Labels: Top Photo: team in front of the ferris wheel at the Prater Middle Photo: fans and coaches after dinner in Grinzig; Bottom photo: team after dinner

Monday, May 30, 2011

Guten Tag! We have arrived in Vienna and just wanted to share a few final thoughts about our time in Prague. Take a look at the video of the players as they reflect on the city of Prague.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Wow! What a day! Today we woke up nice and early so we would have time to enjoy the Prague Castle and get a little taste of royalty. After getting breakfast at the hotel we all met in the lobby at 8:45am and got on the tram. The tram took us right to the castle and from there we got a beautiful view of most of Prague. All of the buildings looked so pretty from where we were and we were towering over everything. Before even entering the castle, everyone was extremely excited about the view we were getting and all everyone wanted to do was take pictures and capture the moment. After getting some pictures outside the castle we went in and every window that we looked out of, the view seemed to get prettier and prettier and it is one of those things that not even a picture can fully capture. Seeing the river and the bridge from above was awesome along with the sea of red roofs. The castle was very interesting and had a lot of nice things that we were able to see. The set up of the rooms was nicely in place and in one area we were even able to dress up in some royal clothes. I think I would have to say that Alyssa Hann had the most fun dressing up. It was such a pleasure getting the opportunity to visit the castle to see everything we got to see. People were bustling around the castle the whole time we were there was a lot of excitement amongst the crowd. Not only did we get to enjoy the scenery and the castle but we were also able to enjoy a nice lunch and people split into groups everyone trying something different and getting a taste of Prague.

As we were walking back to the tram to get back to the hotel, a few of us thought it would be funny to try and pick pocket people from our group. It was really funny and my favorite was when Ericka successfully grabbed Coach Spirk’s camera out of her pocket and held it up with pride. Coach laughed and everyone was enjoying their attempts of picking pockets but for the most part we found out that we weren’t very good at it.

Finally, we were back on the tram and back at the hotel getting ready for our game. Today we did not hit any traffic while going to the game and we got there early with plenty of time to warm-up and take pictures in the arena we were playing in. Eventually the other team showed up and after a good warm-up we were ready to take on our competition. The team we played was very good but we played pretty well and kept playing our hardest. Playing against a different country is such an amazing experience and we had fun with it. After the game we gave the other team little gifts while shaking hands and took pictures with them. Having conversation with them and learning their names was awesome and it was funny trying to understand each other. We also got a good laugh when we saw the other teams last names up on the board because every last name up there except for one ended in “ova”. We then continued to get out of the gym and enjoy a dinner with our team and we are now on our bus going back to the hotel.

Tonight we will be our last night in Prague and tomorrow we will be venturing off to Vienna , Austria and we are all looking forward to it! While I am having an amazing time I still miss everyone from home and cannot wait to see everyone and share my stories!!

- Danielle Brogan

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Greetings from the Hotel Belvidere, in "Praha" (the traditional name of Prague). We awoke to a luxurious, early morning breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon, and traditional Czech fare. Soon, we were well on our way to our first real taste of Prague. Our crew hopped on our tour bus and met our friendly Czech tour guide, Helena. She led us on a beautiful journey that we are surely never to forget. The bus took us through amazing twists and turns as Helena fed us with cultural knowledge and we let our eyes gaze upon the pastel buildings and red roofed homes and shops. After crossing the historically rich, and majestic Charles Bridge, our team was ready to experience more of the Golden City firsthand. We were now ready to explore. Some were intrigued by the historic "Lennon Wall," as others were captivated by the joyous musical stylings of artistic inhabitants of the city. At midday, it was as if time came to a halt. Everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered around the grand astrological clock tower. A whimsical show was performed by the small statues that presented themselves after the clock struck twelve. A local trumpet player graced us with his gift of music from the top of the tower. We enjoyed a light lunch in the heart of the "Old City" and were refreshed for the second part of our day.
Furthermore, we left the city after enjoying some gelato and crossing the Charles Bridge yet again to board to our bus. Upon our return to the hotel, we packed our things and were ready to go experience our favorite sport, international style. Unfortunately, our plan to arrive on time was foiled...
There was a tragic accident en route to our game. We were left helpless in standstill traffic for over 2 hours. People were abandoning their cars and walking their dogs and letting their children frolic about. We, however, had other plans. We started a game of "Psychologist" to pass the time. We enjoyed stumping Coach Spirk, Coach Endler, and even some of the parents with our tricky game!
Once we were finally back on the road to the game, we got in the mindset to play. It was an eye-opening experience to play against a team from another country. Some of the rules varied from the way we play. The court was narrower, and the refs let a lot of traveling violations slide. All in all, it was a great experience that we all enjoyed. It was also fun to play against some good competition!
After a quick shower back at the hotel, we caught a ride on the tram, and traveled back into the "Old City." We split into smaller groups and enjoyed Czech cuisine at its finest yet again! After dinner, we strolled around the cobblestone streets and had another gelato. Now we are finally back and preparing to go to bed. The lounge in the hotel is bustling with excitement and re-visiting favorite moments of the day. We are having a great time so far, but we miss our friends and family at home! This is turning out to be quite the trip!
God Bless...The USA.
Di Ky
Ericka Blair & Alyssa Hann

Ps CASSIE WE MISSSSSS YOUUUUUUUUUU.

Dobry Den, that is Hello in Czech. We have had a full day so far and the night is still young. We met our guide, Helena, this morning for our tour of Prague. We traveled all around the city by bus taking in all of the sights. Our first stop of the day was to cross the Angel Bridge on foot to get a great look of the city and the Vltava River, which runs through the city. We made our way to the famous Charles Bridge where we all made a wish for our time here in Prague. The Charles Bridge led us to the Old City where we stopped at Town Hall and watched the astronomical clock strike 12 and the parade of saints (ask your daughters what it is, don't want to go into much detail). A quick lunch and we were back on the bus headed out of town for our first competition of the trip. Unfortunately, due to an accident on the highway a one hour trip took 3 1/2 hours to get to the gym. The game was a scrimmage against the Czech 18 and under national team, which we will play for real tomorrow. It was a great first experience for the players in international play and now they know what to expect tomorrow. We are really enjoying our time here and getting a feel for the city. We are headed for dinner soon. Miss you all. Happy Belated birthday Sue.
Coach Endler

Friday, May 27, 2011

We had an eventful start getting to JFK, as it took us over 3 1/2 hours to get there. Once there we managed to get through ticketing, baggage check and security with only a few minor glitches...Mr. Murray being delayed with his passport, Coach Sara pulling clothes out of her bag to get under the 50 lb. limit and Katie O. getting patted down and dusted for possible explosives on her finger tips. (I am hoping the only explosives she has on this trip is breaking out on a offensive rampage on the court!!)
We boarded and had a great flight from New York directly to Prague. Eating, sleeping, listening to music, watching movies, reading and coloring(yes, we had a few people with crayons and coloring books) were the activities on the flight.
We landed at approximately 10am Prague time, 4am your time!! We met our tour guide for the trip, Robert, and our bus driver, Chris (a female driver) easily outside the gate. We loaded our Mercedes Benz bus and made our way to Hotel Belvedere. It is a quaint hotel in a nice area of the city with lots of bars, restaurants and shops up and down the streets. We checked in sporadically as some of the rooms were not ready, but within a hour everyone was settled in...tired but good!
We are headed into Old Town Prague in a hour to sightsee and then have our first dinner together! I suspect we will all sleep well tonight!!
I am looking forward to the adventure that awaits us over the next 9 days. I am especially anxious to see how we compete on the court. First game tomorrow evening!
Hi to all...wishing Emily, Jenna and my Mom could have made the trip! It is not the same without them!!
Danke for to all our friends and family for their support not only to make this trip happen, but also during the season! Take care. Coach Spirk

Monday, May 23, 2011

On Friday we finished 3 days of practice prior to our departure this Thursday. The players went home for the weekend to pack and hopefully practice the Czech and German words I gave them. During practice, the team worked hard and are eager to get on that plane and show those Czechs, Austrians and Germans how the Lady Greyhounds play the game! The photo above shows the t-shirts that were made for our trip. We will be wearing them with pride. We will be updating our posts throughout our trip so be sure to check in everyday or so. Also check out our Facebook page which will be updated as well. So if you are not already, become a fan of Moravian Women's Basketball on Facebook. Enjoy and Auf Wiedersehen!!

Coach Endler

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The women's basketball team will be playing four games including one against the U19 Czech National Team. While in Europe they will be exploring the “Golden City” of Prague; driving through majestic Alpine scenery, visiting Schonbrunn Palace; dining at a Hofbrauhaus; and experiencing notorious Dachau Concentration Camp.

About the Adventure

When: May 26th - June 4th
Where: Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; and Munich, Germany

View trip summary (.pdf)

Blog Archives

• May 2011
• June 2011