Post #7 - Champions!
Today marked the finals for the Lisboa Lacrosse Cup, and we were ready to play! We played Madrid Lacrosse, and boy, was it a close game.
Our game was a constant back and forth battle, and during most moments, we couldn’t tell who was going to win. Madrid Lacrosse was a very fast, competitive team, and definitely a worthy opponent. However with all of this, we pulled through at the end!
After we won, I felt huge relief and we were all so excited and ready to get our trophy and celebrate! Everyone worked so hard, and I am so proud of my team for what we accomplished.
Even though the lacrosse part of our trip ends today, we still get to further explore Portugal this weekend. Tomorrow we are going to Sintra, where we will explore the Pena Palace and a moorish castle. I am still so overjoyed about the win, and super excited to see more tomorrow!
Post #6 - Lacrosse
Today the Lisboa Lacrosse Cup started. We had five thirty minute games against teams from all different countries.
Our first opponent was the Marmaladies from England. They were a gritty team, but we pulled out with the win in the end! The girls on their team were so nice and we quickly became friends with them. We also played the Olten Saints, the BSI Owls (twice), and Portugal’s National team. We ended our day 5-0, and ready to move on to the championships
It was so interesting to see how other countries played and what the international lacrosse rules were like. For example, in America we are able to kick the ball away from our opponents, and I learned the hard way that we can’t do that here.
Tomorrow we play Madrid Lacrosse in the championship round. This first day was so tiring, but loads of fun!
Post #5 - Lisbon
Today was a big travel day for us. We drove from Spain to Portugal. On the way into Lisbon we saw some pretty interesting things near the water. Over looking the water there was a statue inspired by Christ the Redeemer from Rio de Janeiro. It is called Cristo Rei, and was built as a symbol of thanks that they had no casualties during World War II. We also crossed the Tagus River over a bridge that looked like the Golden Gate Bridge. It is very similar because the two bridges were built by the same consortium.
When we got to Lisbon we had a bit of free time to visit the shops. At the pop-up markets you can find a lot of things made out of cork, as that is a popular material here. The bags made out of cork were so beautifully decorated.
Then we had a walking tour. No matter where you were in the city, you always had a beautiful view of either the water or the mountains. On the tour, our tour guide taught us Portugal’s history and art. There is this one artist who has a ton of sculptures in the city, but nobody knows who it is.
After the tour we went to our hotel and had practice on the beach. The water is such a gorgeous shade of blue, and the sunsets are incredible here.
Tomorrow the tournament starts, and I’m hoping that we get some wins, but most of all have a great time. I think it will be a fantastic experience to see how other countries play lacrosse.
Post #4 - Zipline
Compared to other days, this day was a little less action filled; however, it was unforgettable.
How many times can you say that you zip lined across the border between two countries?
The day started with quite the adrenaline rush. I wasn’t expecting the zip line to be so high up.
I was a little bit nervous, but I would never back out of a once in a lifetime experience.
While the trip over the border was a little over 20 seconds, you got a cool story to bring home
with you and incredible views. Fun fact, it is the only zip line in the world where you change
time zones when going over!
After the zip line we all took a boat ride back to Spain, and visited a pop up clothing stand.
The clothes were so cute, and most of the girls bought something there.
Later we went back to the hotel, and most of us hung out by the pool before our first team
practice. At practice, it was so hot and we put a ton of work in, but it was still so much fun! I
mean, who doesn’t love playing lacrosse?
We had dinner at the hotel when we got back, and then me and two other girls walked around
town and along the beach.
Tomorrow we sadly leave Spain, but we are going to Portugal where we will get to explore
Lisbon, and on Saturday play lacrosse against a bunch of other teams from other countries,
which is so exciting!
Post #3 - Seville
Our tour guide told us all about the city’s rich history and how it has been so heavily influenced by religion. When looking at the architecture you can literally see changes of power and religion through the buildings’ structure. For example, the Catedral De Sevilla has traditional Arabic architecture in some parts, but a gothic church style added on in others from when the country was converted to Catholicism.
We learned about different monarchs like Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon; and other historical figures like Christopher Columbus and the impact his discovery had on Spain. Fun fact, there are said to be pieces of Columbus in the Cathedral. Years ago there were DNA tests done on bone slivers to confirm this information.
Another really cool place we saw was the Plaza de España. Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones was filmed at the Plaza and is called the “Theed Royal Palace” in the movie. I had to send pictures to my one friend back home because she absolutely loves Star Wars; she completely freaked out over the pictures.
After the walking tour, we were allowed to go eat and do whatever we wanted in the city. Me and my mom went for a nice lunch at a local restaurant. We shared a plate of croquettes that had ham and cheese in them. They were delicious!
When we got back to the hotel, I sat poolside until dinner. After dinner, some of my teammates and I went to the beach where we passed around the lacrosse ball.
I am really look forward to tomorrow because we get to zip line across the border between Spain and Portugal, and we have our first official practice!
Post #2 - First Days in Europe
I thought I would be so tired during the day because we had been traveling for so long, but it seems that my excitement kept me awake! Today we landed in Lisbon, Portugal and are taking a bus across the border to Spain where we will check into our hotel.
During Day 2 of the tour we spent a good portion of our time on a bus, but it was definitely
worth it! We were all so tired from traveling; however, our exhaustion did not stop us from having fun on the ride to Spain! During the ride, we spent more time getting to know each other, and we even had a sing along to some of our favorite songs.
We finally arrived at our hotel, and quickly got ready for dinner at the Beach Club. There we
ate sausage, chicken, pork kebabs, and so much more! My favorite part about the meal was the
potatoes oddly enough. I don’t know what they put in them, but if I could’ve taken them home
with me, I would have. They were hands down the best potatoes I have ever eaten!
To end the night, me and the other girls went out to the beach so that we could see the water.
The beaches here are gorgeous, which made the sunset even more beautiful. So far that is all the
trip has had in store for us, but I’m excited to explore the city of Seville tomorrow!
Post #1 - Departure Day
Majority of the team met in Newark, New Jersey, at the airport; where we quickly became friends. From there we took off to Frankfurt, Germany, and then we are to leave here and catch a connecting flight to our final destination, Lisbon, Portugal.
Before the initial flight, my fellow teammates and I talked about how excited we were to explore Spain and Portugal. I think collectively we are most excited to zip line across the border between the two. As we boarded the plane we marveled over the size of the plane. Most of us have never seen a plane this big!
After a long, but worth it, flight, we are getting off of the plane in Frankfurt, Germany. We are all so excited to continue our journey on day 2 of this years tour!