Day 8 - Milan and Match #2

We started day 8 very early! The Hotel Royal Palace in Montecatini began serving breakfast at 7 a.m. Most of our group was waiting in the lobby for the doors to open in an effort to beat the other tourists in our hotel to the breakfast line. We grabbed a quick bite from the assortment of meat, cheese, bread, cereal, and pastries and headed for the bus. We departed Montecatini at 7:30 a.m. and started our 300 kilometer trip through the Appinini Mountains and into the city of Milan. 

On the way to Milan we drove through mountains, farmland, and industrial areas. Most of the bus ride was very quiet as the early wake-up call had allowed little time for the group to be energized. The 4 hour trip was the perfect time to take advantage of a couple more minutes of sleep before really beginning the day.

Once we entered into Milan we drove around the city to see some of the architecture then we were dropped off at the Cathedral Duomo for an hour of free time. The group headed in separate directions in search for lunch and some shopping. The city of Milan is known as the fashion capital of Italy. The shops ranged from high-end stores such as Louis Vuitton and Mercedes Benz attire as well as many other well-known brands. There was also an area of shops including United Colors of Benetton and Zara and then an even more affordable section of town with small local shops. Milan included a little something for everyone and many people in our group took advantage.

After an hour of free time we met-up with our local guide who gave us a brief but very interesting tour of the city center including the history of the Cathedral Duomo which is older than the Cathedral of Notre Dame and took over 400 years to build. We then walked over to the Galleria which is the passage-way that was built to connect the original center of town, which was the Cathedral to the newer art district. We were also given the chance to see the opera house as well as a statue of Leonardo da Vinci who lived in Milan for 20 years and was responsible for much of the artwork in the city.



The Cathedral Duomo - Milan, Italy



After finishing our tour and viewing some of the beautiful buildings we had one more hour to peruse through the area. We met back up with the group at 2:30 p.m. and boarded the bus. The team had a game in just 2.5 hours. Our trip to the field was about 65 kilometers and took just under an hour for us to get there. The stadium was in the city of Caravaggio, Italy and was quite beautiful. Upon our arrival at 3:45 p.m. the team headed to the locker room to prepare for the game.

Match #2 – Brown vs. ASD Mozzanica

Today’s match was played on a beautiful grass pitch, 73 x 120 yards, which provided plenty of space to spread out the game.   Pregame festivities included individual team photos and the typical friendly match combined teams photo.  Players then walked out to center circle for player introductions.  The announcer did a nice job with the player’s names and hyped up the crowd for the start of the game. Temperature on the field was a warm 79 degrees with no cool breeze.

Kickoff occurred at 5 p.m. with Brown starting play.  Within the first 2 minutes Brown had two great opportunities on crosses from the left side to the far post.  Both shots just missed the target.  Two minutes later ASD Mozzanica had a great opportunity to score but a finger tip save by Amber negated the opportunity.

After this furious start the game settled into a battle.  The teams were well matched with speed and physical play.  Each team had a number of good scoring opportunities in the first half. Brown’s defense hung tight and the half ended in a hard fought 0-0 tie.

The second half started with a bang.  At the 1:52 minute mark Eliza Marshall placed a shot into the far post side netting from just inside the 18 yard box.  The play was started by a wonderful pass from Louisa Pitney from the midfield.

The fans didn’t have to wait too long for goal number two.  After stopping an attack by ASD Mozzanica, defender Allie Mullin knocked a beautiful ball to the space behind the opposing team’s defense for Eliza to run onto.  Eliza took the pass in stride beating the last defender and touching the ball just past the fast approaching keeper.  Once past the keeper she slotted the ball in to the far side netting at the 4:32 mark of the second half.

The game settled back in to a battle with both sides stopping a number of good opportunities until the 28:15 minute mark.  Brown won a corner kick, which Gloria Chun sent low and hard across the six yard box.  Defender Diana Ohrt wacked the lose ball into the back of the net for Brown’s third goal.  Final score Brown 3 – ASD Mozzanica 0.  Another great win for Brown!

Brown vs. ASD Mozzanica - Match #2

The victorious team boarded the bus for the final travel of the day. It took us 1 hour and 20 minutes to get to Como, Italy and the Hotel Cruise; our fifth hotel for the trip and our home for tonight and Sunday night.  

Day 7 - Florence, Italy - a Guest Post by Sarah Hebert'12 and Diana Ohrt'13

This morning began with another delicious breakfast gazing out onto the early morning harbor of Portovenere. We departed this beautiful and tranquil town at 9:30 and traced the coastline to the region of Tuscany and our ultimate destination, Florence. Known to the locals as Firenze, this city has been deemed the art capital of Italy having been the birth place of the Renaissance. We finally reached the city around noon and had an hour to grab a quick bite to eat and briefly acquaint ourselves with the city.

At one o' clock we met under the looming presence of the Neo-Gothic Bell Tower adjacent to one of Firenze's crowning jewels, the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral. We met with our interesting and highly knowledgable tour guide for a one hour walking tour of the city to intimately experience some of Firenze's most prominent places and structures. Some of these points of interest included the Ponte Vecchio, known for it's stretching expanse of exquisite fine jewelry and other lush goods. Another noted point of interest was just a short walk from this famed bridge, which brought us to the Uffizi. This unique space is renown as an art gallery which was supported by the prominent Medici family and is lined with statues of figures of individuals who were integral as catalysts during the Renaissance period. Some noted figures in this gallery included da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Amerigo Vespucci (does this first name look familiar?). We smoothly navigated the tight medieval alleys and streets to bring us to the sun-drenched Piazza Della Signoria. A main feature to this bustling square includes copies of great masterpieces including Michelangelo's David, the Fountain of Neptune by Ammannati, and the symbol of Firenze, The Lion which is referred to as "il Marzocco" with a copy of the "Florentine Lily" originally made by Donatello. A final highlight was the Palazzio Vecchio, a truly archaic relic of medieval Italy, steeped with history, it makes it's home in one of the most significant public places in Italy.

Ponte Vecchio Bridge - Florence, Italy

After the guided tour, we were free to roam the streets, indulging in delectable gelato and immersing ourselves in the Florentine atmosphere. Our tour guide Elena told us a main specialty of Florence is their leather goods, and we certainly could not resist. Euros abound, we bought bags, shoes, jackets and more, taking a solid sampling of Florence's finest. And so, after two and a half hours of shopping, we reconvened once more under the bell tower to depart the piazza. After many hours in the roasting sun, not even the cool tastes of gelato could ameliorate the heat, and so we were more than willing to find a safe (and cooler) haven on the bus.

Members of the team in front of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral - Florence, Italy

Once reunited with Massi, our beloved bus conductor, we battled our way through obdurate traffic to finally arrive at our hotel, the Royal Palace in Montecatini. We dined at eight o' clock on local lasagna, veal and potatoes, and lemon and strawberry sorbet. After dinner, the girls scuttled away to their rooms, eager to shower and recuperate in hopes of being reinvigorated for tomorrow's travels to Milan and our next game.

We would like to say Grazie for reading our blog and Buonanotte!

Diana and Sarah

Day 6 - Match 1 in Italy - A Success!

Today started at a leisurely pace. We had free time until 11:30 am when we met to catch our boat.  The weather was beautiful – 80 and sunny – and the team took advantage of the free time this morning by exploring the town of Portovenere, and swimming and diving at the hotel pool.

We left the hotel on time and walked 5 minutes to the boat dock where we boarded our cruise ship. The boat was a standard passenger ferry with tourists from all over the world.  The first part of the boat ride was 30 minutes along the Gulf of La Spezia.   From the boat we hugged the coastline and were able to view this historic area of Cinque Terra.  Everyone was in awe of the steep cliffs with their terraced landscapes of vineyards and olive trees.  How do they pick the grapes and olives and get them either up or down the steep cliffs?

Our first stop was the medieval town of Riomaggiore. It is know for its Mediterranean vegetation and distinct wines and olive oil.  After docking right at the base of the cliffs, we had two hours to explore this quaint town and taste the local fair.  Some indulged in the famous foccocia made in the area. There was also an abundance of pizza and gelato.  Others spent time in the little shops or hiking the narrow stairways that provide access to the homes on the hills.

 

   Tasting the local fare.

It was a beautiful day in Riomaggiore and by 2 pm rather warm.  Many of the players decided to take a dip in the sea.  Once in the water they spied a deep pool of water below a steep cliff with a few great spots for jumping into the clear teal water below.  Some of the spectators were nervous but the jumpers seemed to have done this before and it was no big deal.  See if you can recognize someone you know in this photo!

Can you find the two jumpers?

We then boarded another ferry and were off to Monterosso, another town of the Cinque Terre.  On the way we passed by Manarola, Corniglia, and Verrazza the other three towns that make up the Cinque Terra.  This boat ride was about 45-minutes and the breeze from being on the water was a welcome relief. 

We had just over an hour in Monterosso, time enough to walk through the promenade with its small shops and numerous beach front cafes and taste the local flavors of this small town.  Then it was to the train station to catch the 5:25 pm train to Levanto, our final destination and match #1 for the Brown Bears.  After an 8 minute train ride we disembarked and were met by our bus driver. 

Much to our surprise we had a police escort for the 0.75 km ride to our pregame meal.  The costal city of Levanto streets are so narrow they don’t let tour buses access them.  But we were given special permission, allowing our bus to drive through the town to the local restaurant.  Thus, the police escort.

We enjoyed our light pre-game meal of prosciutto and cheese and insalada (salad in Italian) as our first course, penne pasta with tomato sauce as our second course, and tart for dessert.

Pre-game meal

Then it was off to the stadium to prepare and play our first match.  They welcomed the crowd with pre-match entertainment from the local color guard consisting of a drum and bugles corps with skilled color guards. 

Now we were ready for the main event, Brown University vs. Ligura Regional Allstar team at the Levanto Stadium.  It was a beautiful night for soccer.  About 75 degrees with a slight breeze.  The whistle for kickoff was blown at 8:40 pm. 

It took a while for Brown to find their legs after many busy days of travel and sightseeing.   But it was worth the wait.  At the 40 minute mark, the Allstars earned a corner kick.  Brown’s defense was able to clear the ball.  Eliza Marshall picked up the ball on the left wing just before midfield.  After beating one defender she spotted Emily Wingrove streaking down the right side.  Emily received the pass about 40 yards from goal.  With an excellent first touch she beat the last defender and was one-on-one with the keeper.  Just inside the 18 yard box she tucked a shot pass the keeper for the first goal of the night.  What a great way to end the first half.

Seventeen minutes into the second half, Eliza took a pass down the left wing beating two defenders.  With the keeper out of her box, she slotted a cross landing just in front of the goal.  The defender knocked it off the line but Alexa Ellis was there to bang home goal number two.  Go Bruno!!!

The crowd was thrilled with a final goal at the 43 minute mark from Kiersten Berg who blew past her defender and slotted the ball into the back of the net. 

Amber Bledsoe and MC Barrett split time, each coming away with no goals allowed! The defense and midfield found their rhythm and denied the Allstars any serious opportunities.

Not a bad way to end a busy day!  Brown  3 – Ligura Regional Allstars 0.

Day 5 - Au revoir France - Benvenuto Italy

Day five was a day of traveling for the Brown Women’s Soccer Team! We began the day nice and early with breakfast at our hotel in Grenoble. Everyone was packed and ready to go at 9am for our bus ride to the French Alps. We traveled for about 3 hours – with much less traffic then yesterday! The scenery was absolutely beautiful; we drove out of Grenoble and through the winding roads of the French Alps until we got to Saint-Clement, France. The mountains were all around us, the houses and small towns were nestled between trees; it was really a special experience.

We arrived in Saint Clement just as the rain began to fall and time for white water rafting! It was an interesting site as we each were given our wet suits, rain gear, life jackets and helmets. Our group was broken into 4 boats – 3 were the team and the fastest boat (of course) was the staff. The rain really picked up as we were given our instructions for rowing – left, right, back, forward, stop and HOLD ON!

For many this was the first time being on a white water rafting trip and for almost everyone it was the first time in the French Alps. We paddled through the water, the rapids and the rain for 1.5 hours. Laughter and screams could be heard throughout the mountains as this zany group made their way through the twists and turns. There was even a chance for a little competition when the boats were close enough to harass one another and get each other completely soaked with splashes of the paddle.

After our time on the water it was a mad dash to grab our changes of clothes and find the closest place to change – it was COLD! Everyone settled back into their seats. Many took their Dramamine and prepared themselves for the next leg of our trip – 675 km from the French Alps into Italy with our final stop for the night being in Portovenere, Italy in the region of Cinque Terre.

Along the way we climbed over 1,800 meters (~6,000 feet) in elevation changes throughout the day. It was incredible to see the scenery change from the farmland of day 3 and 4 to the mountains we climbed through today. Our day ended with our fantastic Italian dinner at the hotel. The Royal Sporting Hotel became an instant favorite when we arrived at it’s doorstep around 9:45pm. The rooms overlook the sea with sights of the towns across the way – lit up in the night. We were able to enjoy our dinner outside on the balcony, taking in the amazing view. We started dinner with 2 types of pasta, a penne in tomato sauce with basil and then a pasta with ragu and minced meat sauce. Our next course was veal with lemon sauce and vegetables. To finish off the meal our group polished off an entire chocolate cake – magnifico!!

Here are a few pictures of beginning of our white water rafting experience!

Day 3 & 4 - More Paris and Lyon

Bon Jour from Grenoble, the foot of the French Alps!

It's been such a busy two days that we are just finding time to update you on are latest adventures.

Day 3 - More Paris

We all finally caught up on much needed sleep to kill the jet lag we had been feeling.  We had the morning at leaisure.  Some found the energy and desire to go for a run in the morning light rain.  Other's took advantage of a few extra minutes of sleep.  After a delicious European breakfast of eggs, cheese, bread, meat and fruit we boarded the bus at 11 am for the short ride to the Louve museum.  The place is a mad house, people from all over the world gather there to take in the famous artwork as well as the modern glass pyramids.  Both were incredible. 

It was a good day for the Louve as it was raining off and on.  We had about 2.5 hours to work our way through the maize of sculptures, paintings, Napoleon III apartment, Egypitan antiques, and numerous artifacts of historical importance.  Some saw paintings by Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne.  The Code of Hammurabi, the Winged Victor of Samothrace, the Wedding Feast at Cana were some of the other must sees. 

But you can't go to the Louve and not stop to see the Mona Lisa.  It in a huge room with the Wedding Feast of Cana, taking up one complete wall.  The Mona Lisa has a wall all to itself.  One has to fight throng of people to get close. You cannot be shy and the use of elbows is a must.  Don't forget to actually look at the painting once you get close.  Taking pictures distracted us all.  Upon successful front row viewing you have to seriuouly elbow you way back out.  If you are claustrophic or faint of heart, the best viewing is from a distance.   For those of you who've never see her up close, we took a picture for you.

(Photographer a little exited and the crowd a little pushy)

At 3 pm those who wanted to see the Cathedral de Notre Dame met to hike 15 minutes across the city and Seine River.  Those who chose this outing were treated to incredible stain glass windows, detailed wood work and multiple side chapels were you could light a candle and say a prayer for just about anything and anyone.  They even had a priest available for confession in at least eight different languages. 

Before walking the  15 minutes back across the city, some found a place to get sweet crepes and other treats.  During the walk back one individual learned the hard way of keeping their eyes on the paths for treats left behind by dogs and their owners too distracted by the sites to clean up.  The team was very helpful in reminding eachother so it is unlikely to happen again!

One creative group passed on seeing Notre Dame to brave the Metro and take a subway ride to see Moulin Rouge. (Trivia: The Moulin Rouge is best known as the spiritual birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance).  After two train transfers and some walking they found their way to this famous district in Paris.  We are working on getting a photo and will post as soon as we can.  The uneventful trip out was a bit troublesome on the way back.  Having encountered difficulties of one teammembers ticket not working to activate the turnstile and running short on time, their leader made the executive decision to do like the locals and hop he turnstyle as the had paid for the ticket.  All returned safely and on time to our 5 pm meeting spot.

Before dinner we had 30 minutes for a shoping spree to a famous Galerie mall.   With only 30 minutes the ladies had to have their plans made for what they wanted to purchase.  The vast majority of purchasers went to the Longchamp shop to see what treasures they could find on this famous Parisian designer handbags.  There were a number of smiling faces as we boarded the bus.  They happily showed us their handbags and how much they saved ($30-50 USD) on their purchase.  Everyone agreed that the Galleria was a zoo.  Not everyone could handle the crowds and chose to just enjoy the experience of their teammates.

Then it was a mad dash back to the hotel to change for a 6:30 pm dinner reservation and the evening river boat cruise.  We headed back to the Bistro Romain for another delicious dinner consisting of a Caprese salad, french steak, and pomme de frites with creme brulee for dessert.   Next it was a brisk walk back to the bus so we could make the 9:20 pm "romantic" river boat cruise.

We joined about 200 other tourist for a romantic ride up the Seine river where we were treated to a guided tour and different views of the famous sites along the river.  The highlight of the cruise was the travel through the famous bridge where tradition has you close your eyes and make a wish as you travel underneath.  It is said to be the most romantic bridge in Paris. Could one ask for a more romantic place than being in Paris and on a Romantic Cruise with 200 people you don't know?

Day 4 - Off to Lyon

Monday began with another fantastic breakfast in the Hotel. We had a much earlier morning and needed to have the bus loaded and ready to go for 9 am and the 475 km drive. Everyone enjoyed the eggs, meat and fruit, handed in their room keys and headed to our bus to begin our trip to the next stop - Lyon, France. The day began a bit slower then planned as we waited in traffic in the round-a-bout by our hotel for over an hour! And we thought driving in the US could be trying!

After this interesting start, our busdriver (who remained calm as ever throughout the traffic jam), safely drove us another three hours to our first stop of the day - a local restaurant for lunch! We didn't have much time as Lyon was still another 2 hours to go. Everyone had 45 minutes or so to stretch their legs and grab some lunch. Many opted for some expresso to keep them awake for the rest of the drive and a favorite of the group was the Magnum ice cream treats! These are making their way to the states so keep your eyes open as they are delicious!

A quick lunch and we were back on the bus - heading south to Lyon. We arrived there with just enough time for a 30 minute bus tour with a local guide, Stephan. He was able to tell us about the two rivers in Lyon - the Soane and the Rhone. We also caught a glimpse of the Basillica and their huge hospital in the city centre. Their is a project to transform the old hospital into a hotel for visitors but many of the locals are against this! After the brief tour we were given some free time to explore the city. Some of the team chose to shop, others walked along the famous rivers and some were even able to climb to a high point in Lyon where the views were breathtaking - the height was great enough to see the entire city and out across the surrounding farmland.

After Lyon we were driven to a local restaurant for dinner. The group was tired from our long day on the bus and excited to sample the local fare. The restaurant we went to was La Taverne de maitre Kanter in Lyon.We began with a caesar salad that was a bit different then we are used to at home. It included lettuce, proscuitto, turkey, bacon, shaved parmesean, egg and a creamy dressing - everyone loved it! Our second course was a bit more interesting. We had a traditional French sausage with a creamy dijon sauce along with more pomme de frites. We finished the meal with a creme caramel!

The rest of the day was spent with a transfer to the mountain city of Grenoble in France. We drove just about 1.5 hours where the landscape changed from farmlands and white cows to lush mountains. Our hotel is right in the center of the small city and the group said our good nights around 9:30 pm and headed to bed with smiles on their faces.

Days 1 and 2 - we made it!

The adventure has begun! We began traveling on Saturday June 18th at 1:30pm. After an hour on the bus, 3 hours at the airport and 2 flights totalind just over 10 hours we are in Paris! Sunday began with a cheer of happiness as we departed the Lufthansa flight in Paris and trekked with our party of 34 through the airport to find our Dream Team Italy guide.

Elena and our bus driver are wonderful! They welcomed us to Paris and gave us a mini tour of the Avenue des Champ Elysee before dropping us off near the city center so the group could do some exploring on our own. We were given some time to experience the sites and sounds of the city - some people sampled crepes and French onion soup and french delights.

After some lunch we reconvened as a group and were met by a local tour guide for a bus tour of the entire city. At this point we were tired!! Hours of traveling so much had wiped the group out. We were quiet for the next couple hours - some listening, some taking in the sites and many taking a much need siesta after the hustle and bustle of the last 2 days. So many sights we weren't sure what pictures to take!



Another highlight from the bus tour was catching a glimps of Notre Dome.

Next up -the Eiffel Tower! One of the highlights of our trip already was this masterpiece. The entire group was in awe as we photographed the tower from across the river. As we got closer there was some fear about the creaky elevator and the extreme height. ALMOST everyone made it up to the top on the unusually chilly Paris day. The sites of the Eiffel tower were incredible, everyone could not take enough photographs.

After our tour we had a delicious dinner at a local restaurant, Bistro Romaine, where a sleepy and hungry group devoured our supper in record time and were eager to check-in to the hotel. Our boutique hotel, close to the river, offered for us the perfect accommodations for the weary group. Day 1 and 2 were complete. We'd already seen a lot and everyone was ready fir a good nights sleep. Tomorrow - the Louvre!

Ever True,
Laura and T