Europe Travel

I just returned from, what seemed to be an eternity in Europe. London, Paris and mostly Reze, France to be more specific. It was only 8 days but I don't want to go back anytime soon.

Our travel started off fine with a direct flight from Denver to London. We took a boat tour the day we arrived in London and then had dinner and went to bed early. The next day we got up and I went and ran for 50min...then we went and watched the Changing of the Guard then took a bus tour. I wanted Starbucks which was right outside the hotel but the line was out the door. Our sleeping pattern seemed to fall into place quite well, however our hunger pattern for the first few days was off, we were hungry at night when it was day time over here.

During our bus tour we decided to get off and have lunch at one of the stops where somebody just died (litteraly right as we got there paramedics etc pulled up and closed the road) someone was smashed or jumped from a building. We ate lunch and then headed to the bus which said they had no plan of moving. So, we had pastries and came back and they still were not going anywhere. We walked and caught another but later down the road. We realized we were on the "wrong" bus (one had a tour guide one had headphones) so we got off to wait for a bus with a tour guide. 40 minutes later still no tour guide bus so we got back on, annoyed and did the headphone guide. After this tour we did the London Eye (not all that exciting) just a huge ferris wheel thing to have views on. Then dinner at an amazing pub, walnut crusted chicken..mmm.

The next day we got up took a taxi to the eurorail and headed to Paris. Arriving in Paris we took another taxi to our hotel then went to meet the team. We went to the Arch de Triumph and then off to the Eiffel Tower...where we were told we could sit four 4 hours and wait for the sun to go down. Needless to say, we left and took off on our own tours. We went to Notre Dame, where there was actually a service going on..and then to Montmarte. Then had dinner at a small cafe that was very good. Then back to our hotel that was expensive but tiny.

The next morning we took another train for two hours to Nantes. However, we were waiting to see if I needed to buy a ticket and then the train was sold out. We were lucky one parent accidentally bought an extra ticket so I had one. We got to Nantes and the tournament hosts met the team. They informed me that M and B had to stay with a host team or couldn't play. So, I said that's fine we will just have a long vacation then...after lots of drama they stayed with me and it wasn't that far of a drive (40min). We went to practice after I got my car (Alpha Romaeo)...While they practiced I went for a 55min run, running around a large block so I wouldn't get lost. Then they said we had to go eat at the gym..well they thought I was a player so I could eat with them..but all it was, was a baguette with one piece of meat in it..yeah like that would fill anyone up! Then they played a game for 2.5 hours the longest game ever.

The next few days followed similar patterns, practice, baguette and games. I was starving the kids were starving. So much so we settled for McDonalds a few times because we had no other choice...sandwiches were all premade and on baguettes and all the menu's were in french and what we could deduce was gross. We ate so many pastries the thought is disgusting to me...ugh.

I had a few arguments about the food issue and the coach seems to have no concept of time being wasted, so I was annoyed most of the trip. We went one night to a bbq and realized they were making blood sausage and other sausage...GROSS and it was already 1030 (the sun doesn't go down until about 11) and they hadn't even started so we left to go back to the hotel.

The best meal we had in Reze was Dominos! It was soo good. I wonder where people get their vegetables and protein from..it all seemed like white bread to me.

The last night we left the gym early (we were suppose to watch the final game) instead we went back to our hotel on the ocean...our first real time in the town of Pornic. We walked around the town had a good meal at another small cafe and some awesome ice cream.

We went to bed late and then slept for about 3 hours and got up to head to the train station. We returned the car and got on the train and had a 3 hour train ride into Paris. After the train we caught our flight for another 8.5 hours. Arrived in DC and had an "on the runway" delay because it was raining. Then was redirected through WY because of rain in Colorado. Got to DIA and then the jetway wouldn't come out...so our 3 hour flight was about 4 hours. We figured out we were traveling for almost 24 hours. It was a long day.

My workouts while I was in Europe:
50 min run
56 min run
40 min am run, 40 min pm run
60 min run
40 min run

Not too much but I hope it maintained my fitness. I feel like I lost my "altitude" ability so it should be interesting when I start training this week.