University of Minnesota Athletics
#GophersInSpain Blog
8/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
#GophersInSpain Central
Day 1 | Day 2
After a long day, some of which extended past 24 hours for those that didn't sleep on planes, it was great to wake up Tuesday morning refreshed and ready to go for the first full day in Barcelona. After a late breakfast, we headed over to Poliestortiu Fum d'Estampa for another practice. There hasn't been much of any scouting or preparation for our opponents in Spain, so most of these practices have focused on getting the team's own plays down and improvement.
One of the famous tourist attractions in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia, a basilica which was originally conceived and started by architect Antoni Gaudi in 1882 but is technically unfinished. Prior to the boat trip, we took a quick detour to walk around outside the church and pose for a team photo. It was also our first real city walking experience besides a few blocks around the hotel, so it was fun to see the reactions of other tourists and everyday Barcelonans when a group of 15 basketball players rounded a corner in matching gear. We even sidetracked into the FC Barcelona museum and team store, checking out some of the gear for sale featuring the likes of Messi and Neymar.
Off to the port, we saw a bit more of the city on the bus before climbing aboard our tour boat, which gave us a great panoramic view of the Barcelona coastline, including its beaches and other waterside attractions. From there, it was off to dinner at a local restaurant and a night of exploring, getting ready for the first game of the trip the next day.
Spain Day 1: Travel, Practice and Tapas
The team rolled out of the Bierman complex around 4:30 p.m. on Monday and headed to the airport. After checking in and making sure all of the bags were accounted for (there's a lot of things you have to pack when traveling to a different country), the plane was boarded and lifted off from the Twin Cities around 8:00 p.m.
Despite plenty of in-flight entertainment options, most of the team made the best out of the overnight, eight hour flight to Paris by catching some sleep. It was a good thing the flight crew asked passengers to close their window shades, because it was a bit surreal having the sun come up at what felt like 2 a.m. in Minnesota.
Landing in Paris, the connection was a bit tight due to quite a line to get through security and passport checks. Just in front of the Gophers in the passport line at the airport was the Long Beach State women's basketball team, which was on its way to Italy. We got through Charles de Gaulle Airport and to the gate on time, then took their much-quicker flight to Barcelona. Once there, it was a quick bus ride over to the hotel, which is right downtown off of the famous Las Ramblas area. We settled into the hotel around 4 p.m. Barcelona time (or 9 a.m. in Minnesota, there is a seven hour time difference).
A bus ride over to practice at the gym where the Gophers' two games will be played came next. There is no air conditioning in the gym, combined with the steamy Barcelona weather made hydration crucial. We got back to the hotel, where most everyone took a much-needed shower after the long travel day and practice, and then walked a few blocks down to enjoy tapas for the first meal in Spain.
After dinner, the guys got to explore the city for a little bit before packing it in for the night.
