DAY 1 - SUNDAY, MAY 8
BARCELONA - TARRAGONA, SPAIN
ITINERARY
9:00 AM Flight arrives in Barcelona
Bus to Tarragona (1 hour, 15 minutes)
11:00 AM Visit Amfiteatre de Tarragona
4:00 PM Practice
7:30 PM Dinner with Coach Fisher’s former teammates
PANTHER JOURNAL ENTRY
SERENA GRAY | GRADUATE STUDENT | MIDDLE BLOCKER
I feel as though I cannot adequately put into words my time in Spain thus far, without downplaying the beauty in every moment and interaction. Similarly, to the same way that a camera can never completely capture a picturesque landscape. The day began with a 1-hour bus ride from Barcelona to a coastal port city, Tarragona. This bus ride was especially memorable because Rachel Fairbanks and I reflected on how so much of the Spanish architecture reminded us of the “missions” we crafted out of dried beans in our fourth-grade classes (I use the word “mission” loosely because it was actually forced conversion and brutal imperialism led by the “white saviors” that was taught to California students as a charitable collaboration between the Native Americans and European conquistadors). As well, during this ride, we came upon the realization that hatchbacks are especially popular in Spain, and for some reason after functioning on 2 hours of sleep this was hilarious. Throughout the ride, we took in the Spanish landscape and the Mediterranean Sea, which surprisingly do NOT have a smell like the beaches of California whose saltwater you can smell from miles away.
The ride into Tarragona was breathtaking though my favorite part of my day was the opportunity to tour the old walled city. Inside the city were countless apartment buildings with little shops and Spanish restaurants on their ground floors. Within the center of the old walled city was a beautiful cathedral that I could not fathom at one time people went into several times a week for religious services, given it looked too pretty to have any other use than to look pretty. The entire town centre, alleys, and cobblestone roads looked identical of a movie set set in early 20th century Spain. (Attempting to) fully immerse ourselves into the Spanish culture, the girls and I ordered café con leche, fuet on baguettes, exchanged euros with vendors, and exchanged an extremely limited set of Spanish words.
DAY 2 - MONDAY, MAY 9
BARCELONA, SPAIN
ITINERARY
9:00 AM Bus departs Tarragona for Barcelona
10:15 AM Bus arrives at hotel
11 AM - 1 PM Sagrada Familia Tour (generously donated by Jack and Georgia Smith - THANK YOU!) (PICTURED)
1:30 PM Take Metro to La Rambla for lunch on your own
3:15 - 6 PM Downtime at hotel / on your own
6 PM Depart for match against FC Barcelona
7 PM Match versus FC Barcelona
PANTHERS WIN, 3-1!
9:30 PM Dinner with Sue Hershelman, member of the first Pitt Volleyball team in 1974. Sue has been living in Barcelona for the last 34 years!
PANTHER JOURNAL ENTRY
VALERIA VAZQUEZ GOMEZ | OUTSIDE HITTER | REDSHIRT JUNIOR
When we left Tarragona we had some really good breakfast in the hotel. What’s been really surprising is the food and the time the eat food as well as the proportions. I guess I have always been used to getting a lot of food at once that coming into a new country and a new culture and having different types of food totally surprised me. This is part of the experience whenever we are visiting these cities in Spain. Whenever we arrived to Tarragona and Barcelona my immediate thought was it looks like Puerto Rico. I can definitely see the resemblance in some things. We got to experience going in the metro which was pretty cool experience since that’s how you travel most of the time from city to city. Learning how to use it was indeed challenging. To finish the day we had a game with FC Barcelona, a club team in Barcelona. Being there reminded me of home because there are courts like the one we played in as well as the balls, so it is reminding me of when I used to play club in Puerto Rico. It was cool to talk to the girls after the game. During this trip I have been speaking way more Spanish than I have in Pittsburgh. Then we finished the day by eating dinner around 10pm which is pretty common in Spain to eat around that time. Overall just very grateful I get to be here with an amazing group of people and we keep getting closer and closer together.
DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY, MAY 11
TRAVEL TO ROME, ITALY
DAY 5 - THURSDAY, MAY 12
VATICAN CITY
ITINERARY
8:00 AM Breakfast at hotel
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Tour Vatican City (PICTURED), St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
4:30 PM Match vs. Volleyro
PANTHERS SWEEP, 3-0!
6:30 PM Postgame pizza with Volleyro
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
We were so excited to have some supporters of Pitt volleyball at our match! Big thanks to Michael Fay, Kathleen Gulan and Michael and Katie Moraca for cheering us on in Rome!
DAY 8 - SUNDAY, MAY 15
FLORENCE, ITALY
ITINERARY
8:00 AM Team Workout along the riverside
Breakfast at the hotel
10:30 AM Meet at Piazza Santa Croce to begin walking four
10:30-Noon Walking tour of Florence
Free time on your own
6:45 PM Walk to La Loggia del Piazzale Michelangelo (PICTURED)
7:30-10:30 PM Dinner (generously sponsored by Script Society members Michael Fay and Kathleen Gulan!)
PANTHER JOURNAL ENTRY
COURTNEY BUZZERIO | GRADUATE STUDENT | RIGHT SIDE
We woke up had a nice workout along the river, got moving, not playing volleyball in Florence so it was good to do something active and get out and enjoy the nice weather and scenery. It was a great way to start our morning!
Then we on a tour of Florence. We loved our tour guide he had some jokes and told us great stories about Florence and the area.
We then had some free time for lunch, shopping, and exploring. I had a quick pizza, and then walked around and shop and look into all the little boutiques around the city. There was a farmers market that was in a towns square across the river.
I tried my third cannoli and third time was a charm. The past cannolis I have had this trip were pretty bad let’s just say. And this one was from a little bakery on the other side of the river and it was perfect treat for the long day of walking.
We all went to dinner across the river at a very nice restaurant that over looked all of Florence. The view was different every time I looked out at it. The sun set and the weather was perfect outside and we enjoyed some amazing food and with wonderful company as Michael Fay and Kathy Gulan joined us.
To end the night we all walked home and went across the river back to our hotel and saw all the lights in the squares.
DAY 10 - TUESDAY, MAY 17
MILAN, ITALY
8-8:30 AM Breakfast at the hotel
9:15 AM Catch tram to Parco Sempione and Castello Sforzesco
10:30 AM Walk to Duomo di Milano (PICTURED)
Free time on your own
4:15 PM Walk to Centro Pavesi for match
4:30 PM Match vs. Club Italia
PANTHERS WIN, 3-2...
...AND FINISH UNDEFEATED AT 4-0 IN EUROPE!
FISH REPORT - EUROPE EDITION
Sophomore outside hitter Julianna Dalton makes her official Fish Report debut as she and Coach Fisher chat about some highlights from the big trip! Check it out below!