May 30, 2008

Salutations to our ever-expanding and now global fan base! Yes, that is correct, Tulane volleyball is acquiring more and more fans by the second with our international volleyball and people skills.

One particular Croatian, Davor, was willing to change his whole lifestyle for us. He works down by the beautiful beach in Pula at a beverage kiosk (a.k.a. drink trailer). Not only does he work day in and day out at this kiosk, but it is also where he sleeps at night! Even though he hardly ever leaves his hermitage, he was willing to take precious time away to watch us play. After declaring his fanmanship, he stood up and said "Now who wants me?!" Being that Davor is about 15 years our senior, missing teeth, and not what you would say of athletic build, we gave him a big "thanks anyway!" and jetted out without telling him our playing schedule - oops! But we have enough fans (including you! Be proud!) that we can afford to drop a few along the way...

We are now on day seven, our first off day, OPA! You would think that after six whole days filled with so much estrogen that we would want to get as far away from each other as possible, but we've had surprisingly little girl drama. The only fights we've gotten into have been over:

1) key miscommunications (what I like to call `miskeymunnication') as the keys to two rooms have been lost for days in Steph's and Ash's purses;

2) melting electronics, due to the voltage conversion and an unrelenting drive to have cute hair those few hours we're not sweaty;

3) the use of the single computer. I literally had to yank girls away from the screen to use it- in fact, I just took a mini break and after being gone for 45 seconds Sara sneaked out of nowhere to check her email!

Everyone is in high spirits after a well-deserved off day to Brijuni Archipelago's National Park. On the bus ride over, I asked Sara what to expect, and she replied: "Leeez (how she pronounces my name), you are going to see some of the most beautiful waters of Croatia, our forests and nature, and all kinds of animals, like lions." Confused, I said, "Sara, y'all have wild lions here? There's no way!" She gave me the infamous Sara stare-down, and I felt like I had just asked if the sky was blue: "Leeez, are you serious? Like in America. Have you never been to the zoo?" I laughed for about 5 minutes straight after that.

The excursion began with an ice cream cone, as most excursions do being that ice cream is only 5 kuna (woo-hoo! A-KUNA MATATA). We then took the ferry to one of the islands, basked in the sun along the rocky coast next to the clear blue-green water, took a tourist train through the Roman relics, walked around the Brijuni safari park, saw their acclaimed 1,700 year old olive tree, and wrapped it up with another sun session. Keep in mind we are having these sunbathing sessions at European beaches, and are getting the FULL (monty) cultural experience!

For dinner, we ate out for the first time at a restaurant with an amazing view of the Adriatic and streams running around the tables. We then had a private tour of the downtown area and had a peek of the Pula coliseum, a colossal structure that comes second in our hearts only to the gigantic anchor statue down the street. It was an amazing day off and as much as we love to kick some Croat butt in volleyball, we look forward to the next free day!

Dobro! (meaning "good," but it's my fall back word and I use it for everything) -Liz

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