We woke again early to a breakfast of bread and jam, however today we were blessed with chocolate spread. Graciela and Cori were excited because they are collecting this chocolate as souvenirs for their loved ones.
After breakfast the girls split from the guys and received a guided tour from Jeanne Vetter, a graduate of USC and now a member of VC Tirol. The first stop on the tour was H&M, a European clothing store that had a huge sale. The clothing was a hit, especially the pants, which are actually long enough.
When the cash ran out we headed for the city center and dropped off a load of girls to shop around, while Kim and I gave into the pressures of modern society and checked our e-mail at the local university. The group rejoined around three and taste tested the various chocolates that had been purchased during the day. If you haven't noticed the word chocolate is the most common in this entry and justly so due to our mass consumption.
We returned to our hostel with anticipation of experiencing the local cuisine for our pre-game meal and were justly satisfied when it was announced that McDonalds would be fueling our power for the game. The match was our closest to date with a loss in five games by a score 17 to 15. Although the moods were sober after the game, Ashley Powers in the back court, Kristine Rogers' down line attack on the outside and Cori Carper's pivotal blocks left us with confidence for the following night's game.
This is the team eating ribs in Innsbruck with VC Tirol. USC grad Jeanne Vetter (playing in Tirol) is in the background.
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Post match festivities were the best to date. Excellent ribs with corn on the cob and garlic bread put the team back in good spirits. Entertainment was supplied by a local gentleman's rendition of "Born to Be Wild" in costume of motor cycle helmet and glasses. The late night was low key, only five making it out for a night of drinks and wedding dances with the locals. All in all, our ninth day on the tour is another one to remember. |
