Recapping Women’s Basketball’s Trip to Portugal and Spain
9/7/2024
The Brown women's basketball team recently returned home from their 10 day trip through Portugal and Spain. During their time in Europe, the Bears were able to fully immerse themselves in Portuguese and Spanish culture. They enjoyed sightseeing excursions, guided tours around historical sites, and played three games against teams local to Lisbon and Madrid.
"We had an unforgettable trip to Portugal and Spain! It was an incredible opportunity to build chemistry ahead of our season throughout each of the playing and cultural experiences over 10 days. We are so grateful for this transformational experience to empower self-discovery and collective growth in a different learning environment. We will certainly be recalling memories and stories from this trip for quite some time!" said head coach Monique LeBlanc.
Friday, August 16
Brown women's basketball kicked off their foreign tour at 2 p.m. as they boarded the bus behind Meehan Auditorium destined for Boston Logan International Airport. After a traffic-filled commute the Bears arrived at their gate ready for their short flight to Philadelphia International Airport.
After a short layover in Philadelphia, the Bears are eager to board their international flight to Lisbon, Portugal. At 9:25 p.m. the flight departed, and they were above the clouds. Six hours later, the wheels hit the ground and the team landed at Humberto Delgado Airport.
Saturday, August 17
After a six hour flight, the Bears had officially made it to Lisbon, Portugal. The temperature was a hot 32°C (90°F) that could be felt as soon as they stepped out of the airport. The Bears boarded the bus to the hotel, where they met their tour guide Guillia. While en route to Hotel My Story, Guillia talked about the history of Lisbon and introduced the team to Portuguese terms that they would need during their stay.
Following the arrival at the hotel, the team dropped their bags in their rooms and were headed for the beach. The Bears were able to enjoy their afternoon relaxing and soaking up the sun on Praia de Carcavelos. Some opted to swim in the Atlantic Ocean where the temperature was only 16.5°C (65°F).
The first day in Lisbon came to a close with a Portuguese food tasting. The team was served classic Portuguese plates such as mussels, croquettes, rice with shrimp and fish, and meats and cheeses. It was time to head back to the hotel for some much-needed rest.
Sunday, August 18
Day three kicked off with a guided tour of Lisbon. Our first stop of the tour was Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, or Jeronimos Monastery. The monastery towered over the group with detailed architecture in every direction. The team also learned about the history of the Pastel de Nata. The Pastel de Nata is a Portuguese custard tart that was created back in the 18th century by the monks at Jeronimos Monastery. After walking through Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, the Bears were able to try Pastel de Nata for themselves.
The second stop of the tour was at the Torre de Belem, or the Belem Tower. The tower is carved with intricate designs, and sits on the Tagus River. The Torre de Belem signifies Portugal's power in early modern Europe. After snapping some photos, it was time to head to the last two stops of the tour.
The next stop was the Alfama neighborhood. The roads of Alfama were lined with cobblestone and tall close-knit buildings. Walking through the Alfama neighborhood led us to our last stop of Rossio Square, a major square in Portugal. Did you know that the word "Rossio" actually means "large square"? While in Rossio Square we stopped to take in the beautiful scenery that was surrounding us, and headed back to the hotel.
The evening was capped with a private sunset cruise. The Bears boarded the boat around 7 p.m. to cruise along the Tagus River while eating dinner and catching the picturesque sunset. After dinner, the team enjoyed their time dancing and singing together on the water. Once the sun had completely set, the boat returned to the dock and the players returned to the hotel.
Monday, August 19
The day began with a bus ride to the wonderful town of Sintra. Upon arrival, the Bears made their way to the Palacio Nacional de Sintra, also known as the National Palace of Sintra. There, the team was able to see the beautiful and intricately designed tiles and architecture of the palace. They were also able to see breathtaking views of the land, including the castle situated on the hilltop overlooking the town of Sintra.
After visiting the Palace of Sintra, the team boarded the bus headed to Cascais. The team had free time to explore the area once they arrived. Some decided to head to the beach, while others opted to indulge in the local cuisine before heading back to the hotel in preparation for dinner and the game.
The team gathered at Restaurante Churrasqueira Chu Chu for dinner. Chicken and pasta was served along with dessert. After sharing a meal together, it was time to head to the game.
Brown was set to take on Lisbon Select in their first of three games throughout the foreign tour. It was a hard-fought game that had fans at the edge of their seats up until the last second. Olivia Young netted a buzzer-beater to give Brown their first win of the trip with a final score of 74-72 over Lisbon Select.
Tuesday, August 20
The Bears had an early breakfast scheduled for 7 a.m. before they departed on a five hour road trip to Seville, Spain. The long drive gave the team the opportunity to unwind and catch up on some rest.
After a long day of travel, the bus finally arrived at the H10 Hotel. Everyone had some downtime before getting ready for a team dinner. The team enjoyed a delicious meal together at Lobo Lopez Restaurant before heading back to the hotel for the night.
Wednesday, August 21
Day six of the Brown women's basketball foreign tour began with a bike tour of Seville. The tour guide took the team to different landmarks in the area, including the beautiful Plaza de Espana. They also stopped at the Maestranza Bullring where they learned about the Spanish ritual of bullfighting. After returning from the bike tour, it was time for a walking tour of Seville.
After walking through Seville and passing by the Real Alcazar, the Bears arrived at their destination of the Cathedral of Seville. The cathedral walls were lined with stained glass windows, and the ceilings were carved with detailed designs. An interesting fact that the team learned during the tour was that Christopher Columbus' remains are stored in the cathedral. There is a statue of four guards carrying a box that is covered in cloth, and inside that box is the remains of Columbus. After finishing up the tour, the team had the opportunity to climb the bell tower to get a full view of the city.
The Bears had the rest of the day and evening free. Some players explored the area and the history that it has to offer, while others did some shopping. It was an early return to the hotel as everyone prepared for another day of travel, as well as the second game of the foreign tour.
Thursday, August 22
It was up and off again for the Bears as they departed Seville and began their six hour road trip to Madrid. This allowed the team to get some rest before their game at night. After a long day of travel, the bus arrived at Hotel Mayorazgo.
The Bears' second game was set for a 7 p.m. tip off against Madrid Select. It was a physical game between teams, but the Bears ultimately came out on top with a final score of 75-69. First year students Sela Klein, Aima Ofunrein, and Gia Powell had an impressive game collecting many of Brown's points. After an exciting win, it was time to have dinner as a team.
Descaro Restaurant was the location for dinner. There, the Bears had mussels, croquettes, prawns, Spanish ham, and paella. Paella is a traditional Spanish dish made with rice, meat, seafood and vegetables. Once dinner came to an end, it was time to get some rest for the long day ahead of them.
Friday, August 23
Day eight of the trip began with a short bus ride to the city of Toledo. Upon arrival, the Bears navigated through the narrow cobblestone streets to the Cathedral of Toledo. The cathedral was filled with paintings, sculptures, and colorful stained glass windows. There was even a sculpture made from real gold. It was on to the next destination for the team.
After the tour, the Bears had a unique experience in store: a cooking class. The team split up into different groups to staff each station needed to successfully make the meal. Some were tasked with peeling and cutting potatoes, cutting meat, cooking the tortilla, and making the dessert of rice pudding. The entire team worked together to make a great meal that everyone enjoyed. Brown had one more stop along the way, before heading back to the hotel for the day.
The final stop of the day was to see the creation of a sword. In the windows of shops around Spain, you would find many different sized swords or knives. The team saw how the metal is heated and formed into a point. They also saw individuals creating the intricate designs seen on the handle of the sword. After, the team went into the shop that had the hand-made swords for sale.They looked at the many different kinds of swords that they had to offer before heading back to the bus.
Once returning to the hotel, the Bears had the rest of the evening free. They prepared themselves for a busy last day of the trip.
Saturday, August 24
Brown had a later start of their day with the first excursion not taking place until 9:30 a.m. At that time, the team made their way to the Prado Museum. The team split into two different groups and had plenty of time to view the many paintings in the Prado. There were many pieces of artwork done by Diego Velazquez, El Greco, and even a piece from Picasso. After viewing many beautiful pieces of artwork, it was time for the team to put on their dancing shoes.
After the Prado Museum, the team headed to Flamenco La Quimera for lunch, a show, and a flamenco lesson. The Bears had lunch first while watching the talented performers put on an incredible flamenco show. Did you know that the majority of flamenco dancing is improvised? The dancers explained that the moves are based on the pace of the music. After lunch, it was time for the team to give it a try. Mackenzie Leahy and Aima Ofunrein got on stage and led the group along with one of the dancers. The rest of the team watched closely and followed the moves that were being demonstrated. After putting the whole dance together, they added in a fan as a prop. The Bears successfully learned how to dance flamenco, and were headed for the hotel to prepare for their final game.
Brown took on Madrid Select II in their last game of the foreign tour, earning another win with a final score of 92-58. The Bears went undefeated in their matchups during the foreign tour. To celebrate one final win and the last night of the trip, the team went to dinner at Restaurante La Catedral.
Sunday, August 25
The team woke up bright and early to head to Madrid-Barajas Airport where they had a 12 hour travel day ahead of them. The Bears returned to Providence around 9 p.m. to conclude the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
