The game was set to start at 7pm and so all of us arrived around 5:50pm. The game did in-fact start on time and we played a solid 18 minutes and 50 seconds until we were told that we had to stop and change venues. See, the weather on Saturday night was dark, gloomy, and inevitably rainy. The roof of our gym has a bit of a problem where rain is concerned, it leaks and not just a few innocent drops. I happened to be sitting on the bench when the referees called for a few towels to help soak up the small lake that was rapidly developing a few inches in-front of the free throw line. Even from the bench one could see the dangerous liquid claiming more and more territory. So, with one minute and ten seconds left in the half, we changed our shoes and climbed into our cars. The team we were playing had come from Ibiza, an island off the eastern coast of Spain and they had come from the airport to the gym in taxis which meant that they did not have transportation to the new gym. My teammates who have cars graciously invited the competition into their vehicles and drove them to the new facility.
Now that we had arrived at the new gym, which is only about a ten minute drive from our main gym, the next obstacle we had to conquer was finding a parking spot, which as you know by now can be extremely difficult in Madrid. After driving around for a bit, our physical trainer, Chiry, found us and ordered us out of the car so that he could take it and find a spot for us. Finally stepping into the gym we were struck with the realization that there was another game going on and it was only about five minutes old. With nothing else to do, we sat and watched the rest of the game. Once the game was over, we put our shoes back on, took the floor and proceeded to go through our warm-up routine one more time. The game started once again and after one minute and ten seconds it was halftime. Luckily, the referees decided that three minutes was a sufficient amount of time for the half. We played another twenty minutes and by the time the buzzer sounded it was darn near 11pm. Never in my life have I ever been a part of something so comedic, it just seemed like it was one thing after the other. Crooks, Cobi, Castrillo and I will laugh about this day for a long time.
I guess I should also probably tell you what the outcome of the game was. 87-79, Alcobendas walked away with the W. We lost to Ibiza the first time around on a last second 3 point shot. I was a bit more nervous for this game because Ibiza had acquired a new post player since Christmas. Before the holidays Lori Nero had been playing in the first division in Spain, but must have been let go from her team, regardless we knew she was going to be good. In college she played three years at Auburn and then finished her senior year at Louisville. She was then drafted by the Houston Comets in 2003. Nero definitely did her damage against us, scoring 29 points, but it was not enough. Our starting point guard, Castrillo, was sidelined due to a sprained ankle but Cobi stepped in and did a fabulous job. We finished with five players in double figures and even executed against their zone, it was a good day. A win will always feel sweet, it is just too bad that we will not be going to playoffs, but Ibiza will if they win their next home game.
Now, what would one of my e-mails be if I did not have at least one paragraph dedicated to food, eh? Lucia, the mother of Alvaro and Mario, has been telling me for weeks now that I have to go to Casa Mingo and try their roasted chicken before I head back to the USA (because their chicken is the best in Madrid). So, this past Wednesday her wish was my command. Casa Mingo is a very old Asturian (northern region of Spain) style restaurant in Madrid that was founded in 1888. They are famous for their roasted chicken and for their cider. Their chorizo and cheese desserts are also rather tasty and unique since they too are made with the sparkling cider. The chicken was phenomenal, period. Besides the great food, I really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere, the old wooden tables, high vaulted ceilings, the large barrels of cider that adorned the walls and the charming waiters, some of whom have been working there for decades.
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| From the outside |
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| The interior of Casa Mingo |
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| The famous chicken. |
Leslie’s Loose Ends:
It is very common for parks in Spain to provide several ping-pong tables. All you have to do is bring your paddle and a ball. How great is that?
This past week in practice we have been playing a lot of fun games, for example, musical chairs, freeze tag, basketball with a large exercise ball and even a man made game of foosball!
The volcanic ash has been causing a ton of problems for travelers in Europe. I am amazed at how many people I have come to know who are being directly affected by this natural disaster.
A good friend of mine sent me some Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies the other day in the mail. I offered them to my roommates and Sara Castrillo gave me a look that I have come to know all too well. “Como en las peliculas! Fue un Girl Scout?!” (Just like in the movies, you were a girl scout?!) We then went on to have a long conversation about Sara’s thoughts about girl scouts and how they are basically the female version of Family Matter’s main star, Steve Urkel. Sara about died when I told her that yes, I went from door to door selling cookies and that yes, I had a sash with badges on it, such as the outdoors and campfire cooking. They do have some form of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in Spain, but I get the impression that it is not too popular. In my elementary school, practically every boy and girl participated in Scouts.
We have our last game this weekend, how fast time flies.
ciao,
Leslie
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