Alghero, Day 1 (Sardegna)

Gorgeous views everywhere in Alghero.

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  When we touched down in Alghero (Sardegna) on Sunday night, we arrived to the same rainy, nasty, stormy weather that we had left in Northern Europe earlier in the day.

  Your worst nightmare is that your sunny, warm weather, beach vacation is stricken with nasty, rainy weather. Linda and I started worrying that our nightmare was going to come true in Sardegna.

  Windy, rainy weather does not make for a fun vacation, does it?

  When we checked in, the hotel concierge assured us that the weather would be clear by morning, and would steadily improve over the four days that we'd be on the beautiful Italian island. So we crossed our fingers, and turned in for the night!

  Sure enough, when I opened the shades on Monday morning, the sun was shining bright, and the winds were calm. Alghero couldn't have been more beautiful! The hotel's beach (spiaggia delle Bombarde) surely had two chairs with our names written all over them.

Alghero - the old city

  Before we could hit the beach, we had to find Linda a swimsuit (she left hers in the US!). So we headed to the old city center of Alghero to get a quick lay of the land, and more importantly, find a swimsuit!

  Luckily Linda wasn't picky, and found a suit fairly quickly. Since we were in the old town, we figured we'd walk around for a bit, and see a few of the sights before we headed back to our hotel, and out to the beach.

  Like any city situated on a body of water, the promenade/boardwalk is one of its most significant features. We explored the narrow stone streets hidden in the ancient city walls for a bit, but it was only a matter of time before we made our way out to the water.

Hanging out on the rocks!

  As we were oohing and ahhing about (and snapping pictures of) the gorgeous views that followed us everywhere we turned, we came upon a older couple about to have a picnic down on the rocks below the promenade.

  The beaches that immediately surround Alghero were mostly of the rocky variety, but the sights were just as amazing as those on the sandy beaches near our hotel.

  Linda and I climbed around on the rocks, finding fun pictures to take and enjoying the views and sun. When the couple asked us if we wanted our photos taken, it gave me the perfect opportunity to start brushing up on my seldom-used, already-shaky Italian.

  We chatted for a couple minutes (they asked if we were basketball players -- shocker!, they were from Alghero, and I told them I had previously played basketball in Italy). Once we got our picture taken, Linda and I left them to their picnic on the beach.

Beautiful boardwalk views.

  As always, I had a pretty easy time understanding the language. But when it came time for me to spit out a sentence, I had a rough time! As our vacation went along, the words slowly made their way back to me. But not nearly quick enough!

  We walked to the end of the boardwalk, admired the views (and snapped even more pictures), and decided it was time to head back to the hotel for some fun in the sun! We knew we would make it back to Alghero in the coming days, so we were anxious to get out on the beach.

  The weather was perfect. No wind, and in the 70s. It was the first 70 degree weather I had enjoyed all spring, so the warm sun was a welcome feeling on my skin!

Rocky beaches of Alghero.

  Even though the water was a little on the chilly side, both Linda and I made our way into the Mediterranean Sea. We eased in slowly, and eventually were out there floating around!

  The salty water made floating pretty easy, but not as easy as I thought it would be. The water was definitely saltier than anything I had ever been in. When I got out, I could immediately see the salt dry on my skin, and my hands were all sticky!

  As can happen in sunny locales, I got a little more sun than I anticipated in the morning hours in Alghero. Linda and I were both cognizant about wearing sunscreen, but the sun got to us while we were out walking on the promenade! There's nothing worse than getting burned, so we wanted to make sure we avoided that.

A find on our hike.

  One thing you think of when you mention Italy, is the awesome food they have! But instead of eating out every meal, we decided we could handle a lunch or two from the grocery store. So we grabbed some meat, cheese, pita bread, and some fruit and veggies and had lunch on the beach at the hotel.

  Don't worry, we'd have plenty opportunity to enjoy the yummy Italian food that was in Sardegna!

Above Lazzaretto. The hillside of Sardegna.

  After our scrumptious homemade lunch, Linda and I decided to go exploring in the area immediately around our hotel. We were staying in the gorgeous Hotel dei Pini, several miles northwest of Alghero.

  Once outside of the city, it was somewhat 'in the country'. I thought the scenery was reminiscent of Maui, with deep green hillsides, the vibrant blues from the water, the terrain and of course, palm trees. Though I don't remember ever coming across any vineyards in Maui, like we did in Sardegna.

  We headed out on foot towards the other beach in the area called Lazzaretto. Our exploring turned into a pseudo-hike, as we weaved our way through inlets and treed-terrain (there were established trails, so don't think we were doing anything too crazy!). This is exactly the occasion where it was nice having a travel partner. I doubt, if I had been on my own, that I would have been out there exploring the countryside.

Lazzaretto in the distance.

  Once we reached Lazzaretto, we stopped at a tiny bar right on the beach where I enjoyed my first espresso of the trip (and Linda had an ice cream bar). I dare you to find something better than a real Italian espresso (maybe a true Italian gelato is the only thing that beats it)! Nothing beats the flavors of the tiny cup of Italian coffee, I love it!

Lappe, post-ice cream.

  After our short break, we continued our 'hike' for roughly another mile. We were on and off trails, and at some point obviously made a wrong turn because we somehow ended up on the wrong side of a private property sign and fence. Oops!

  At the same moment we were approaching the gated driveway and contemplating our 'escape', a car drove up!

  Just our luck, we thought, the owners were returning home right as we were trespassing on their beautiful property. Linda and I stood there looking, as the man parked his car outside the gate, took a glance at us, and proceeded to walk in the other direction, towards the beach. Phew, disaster averted! I guess it was just a beach-goer parking his car.

  We opened the unlocked gate, and walked back to our hotel.

Sunset in Alghero! So pretty!

  For our first real night in Sardegna, we wanted to to be sure to see one of the amazing sunsets we had previously seen pictures of. The Alghero promenade faces the water, and to the west, so we headed back to the city for the rest of the evening.

  Surprisingly enough, the promenade was relatively empty around sunset. This was the first time it became obvious to us that May was the perfect time to visit Sardegna. There were very few tourists, yet we still had a wonderful weather. I'm guessing that's why the promenade was quiet at dusk. And the locals have that sunset every night -- so it's no big deal! Lucky them!
 

Sunset over Capo Caccia.

  We grabbed a table at a cafe that had tables on the promenade, ordered a drink, and waited for the sun to go down.

  Linda and I were the only ones paying the sunset any attention. The group sitting next to us were playing on their iPhones, and had their backs to the water the whole time! They actually sat down right in front of us, oblivious to our awesome setting, and blocked our view when they first arrived (so we moved tables).

  We watched the sun drop down over Capo Caccia (a place we would visit later in the week) in the west. Nothing like an incredible sunset to make you feel like a tiny tiny part of the enormous universe.

Linda and her calzone!

  And for dinner, I finally got the Italian pizza that I had been craving for weeks while in France! It was well worth the wait too, as no one does pizza like the Italians. I'm not talking about those deep dish, thick crusts either. I love the thin crusts where you can taste each ingredient. Sooooo good! Linda had a giant calzone. If you've never seen a calzone in Italy, they take a regular pizza and fold it over. It puffs up in the oven, so when it comes out, it's huge! Needless to say, both of us devoured our dinners.

  I noticed a Sardegna-specialty after dinner liqueur on the menu called Mirto. I had always liked Limoncello when I went out to dinner in Como with my teammates years before. So I had been looking forward to that. But Mirto was something I was going to have to try as well. There would be no Limoncello or Mirto for me that night, as Linda and I had our fair share of one of the local wines.

  Day one in Alghero was as perfect as you could imagine: gorgeous weather and views, a swim in the Mediterranean Sea, relaxing on the beach, an amazing sunset, and Italian espresso, pizza, and wine!

  Our vacation was off to a great start, and we still had three more days in Sardegna. Amazingly enough, as great as our first day was in Alghero, we managed to top it later in the week -- stay tuned! More pictures below!

 RELATED POSTS:

Alghero & Barcelona Teasers 

Driving into Hotel dei Pini the first, stormy night.

Looking back into Alghero from the promenade.

Linda checking out Lazzaretto.

Alghero behind.

Linda on the boardwalk. Ready for the sunset!

Alghero sunset!

Easing Back After Vacation

Atop Castell de Montjuic in Barcelona.

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  With the end of the 2011-2012 season behind me, there was only one thing I hadn't yet crossed off the list before I hopped on that plane, and made the long trip back to the US: my annual European vacation!

  With the exception of my rookie season in Como (when I was so homesick, I wanted to be home as soon as I possibly could), I have made it a tradition to get out and see a few sights of old Europe before I head home for the summer. I think it'd be a tragedy to live in Europe for a prolonged time, and never really get out and see its most beautiful sights.

  So I put off seeing my family and friends for a few more weeks, and see a little history first! Not a bad trade off, and definitely time well-spent.

  Some times I target places where I have friends, or have previously been: Venice, Milan, Como, Prague, various parts of France before I played there. And other years, I pick a spot I've never seen, but always wanted to visit: Majorca, Malta, Rome.

  Slowly but surely, I'm filling up my passport, and marking each and every city (and island) around Europe off my travel-bucket-list!

View from the balcony in Alghero!

  More often than not, I look to go someplace where the sun is sure to shine. After eight months in a gym, I am usually chomping at the bit to hangout in the sunshine! That's another reason I'm rarely in a hurry to get back to Portland -- the sun habitually doesn't come out until May or June (or July 4th).

  I think I've done a fairly good job over the years finding a balance between spending time on the beach, and exploring city sights. Each provides you with a vastly different experience
and a significantly different vacation!

Alghero Bay

  I had been wanting to visit Barcelona for years, so that was the one place I had to venture to this year. And I'm always looking for an excuse to get back to Italy, so 4 days on the beaches of Sardegna (Sardinia) sounded too good to pass up.

View of Beautiful Barcelona.

  Nothing beats unwinding from a long season on a beach, seeing the historic sights of Europe, and refreshing the body and mind before the summer starts! This year, I was lucky enough to have a travel buddy. One of my college teammates, Linda, joined me for some much-needed R-and-R!

  I kept a journal along the way (a real life journal, with pen and paper!!), so I'll be giving you all a semi day-to-day look at how we spent our eight days in Sardegna and Barcelona!

  As the case can be quite often, sometimes words don't do things justice. So good thing for you I have more than my fair share of pictures and videos to share with you all! I'm looking forward to sharing the beautiful sights -- teasers below!

RELATED POSTS:

Oh! The Places You'll Go..

Post Season R&R

Sardegna

Sardegna

Sardegna sunset from Alghero boardwalk.

Inside Neptune's Grotto.

Sunset from Capo Caccia -- Sardegna.

Barcelona.

 

Pretty palm trees -- Barcelona.

The Palau Nacional -- Barcelona.

Linda in front of the Font Magica fountain show.

 

Font Magica -- Barcelona.

On Vacation....

   On vacation for a few weeks. Be back soon!

Agave Addendum

Agave Nectar

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  A couple months ago, I wrote an entry about sugar, artificial sweeteners, and possible alternatives to refined white sugar. My message in that particular blog was that real sugar isn't as evil as it's made out to be. It's how much of it we're consuming (many times, unknowingly). And it's too much of the fake stuff -- the processed sugars and sweeteners -- that get us into trouble. 

  That message hasn't changed, but I have an update on one of the possible alternatives.

  Almost immediately after pushing the 'publish' button on that blog in February, I received feedback about one of the alternatives: Agave (or Agave Nectar). 

  Even though I was a somewhat skeptical, I had started using Agave this Fall to sweeten my morning coffee. When I received feedback to look further into Agave, I did just that. And what I found resulted in immediately stopping my usage of Agave.

What is Agave Nectar?

  Agave is relatively new to mainstream markets, but it is definitely becoming more and more well-known. It's often touted as a 'health food' because it doesn't raise blood glucose levels in the same way refined white sugar does. I've also seen it advertised as natural and organic. Marketers call Agave a health food because it's considered a low-glycemic sweetener. Since Agave is very high in fructose (most consist of 70-80% fructose), it does not get absorbed into the blood stream as quickly as white sugar does.

  However, with further research, it seems that Agave Nectar is just as processed as High Fructose Corn Syrup (which is 55% fructose by comparison). So that debunks the claim that Agave is organic, natural or traditional.

  In fact, Agave and HFCS are made in the same manner: 

"using a highly chemical process with genetically modified enzymes. They are also using caustic acids, clarifiers, filtration chemicals and so forth in the conversion of agave starches into highly refined fructose inulin that is even higher in fructose content than high fructose corn syrup."

 What's the problem with fructose?

  Concentrated fructose isn't found anywhere in nature. Not even the sweetest of fruits. Fructose is a man-made sugar created by the refining process. Refined fructose doesn't contain any amino acids, vitamins, minerals, pectin, or fiber. As a result, the body doesn’t recognize refined fructose.

  Levulose is the naturally occurring sugar in fruits. It contains enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fruit pectin.

  Refined fructose is processed in the body through the liver, and not digested in the intestine. Whereas levulose is digested in the intestine. This is a crucial factor to our bodies and digestive systems. Because fructose is digested in the liver, it is immediately turned into triglycerides or stored body fat. Since it doesn’t get converted to blood glucose like other sugars do, it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels in the same manner either. Hence the claim that it is safe for diabetics, and is a low-glycemic sweetener.

Who do we believe?

Agave plant

  But still, here's the problem with Agave. The information within public reach is extremely inconsistent.

  One place you might read that it IS indeed a health food, and a solid alternative to white sugar. That it takes your body longer to break Agave down.

  While other sources claim that it is no better than High Fructose Corn Syrup (or possibly worse), and the excess fructose in Agave increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to brain shrinkage and mood instability.

  Google it quickly, and see the varying stories you get.

  With all the differing stories about Agave at our disposal, I wanted to pass along the new information I had become aware of. As always, knowledge is power! And since I had previously written that I used Agave, I wanted to issue an addendum of sorts. I don't want to provide bad information to my readers! 

What now?

  With Agave seemingly thrown out the window, I was back at square one. If I want to avoid refined white sugar, what is my best option?

  The best bet I have come across is Organic Cane Sugar. Again, I really only use sugar to sweeten my coffee. So if you are baking and are looking for another alternative, there might be a better solution.

  I have also come across people who rave about Beet Sugar. I personally have not used beet sugar, so I cannot speak of it one way or the other.

  If anything, we need to realize that no sweetener or sugar is a 'health food'! There is no magical sweetener that has zero calories, and won't harm our bodies in other ways. Sugar and other sweeteners should always be consumed in moderation, and is something we should always be mindful of. If you want something sweet, choose the calories NOT the chemicals!

 

LINKS:
Rodale: The 4 Best, and 3 Worst Sweeteners
Rodale: Food and Depression
Agave Nectar by Dr. Paul Gannon
Why is White Refined Sugar Unhealthy?
Agave Nectar: Good or Bad?

No Practice, No Game. Now What?

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**Originally appeared on SLAM Online May 2nd, 2012**

  Days off typically are saving graces for us all, are they not? They give us a much-needed opportunity to rest physically, and decompress mentally. As a hooper in Europe, it's no different.

  On average, you have one day off per week -- to do absolutely nothing. No practice, no weights, no meetings, no obligations to speak of. How you choose to spend your rest day is completely up to you. 

  That one off day usually comes the day after a game, so you might find your body a little sore, and a little more tired than usual. You can stay in bed all day if you want and watch movies. Or you can get out and do something out of the ordinary, and change up your routine.

  But rest days abroad come with a caveat: many times they can become incredibly monotonous as well.

  I think people like routines (or maybe that's just me). No matter your job, if you have a schedule to keep, it makes things easier. Sure, there are times when you HATE that schedule. But for the most part, having a routine ensures that we're accountable. We know exactly where we're supposed to be, what we're supposed to be doing. 

  It's no different as an athlete.

  In college having a strict, busy schedule kept us out of trouble. Our days were accounted for almost from sunrise, to sundown. Yes, it was tiring. And we despised it at times. And we wondered what we would do if we didn't have to go to practice, or study table, or 6am weights. (To be fair, that schedule also helped us learn how to prioritize our lives, manage our time, and become disciplined.)

  But on those extra-special occasions when we got a day off during the week, usually by 4 o'clock that afternoon, we'd be completely lost (not to mention bored)! We wouldn't know what to do with ourselves.

  In Europe it's exactly the same. Obviously, we have no classes to attend, or homework to finish. But all week, we look forward to that day off. Where we don't have to be inside those all-too-familiar four walls of the gym, with the same people we see day-in-and-day-out. When we can do whatever we want to do, whenever we want to do it.

  But just as in college, as we grow accustomed to being on a schedule (such as being at practice at 11am and 6pm every day), when we suddenly don't HAVE to be there, we get bored.

  Your level of boredom can depend a great deal on what the city is like where you play. Obviously, if you're in a big city, it can be very easy to fill your free time. But if you're in a smaller city or town, off the beaten path, you have to search a little harder to fill your day!

  While I don't get homesick anymore, days off are when homesickness can rear its ugly head. You realize just how far away from home you really are. You're a continent away (and six to nine hours away, time-wise) from your family and your closest friends. Even with the wonders of the internet, most of the time they're all sleeping while you're awake and have nothing to do.

  So what do you do?

  You can only sleep so much, or watch so many movies (in my opinion, of course). Laying around all day is a surefire way to give me a bad case of cabin fever. But I'm sure there are people who say otherwise.

  Sure, I do try to sleep in as late as I possibly can (some days that works better than others). After my normal routine of checking the news and scores from the night before, and of course Twitter, and Facebook, I usually try to get out and get some fresh air.

  This season, I have been extremely blessed to live on the beach, so I am out on the sand as much as I can possibly be. In prior years, when I didn't have a beach to explore, I still found a way to get outside and get some fresh air. Whether it was out and about in the city, or a brisk walk in the cold Northern Swedish air (or on a snow mobile!), I always find a way get a little exercise, and a little fresh air.

  If your off day happens to land on a Sunday, which is often the case, nothing will be open. So for those of you who like to shop, there will be none of that. No errand running, no trips to the grocery store. Sundays in Europe truly are rest days for everyone.

  Again, the things you can do depends on where you're located. Maybe you can do a bit of traveling if you're a train-ride or drive away from any worthwhile sights.

  If you're in a place where you can easily travel, multiple off days are a blessing. Then you can be a tourist for a few days. It gives you the opportunity to get out and see some of the things that everyone thinks were over here seeing on a daily basis!

  It's nice to do something different, something fun, and something that will take you away from basketball for a bit. You find little things that interest you: reading, writing, movies, architecture of old Europe, sea glass hunting -- really, anything!

  I know, I know, what difficult lives we lead, right? Complaining about being bored on off days. Hope it doesn't sound like a complaint, I'm only trying to give you the player's perspective!

  Above all, rest days are a must. You have to allow your body and mind to recover from a long week of practice, and a physical game. If the downtime, and the quiet aren't for you, then this might not be the job for you either!

Season Nine's a Wrap...Number 10 on Tap!

Out seeing some sights in Strasbourg.

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  We can finally tie a big bow on the 2011-2012 basketball season -- cause it's a wrap! I feel like I've been talking about the approaching end of the season for weeks, but Saturday night versus Strasbourg (a game that we won!) finally was the last game of my ninth season in Europe.

  While this has been one of the longest seasons I've taken part in in those nine seasons (actually, at eight months, I think it was THE longest season), my time in Dunkerque has gone extremely fast. I think this blog has a lot to do with that, but that's another topic for discussion.

  I re-signed in late-March to come back to Dunkerque next year, so I'll be back with DMBC for my 10th season come September! It's nice to have that decision behind me. And I'm looking forward to a stress-free, enjoyable summer (not having to wait around for the phone to ring with offers from teams, etc...).

  DMBC Dunkerque finished the '11-'12 campaign 8th out of 14 teams in LF2. We were two wins out of contention for a berth to the Final Four weekend. For me, that's encouraging. Even though it was a difficult year record-wise, we definitely left two (or more!) win-able games on the table. So I'm looking forward to possibly taking one of those Final Four spots next season. Definitely should be something we strive for.

  LF2 is a difficult, competitive league. Each and every game you have to come focused and ready to play. ANY team, from top to bottom, can beat anyone else on any given night. That makes for a great championship, and close games most of the time. That differed for me from years past.

Strasbourg is like little-Germany.

  In other leagues I've played in, there were always two to four teams you could count on for an easy W. Making the league a little less-draining mentally and physically. Many times, leagues will have three or four really strong teams, and the rest are less-than-stellar.

  For example, last season in Sweden, my team had several 40-plus point victories. Playing in a 40 point blowout is smooth-sailing in comparison to games that go down to the wire. Here in France, there are no weekends you can take off, per se. Having 13 fairly strong teams, from top to bottom, to compete against week-in-and-week-out makes the season that much more demanding.

  But now the off-season is upon us. It's important to give your body time to heal up, and recover from the every day pounding it took throughout the season. Thankfully I didn't have any injuries that kept me off the court for a prolonged period of time. But there are definite aches and pains: sore feet, achy knees, tired legs. That's normal!

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg

  I always have a hard time taking too much time off. Mostly because working out and training is the habit I've developed over time. And it physically makes me feel better. So I have a hard time sitting still for too long (not to mention I get bored!!).

  I do like to change things up, and give my body a break from pounding on the basketball court. I'm thinking about starting up yoga again (I did yoga fairly regularly after my senior year at Colorado). But starting something new, and little bit unusual makes me nervous. With my back history, I don't want to do anything that might mess things up. So we'll see what I come up with to challenge my body this off-season.

  Since I'm going home soon, the packing can begin. Time to jam everything in those two bags, and make the trip back across the Atlantic! The fine science of not wasting any food, but not running out too soon begins as well. You have to think ahead, to how many days remain and go from there. I usually over, or under estimate by a bit, but nothing too bad.

Fun summertime things on tap!

  I think it's also important to leave your apartment in the same state you found it. I tend to keep my place pretty clean over the course of the year, so it's fairly easy to give it one last cleaning before you leave.

  Since I know I'll be back in Dunkerque in September, I don't have to bring EVERYTHING back home with me. For just the second time in my career (my rookie season in Italy was the first), I'll be headed back to the same place. It's nice not to have to pack up clothes and shoes I won't be needing while I'm in the US during the summer. Makes my journey home a bit easier (I just need to remember what I leave here, so I don't pack even more next time around!).

Breckenridge with the Buffs!

  The end of the season, and the start of the summer is always an exciting time. I know I get to be back home for the summer, and spend quality time with my family, and visit friends that I don't get to see very often. It's always my favorite time of year!

  But sure as can be, before I know it, September will come back around and I'll be getting on that plane to return to France. When that time does come, I'll be excited as well -- and looking forward to building a stronger team, and having a better season than this one. But not until AFTER I've enjoyed my summer with my family and friends!

  I still have a few things to wrap up here in Dunkerque, and a little traveling to do before I go back to Oregon! I'll be sure to let you know when I'm headed back across the pond!