I postponed ever trying skiing because of gymnastics. I never wanted to risk getting injured outside of the gym and have it jeopardize my Olympic goals...especially with my history of knee problems. So, now that I'm retired I was looking forward to my first ski trip in the Austrian Alps.
I headed to Innsbruck over the weekend to visit a friend from the Austrian gymnastics team. He has been skiing and snowboarding his whole life, so I felt pretty safe going out with a vet. Unfortunately, what wasn't taken into account enough was my pathetically weak legs.
Riding the lift to the top of the slope I remember saying, "I am not a gymnast anymore." Aside from not training anymore and moving to another country, doing something like skiing helped remind me that I am in a new phase of my life. When I got to the top of the lift, looking out at endless mountains completely surrounding me and I felt fantastic...that lasted for about five minutes.
To make myself fell a little better, I'll mention that I wasn't quite starting out on the bunny slope at Hunter Mountain, which is where a lot of people from NJ/NY area start out. This was a real mountain with real slopes. My friend took me to where they hosted the 1976 Winter Olympics. It wasn't the exact slope of the downhill competition, but it was right next to it.
I headed down, listening to his instructions as closely as possible. I kept my skis in the arrow formation to slow myself down as much as possible. As I tried to turn to the left my right ski got caught. I twisted as a I fell and I felt my right knee in a very awkward position. There was nothing I could do to stop it. Finally, I heard/felt that lovely "pop" of my knee giving out. I just closed my eyes and thought "WOW...did that really just happen again." As I laid on my side, I tried to lift up my leg, but it just kind of hung there unnaturally. Not a good sign. My friend came over hoping that I was ok, but I quickly let him know that my skiing experience was over.
Fortunately, I was able to walk to the closest ski lift. We decided it would be a waste of a great day to just go home so we had some lunch at the top of the mountain, took some pictures, and just hung out for a while. I tried as hard as possible to stay in a good mood considering what had happened, but my mind kept thinking how bad I was hurt...
The next day was predictable...swollen knee, very limited range of motion. I guess one positive was that I was able to get around on my own the rest of the weekend without crutches. I could feel my knee give out if I moved laterally, so I tried to take small slow steps wherever I went.
Aside from skiing, I got a chance to experience downtown Innsbruck a little bit. One night we got invited to a drink tasting for a new bar that was opening. There were about 10 of us and what we had to do was drink whatever they put in front of us and then fill out a survey on whether or not we liked the drink. We did this for over 25 drinks!! Of course most of the drinks small, but by the end of the night we were feeling pretty good...
I also had a chance to visit one of the Austrian gymnasts who was in the hospital recovering from a recent leg surgery. The whole team went to spend time with him, and it reminded me a lot of being with my team both at Stanford and with the USA. Being around a team again brought back a lot of great memories from my past. That's one of the things I miss most about not competing anymore...just hanging out with the team.
I'm back in Rome now and my knee has been getting better each day. I'm planning seeing a doctor early next week, so I'll have more details on the severity of my injury then.
One more thing...this wasn't exactly my first ski trip. When I was about 12 I went skiing with a bunch of gymnast friends from NJ who were all veteran skiers. When we got to the mountain they all left me right away and I spent the day trying to figure out what I was doing. Needless to say it was awful. Here are some of the highlights of that trip...
-I took a "Ski Class" from someone that barely spoke English. I had no idea what was going on, so half way through the class I left and went on my own. By the way, I had to pay for the class...
-"A Christmas Story" is one of my favorite movies to watch during the holidays. I'm sure many of you have seen it over the years considering they play it for 24 hours straight on Christmas Eve. One of the classic parts of that movie is when Flick, puts his tongue on the frozen pole and it sticks. Well a similar thing happened to me on this wonderful ski trip. I was on the ski lift and I put my tongue on the metal zipper of my jacket...and it stuck. Yes, this actually happened. I was spared the ridicule of my friends since I was on my own, but it did take me a while to free my tongue.
-At the end of the day I finally found my friends and decided to go with them and take one ride down the more difficult slope. The ride started off well, but about halfway down, I fell forward to the point where I could tell my ski bindings were about to break away. When they did finally snap, the ski popped up and smacked me right in the face cutting my chin. At that point, I had had enough of skiing and I went down the rest of the slope on my butt...
So as you can see my first ski trip was not a great experience either. I'm pretty sure some higher power is telling me to stay away from the mountains. I've always been a beach guy anyway, so I don't mind too much. My ski days are officially over.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Florence for the Weekend
Over the years I've been to Italy many times. My first trip to Rome was when I was 2. Growing up, summer vacations were either down the shore in Jersey or Italy. I remember one year my sister and I actually complained about having to go to Italy again for our vacation...we were really hoping for a trip to Disney World! Haha...I guess at the time we didn't know any better. We always went to Rome for a few days and then to Pietracupa for the rest of the trip.
All those trips to Italy, but I never had a chance to see other parts of the country.
Over the weekend, I finally took my first excursion to a new city...Florence.
For years, I have heard just about every American who has traveled to Italy say that Florence was their favorite Italian city. Even Italians, who are all positive the city they live in is the greatest in the world, say that Florence is beautiful.
I traveled by train, which I’m finding to be my preferred way of travel more and more with each trip. Not having to deal with lines, baggage claims, weather delays, and everything else that is a hassle at airports these days is such a relief.
My initial reaction upon arriving at a train station in a new city is always...”Ok, now what??” I tend to just pick a direction out of the station and hope it’s right. Most of the time I’m wrong, but I like getting lost. I end up seeing things I would have otherwise missed. I wandered around the streets outside the Santa Maria Novella train station (main station in Florence) for a good half hour before I found the right way.
When I finally got to the hostel, I used my limited Italian with the girl at the desk who was relieved to be able to speak Italian for once. She let me know that I wasn’t really speaking Italian, but Romano. I didn’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult. In the end I guess I was just happy that she could understand what I was saying at all...MY ITALIAN IS IMPROVING!
Not only was the hostel it in a perfect location in the heart of downtown, but it also provided appetizers and wine every night before dinner...my kind of place. A glass (ok, multiple glasses) of wine with some bruschetta and a mortadella sandwich was my 6:00pm snack every night I was in Florence. Thank you Academy Hostel...best hostel I’ve stayed at so far!
One of the keys to traveling alone is being able to meet new people to enjoy the trip with. My first night I met some college kids from California who were just passing through while studying abroad and two girls from Brazil who were on vacation. We spend the next few days seeing the sites together during the day and partying at night. We all got along really well and it was nice to be able to share the experiences with some other people.
Florence is much smaller than Rome, but it is no less charming. To me, if Rome is equivalent to New York City, than Florence is San Francisco. Two very different places with a different style and energy. Florence might be small, but there are a ton on things to see. The Duomo (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore) is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Aside from being massive, it’s made of white, green, and pink marble which gives it a very distinct look. I climbed the 463 steps to the top of the Brunelleschi’s dome and even with the hurricane winds and sleet storm while I was up there, it was worth the incredible 360 view of the whole city.
I also made it to the Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale Michelangelo, and of course saw Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia. There was too much art and history to describe everything in a few sentences. All I can say is that if you do take a trip to Europe one day, make sure Florence is on the agenda. You will not be disappointed. I know I will be making more trips to Florence while I am out here.
I’m off to Innsbruck, Austria this weekend for some skiing with a friend from the Austrian gymnastics team. It’ll be my first time skiing...should be an interesting weekend.
All those trips to Italy, but I never had a chance to see other parts of the country.
Over the weekend, I finally took my first excursion to a new city...Florence.
For years, I have heard just about every American who has traveled to Italy say that Florence was their favorite Italian city. Even Italians, who are all positive the city they live in is the greatest in the world, say that Florence is beautiful.
I traveled by train, which I’m finding to be my preferred way of travel more and more with each trip. Not having to deal with lines, baggage claims, weather delays, and everything else that is a hassle at airports these days is such a relief.
My initial reaction upon arriving at a train station in a new city is always...”Ok, now what??” I tend to just pick a direction out of the station and hope it’s right. Most of the time I’m wrong, but I like getting lost. I end up seeing things I would have otherwise missed. I wandered around the streets outside the Santa Maria Novella train station (main station in Florence) for a good half hour before I found the right way.
When I finally got to the hostel, I used my limited Italian with the girl at the desk who was relieved to be able to speak Italian for once. She let me know that I wasn’t really speaking Italian, but Romano. I didn’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult. In the end I guess I was just happy that she could understand what I was saying at all...MY ITALIAN IS IMPROVING!
Not only was the hostel it in a perfect location in the heart of downtown, but it also provided appetizers and wine every night before dinner...my kind of place. A glass (ok, multiple glasses) of wine with some bruschetta and a mortadella sandwich was my 6:00pm snack every night I was in Florence. Thank you Academy Hostel...best hostel I’ve stayed at so far!
One of the keys to traveling alone is being able to meet new people to enjoy the trip with. My first night I met some college kids from California who were just passing through while studying abroad and two girls from Brazil who were on vacation. We spend the next few days seeing the sites together during the day and partying at night. We all got along really well and it was nice to be able to share the experiences with some other people.
Florence is much smaller than Rome, but it is no less charming. To me, if Rome is equivalent to New York City, than Florence is San Francisco. Two very different places with a different style and energy. Florence might be small, but there are a ton on things to see. The Duomo (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore) is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Aside from being massive, it’s made of white, green, and pink marble which gives it a very distinct look. I climbed the 463 steps to the top of the Brunelleschi’s dome and even with the hurricane winds and sleet storm while I was up there, it was worth the incredible 360 view of the whole city.
I also made it to the Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale Michelangelo, and of course saw Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia. There was too much art and history to describe everything in a few sentences. All I can say is that if you do take a trip to Europe one day, make sure Florence is on the agenda. You will not be disappointed. I know I will be making more trips to Florence while I am out here.
I’m off to Innsbruck, Austria this weekend for some skiing with a friend from the Austrian gymnastics team. It’ll be my first time skiing...should be an interesting weekend.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Louis Vuitton Edition
So, for the past month I put a hold on my travels and took a job at Louis Vuitton on Via Condotti. The director of the store is a friend, and he asked if I was interested in helping out during the holidays. Meet some new people and make a couple bucks...why not.
This was the first real (non gymnastics related) job of my life. It was definitely a little strange going from just shorts at work each day while I was training, to wearing a black suit and tie everyday. In fact it was such a new experience, that I couldn’t figure out how to tie my tie properly on the first day. It was a definitely a little embarrassing having to ask for some help with my tie!
After getting a tour of the entire operation, I was brought to my work area where I would spend at least eight hours a day over the next month wrapping gifts and controlling the payments of ridiculously expensive bags, shoes, belts, keychains, luggage, watches, books, scarves, etc. Each day was basically me moving nonstop from one item to the next. Removing tags, wrapping, looking over receipts...never ending assembly line like repetition. I would normally work with a partner, and together we would try to get the bags to the customers as quickly as possible. I’m pretty sure everyone that works there hates this job. All of the other employees are required to do three hours a week of wrapper duty, and it is by far the job everyone despises the most. Those three hours were great for me though, because it gave me a chance to get to know a lot of the other LV workers. I ended up making some good friends, and since meeting new people was one of the reasons why I took the job in the first place, it worked out pretty well.
It's probably pretty boring being a wrapper during the other 11 months of the year, but during the month of December it’s nonstop movement. I actually lost weight over the past month because of my wrapper duties. Who comes to Italy and loses weight??!! The guy who spends eight hours a day doing wrapper duty at LV, that’s who (I’m pretty sure I put that weight back on though after my amazing eating display during Christmas and New Years...haha!).
Probably not surprisingly, the best part of each day was the hour lunch break. Most days I would eat in the employee break room. But every once and a while, when the weather was nice, I would take the short walk to Piazza di Spagna and eat my lunch on the steps. Being able to look out at Piero Bernini’s Barcaccia and down Via Condotti on those days was like a dream. It’s such a beautiful spot. I know whenever I go back I will always be reminded of my time at LV and those lunch breaks.
After the first few days of work I came to the quick realization that the financial crisis that most of the world is struggling with doesn’t really affect people who are able to regularly shop at Louis Vuitton. The amount of money that place rakes in is mind boggling. I won’t mention exact numbers, but I would leave most days just shaking my head when I saw the final total in sales each day. On top of that, there is another Louis Vuitton store about five minutes from where I worked!
The store has velvet rope with security at the entrance which was pretty amusing. It felt like the scene outside of a club in NYC. One day, two guys were waiting in line together to get into the store, and I remember thinking, “Those guys better gets some girls to bring in with them or security is never going to let them in!” Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but it was still a scene outside the store each and every day.
Some of the other highlights of my month were:
-Seeing a bunch of soccer players and other actors come through the store.
-The Pope driving past the store on Dec. 8th for the holiday, Immacolata.
-Louis Vuitton Christmas Party. Great location. Fantastic food. New friends...and a broken chair. Yes, I broke a chair that night while sitting during dinner. I still don’t know how it happened, but everyone saw me fall to the floor...not my finest moment. Haha!!
-Everyone realizing that I was an athlete after seeing some of my videos on Youtube. It was pretty funny seeing peoples reactions after finding out about my gymnastics career.
I will probably be starting up my traveling again soon, but this was a nice change that gave me a chance to see Rome in a new way. Thanks Max (Il Direttore) for the job...and thanks to all the other employees for making my experience at LV a positive one.
This was the first real (non gymnastics related) job of my life. It was definitely a little strange going from just shorts at work each day while I was training, to wearing a black suit and tie everyday. In fact it was such a new experience, that I couldn’t figure out how to tie my tie properly on the first day. It was a definitely a little embarrassing having to ask for some help with my tie!
After getting a tour of the entire operation, I was brought to my work area where I would spend at least eight hours a day over the next month wrapping gifts and controlling the payments of ridiculously expensive bags, shoes, belts, keychains, luggage, watches, books, scarves, etc. Each day was basically me moving nonstop from one item to the next. Removing tags, wrapping, looking over receipts...never ending assembly line like repetition. I would normally work with a partner, and together we would try to get the bags to the customers as quickly as possible. I’m pretty sure everyone that works there hates this job. All of the other employees are required to do three hours a week of wrapper duty, and it is by far the job everyone despises the most. Those three hours were great for me though, because it gave me a chance to get to know a lot of the other LV workers. I ended up making some good friends, and since meeting new people was one of the reasons why I took the job in the first place, it worked out pretty well.
It's probably pretty boring being a wrapper during the other 11 months of the year, but during the month of December it’s nonstop movement. I actually lost weight over the past month because of my wrapper duties. Who comes to Italy and loses weight??!! The guy who spends eight hours a day doing wrapper duty at LV, that’s who (I’m pretty sure I put that weight back on though after my amazing eating display during Christmas and New Years...haha!).
Probably not surprisingly, the best part of each day was the hour lunch break. Most days I would eat in the employee break room. But every once and a while, when the weather was nice, I would take the short walk to Piazza di Spagna and eat my lunch on the steps. Being able to look out at Piero Bernini’s Barcaccia and down Via Condotti on those days was like a dream. It’s such a beautiful spot. I know whenever I go back I will always be reminded of my time at LV and those lunch breaks.
After the first few days of work I came to the quick realization that the financial crisis that most of the world is struggling with doesn’t really affect people who are able to regularly shop at Louis Vuitton. The amount of money that place rakes in is mind boggling. I won’t mention exact numbers, but I would leave most days just shaking my head when I saw the final total in sales each day. On top of that, there is another Louis Vuitton store about five minutes from where I worked!
The store has velvet rope with security at the entrance which was pretty amusing. It felt like the scene outside of a club in NYC. One day, two guys were waiting in line together to get into the store, and I remember thinking, “Those guys better gets some girls to bring in with them or security is never going to let them in!” Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but it was still a scene outside the store each and every day.
Some of the other highlights of my month were:
-Seeing a bunch of soccer players and other actors come through the store.
-The Pope driving past the store on Dec. 8th for the holiday, Immacolata.
-Louis Vuitton Christmas Party. Great location. Fantastic food. New friends...and a broken chair. Yes, I broke a chair that night while sitting during dinner. I still don’t know how it happened, but everyone saw me fall to the floor...not my finest moment. Haha!!
-Everyone realizing that I was an athlete after seeing some of my videos on Youtube. It was pretty funny seeing peoples reactions after finding out about my gymnastics career.
I will probably be starting up my traveling again soon, but this was a nice change that gave me a chance to see Rome in a new way. Thanks Max (Il Direttore) for the job...and thanks to all the other employees for making my experience at LV a positive one.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Germany: Part 2
Part 2:
Visiting Fabian:
At this point in the trip I was pretty used to the train system around Germany. Over my first two months in Italy I haven't been asked for a ticket on any form of transportation and things never run on time. In Germany, things are basically the complete opposite. It was nice to get places on time, but taking the trains from city to city is not really cheap...and the attendants checked my ticket every time, without fail.
After Munich I headed to Wetzlar, which is a small city not too far from Cologne. A good friend of mine, Fabian, who is on the German gymnastics team lives and trains out there, so I went to visit him for a few days. Fabian is an incredible gymnast who has had a great deal of success in his career. In Germany he is very well known, and since he lives in a small city he is bombarded by fans and media all day. It was pretty different to see a gymnast get so much recognition out on the street. I got a glimpse into what it would be like if gymnasts were superstars like in major sports.
Wetzlar is surrounded by lots of farmland and after being in big cities the previous few nights it was relaxing waking up in the morning and seeing rolling green hills. Fabian took me to see the Braunfels Castle which is only a few km from Wetzlar. The castle sits at the top of a hill, so as you drive up you get a glimpse of the entire structure in one view. Here’s what it looks like from the road...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Braunfels_Schloss.jpg
We toured the grounds a little bit and some of the little town at the base of the gates. A Christmas market was in the process of being set up, but it still wasn’t open. Every city I went to in Germany mentioned their Christmas market and how they are such a huge part of the holidays. Unfortunately, I arrived a couple days before they all opened and I missed out on the this German tradition.
The next day I went to gymnastics practice with Fabian. He has been training in the same gym his whole life and his father has always been his coach. It was great to be back in a gym again and it made me want to get up and do some real gymnastics...almost. I wish I would have taken the opportunity to go and train with him when I was still competing. It would have been interesting to share techniques and training methods. I had many training camps with the Japanese gymnasts over the years, and those were some of the most productive weeks of my career. Working with other athletes who are at the top level is always fun and motivating.
I left Fabian's place on Friday morning and headed for the last leg of my trip...Cologne. I was hoping to find another great hostel when I got there, but the place I had booked was a tiny hotel and it wasn't quite the friendly atmosphere I was expecting. I walked the streets seeing the obvious sites...Kolner Dom, chocolate museum, shopping district...but I still wasn't really enjoying it as much as some other spots. I did however get a chance to see their Olympic museum. For me, that was the highlight of the city. Germany has a long history of gymnastics, so a good portion of the museum was dedicated to all things gymnastics. They had one of those original pommel horses that had a fake horse head on one end (you can see the pic on my facebook page.) I can't imagine what it was like to swing on that thing!!
To cap off my less than great trip to Cologne, I lost my wallet on my last night! Retracing my steps for a good two hours led to nothing, and so I had to make the most of my last 5 euro. I don't know if it was stolen or what, but it was a pretty disappointing way to end a great trip. I've been getting all my credit card and ID stuff sorted out over the past few weeks, and I have everything finally figured out.
I'm back in Rome now and I've been incredibly busy. I'm working at Louis Vuitton for the month to make a couple bucks and meet some people...but it's a hectic schedule that I trying to get used to. I'll write more about LV in the next entry.
I also have to mention something about my sports teams. At the moment, just about every one of the teams I root for are playing at absolutely pathetic levels. Here's a quick rundown...
1.NY Giants-promising start to the season. Now it will be a struggle to just make the playoffs...but we did beat Dallas both times this year! The Jints haven't been the Super Bowl contender I was hoping for.
2.NY Mets- where do I start! Problems at every level. They were an embarrassment last season. What makes it even worse is that the Phillies and the Yankees were in the World Series.
3.Lazio-haven't won a game since August. I'm living in a city where 75% of the people are Roma fans, so it can be a little irritating listening to everyone telling you to constantly change teams.
4.NJ Nets-just set the record for the worst start if NBA history (0-18)...ouch.
5.NY/NJ Redbulls- Worst team in the MLS.
The one saving grace this year has come from the unlikeliest of sources. The Stanford Football Team led by that bulldozer Toby Gerhart!! I doubt he'll win the Heisman because didn't have too much preseason hype and he won't be playing in a BCS game, but he is as deserving as anybody in the country with the way he has carried the team. Beat USC, Oregon, and ND. 8-4. Our first bowl game in 8 years... GO CARD!!
Oh, one last thing. I'm pretty sure I could eat prosciutto sandwiches everyday for the rest of my life and be completely happy. I'm not talking about a sandwich like in the US that is normally filled with endless amounts of extra toppings...just good fresh bread and thinly sliced prosciutto. Perfect. Maybe not the healthiest option, but oh so good...
Visiting Fabian:
At this point in the trip I was pretty used to the train system around Germany. Over my first two months in Italy I haven't been asked for a ticket on any form of transportation and things never run on time. In Germany, things are basically the complete opposite. It was nice to get places on time, but taking the trains from city to city is not really cheap...and the attendants checked my ticket every time, without fail.
After Munich I headed to Wetzlar, which is a small city not too far from Cologne. A good friend of mine, Fabian, who is on the German gymnastics team lives and trains out there, so I went to visit him for a few days. Fabian is an incredible gymnast who has had a great deal of success in his career. In Germany he is very well known, and since he lives in a small city he is bombarded by fans and media all day. It was pretty different to see a gymnast get so much recognition out on the street. I got a glimpse into what it would be like if gymnasts were superstars like in major sports.
Wetzlar is surrounded by lots of farmland and after being in big cities the previous few nights it was relaxing waking up in the morning and seeing rolling green hills. Fabian took me to see the Braunfels Castle which is only a few km from Wetzlar. The castle sits at the top of a hill, so as you drive up you get a glimpse of the entire structure in one view. Here’s what it looks like from the road...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Braunfels_Schloss.jpg
We toured the grounds a little bit and some of the little town at the base of the gates. A Christmas market was in the process of being set up, but it still wasn’t open. Every city I went to in Germany mentioned their Christmas market and how they are such a huge part of the holidays. Unfortunately, I arrived a couple days before they all opened and I missed out on the this German tradition.
The next day I went to gymnastics practice with Fabian. He has been training in the same gym his whole life and his father has always been his coach. It was great to be back in a gym again and it made me want to get up and do some real gymnastics...almost. I wish I would have taken the opportunity to go and train with him when I was still competing. It would have been interesting to share techniques and training methods. I had many training camps with the Japanese gymnasts over the years, and those were some of the most productive weeks of my career. Working with other athletes who are at the top level is always fun and motivating.
I left Fabian's place on Friday morning and headed for the last leg of my trip...Cologne. I was hoping to find another great hostel when I got there, but the place I had booked was a tiny hotel and it wasn't quite the friendly atmosphere I was expecting. I walked the streets seeing the obvious sites...Kolner Dom, chocolate museum, shopping district...but I still wasn't really enjoying it as much as some other spots. I did however get a chance to see their Olympic museum. For me, that was the highlight of the city. Germany has a long history of gymnastics, so a good portion of the museum was dedicated to all things gymnastics. They had one of those original pommel horses that had a fake horse head on one end (you can see the pic on my facebook page.) I can't imagine what it was like to swing on that thing!!
To cap off my less than great trip to Cologne, I lost my wallet on my last night! Retracing my steps for a good two hours led to nothing, and so I had to make the most of my last 5 euro. I don't know if it was stolen or what, but it was a pretty disappointing way to end a great trip. I've been getting all my credit card and ID stuff sorted out over the past few weeks, and I have everything finally figured out.
I'm back in Rome now and I've been incredibly busy. I'm working at Louis Vuitton for the month to make a couple bucks and meet some people...but it's a hectic schedule that I trying to get used to. I'll write more about LV in the next entry.
I also have to mention something about my sports teams. At the moment, just about every one of the teams I root for are playing at absolutely pathetic levels. Here's a quick rundown...
1.NY Giants-promising start to the season. Now it will be a struggle to just make the playoffs...but we did beat Dallas both times this year! The Jints haven't been the Super Bowl contender I was hoping for.
2.NY Mets- where do I start! Problems at every level. They were an embarrassment last season. What makes it even worse is that the Phillies and the Yankees were in the World Series.
3.Lazio-haven't won a game since August. I'm living in a city where 75% of the people are Roma fans, so it can be a little irritating listening to everyone telling you to constantly change teams.
4.NJ Nets-just set the record for the worst start if NBA history (0-18)...ouch.
5.NY/NJ Redbulls- Worst team in the MLS.
The one saving grace this year has come from the unlikeliest of sources. The Stanford Football Team led by that bulldozer Toby Gerhart!! I doubt he'll win the Heisman because didn't have too much preseason hype and he won't be playing in a BCS game, but he is as deserving as anybody in the country with the way he has carried the team. Beat USC, Oregon, and ND. 8-4. Our first bowl game in 8 years... GO CARD!!
Oh, one last thing. I'm pretty sure I could eat prosciutto sandwiches everyday for the rest of my life and be completely happy. I'm not talking about a sandwich like in the US that is normally filled with endless amounts of extra toppings...just good fresh bread and thinly sliced prosciutto. Perfect. Maybe not the healthiest option, but oh so good...
Friday, November 27, 2009
Germany: Part 1
I'm finally back in Rome after a long trip throughout Germany. I made it to six cities over the nine days I was there, so by the end I was pretty exhausted.
Because I did so much while I was out there, this will be "Part 1" of my Germany trip and I'll put up part two in a couple days.
Breakin in Dusseldorf
Ok, so the first thing on the agenda when I got to Germany was a breakdancing competition outside of Dusseldorf. A good friend of mine who used to be a gymnast and later a performer in La Reve in Vegas, is now part of a big breakdancing crew in the US called Full Force. They were invited to compete in this battle and he asked me if I wanted to come check it out. I had nothing better to do, so I got on a plane to Germany and went to check out my first breakdancing experience.
The battle was in what looked like an old warehouse that seemed ideal for the event and it was packed. The crowd had a pretty eclectic group with hip hop listening teenagers sitting next to grandparents with their grandchildren.
Being a gymnast, I can really appreciate the difficulty of breakdancing, but watching it firsthand was just awesome. There were teams from all over the world and even though Full Force didn't win (they lost in the semi-final to the eventual winner, Belgium) they had a distinct style that in my opinion was not matched by the other teams. At the end of the battle two 8 year old kids came out and did a little show for the crowd...it was incredible. One of the kids did air flairs! I'm sure most of you don't know what those are so here's a quick video of what they look like...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAnNXYTK6uk&feature=related
...wow.
Gymnastics Stop #1
From there I took the train to Stuttgart where I got the chance to watch the Champions Trophy competition. My old coach from the OTC, Vitaly, and one of my old teammates, Joey, were there competing, and it was great to be able to watch them out on the floor. The prize for winning the Champions Trophy was 15,000 Euro and a brand new convertible Mercedes...where were those prizes when I was competing?!! The gymnastics community is small so at big competitions like this one I not only get to see friends from the USA, but from all over the world. We all went out and had a chance to enjoy the Stuttgart nightlife a little bit.
While I was in Stuttgart I stumbled upon a German holiday tradition, Gluhwein. It's hot red wine that they mix with spices and a little piece of fruit. I can see why Germans like this stuff during the cold winters!
Hangin in Munich
Next stop on the trip around Germany was Munich. I stayed in a hostel for the first time and met a bunch of people from around the world who are doing the same thing as me...just taking some time and traveling the world. It was interesting to see where their travels had taken them and what cities they thought were worth checking out. After spending a few days there seeing the sites, taking the tours, and of course drinking the beer, Munich has now been included in my list of favorite cities (of course it's a long list that includes NYC, SF, Rome, Tokyo, Paris...). One of the coolest things I learned about Munich was that before the war Hitler had the Munich city plans and all the major artwork taken to a secret location in the Alps so that if the city was damaged they could rebuild in the same way. Well, it was just about completely destroyed by air-strikes and instead of rebuilding in a modern way, they found the original city plans and artwork Hitler had hidden and rebuilt the entire city! Looking around the city you can't tell that just about everything is 60-70 years old. Munich is a city rich in tradition and they are people who are very proud of what they have to offer. They also seem to have a pretty big rivalry with Berlin which I wasn't aware of. I still haven't visited Berlin, but I'm sure I'll get there at some point so I can make my own comparisons.
Here are some other things I did in Munich:
-visited the BMW museum and showroom. I've now seen the BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche museums. All very different...and all worth seeing. (Also, saw the stadium from the '72 Olympic Games which is close to the museum).
-went running in the "English Gardens." This park in the city is also twice the size of Central Park in NYC. That's the second city I've been to in the last couple weeks that had a park of that size. (Dublin was the first)
-went to the Deutsches museum. It's one of the biggest science museums in the world. I spent about and two hours there and I saw about a third of it. You could spend a couple days in this place seeing everything.
-had a beer at the famous Hofbrauhaus. I was told it's a tourist trap with pretty high prices, but you have to experience it once, right?? Right.
In Part 2...
-visiting Fabian in Wetzlar
-Cologne and a bad ending to the trip.
Because I did so much while I was out there, this will be "Part 1" of my Germany trip and I'll put up part two in a couple days.
Breakin in Dusseldorf
Ok, so the first thing on the agenda when I got to Germany was a breakdancing competition outside of Dusseldorf. A good friend of mine who used to be a gymnast and later a performer in La Reve in Vegas, is now part of a big breakdancing crew in the US called Full Force. They were invited to compete in this battle and he asked me if I wanted to come check it out. I had nothing better to do, so I got on a plane to Germany and went to check out my first breakdancing experience.
The battle was in what looked like an old warehouse that seemed ideal for the event and it was packed. The crowd had a pretty eclectic group with hip hop listening teenagers sitting next to grandparents with their grandchildren.
Being a gymnast, I can really appreciate the difficulty of breakdancing, but watching it firsthand was just awesome. There were teams from all over the world and even though Full Force didn't win (they lost in the semi-final to the eventual winner, Belgium) they had a distinct style that in my opinion was not matched by the other teams. At the end of the battle two 8 year old kids came out and did a little show for the crowd...it was incredible. One of the kids did air flairs! I'm sure most of you don't know what those are so here's a quick video of what they look like...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAnNXYTK6uk&feature=related
...wow.
Gymnastics Stop #1
From there I took the train to Stuttgart where I got the chance to watch the Champions Trophy competition. My old coach from the OTC, Vitaly, and one of my old teammates, Joey, were there competing, and it was great to be able to watch them out on the floor. The prize for winning the Champions Trophy was 15,000 Euro and a brand new convertible Mercedes...where were those prizes when I was competing?!! The gymnastics community is small so at big competitions like this one I not only get to see friends from the USA, but from all over the world. We all went out and had a chance to enjoy the Stuttgart nightlife a little bit.
While I was in Stuttgart I stumbled upon a German holiday tradition, Gluhwein. It's hot red wine that they mix with spices and a little piece of fruit. I can see why Germans like this stuff during the cold winters!
Hangin in Munich
Next stop on the trip around Germany was Munich. I stayed in a hostel for the first time and met a bunch of people from around the world who are doing the same thing as me...just taking some time and traveling the world. It was interesting to see where their travels had taken them and what cities they thought were worth checking out. After spending a few days there seeing the sites, taking the tours, and of course drinking the beer, Munich has now been included in my list of favorite cities (of course it's a long list that includes NYC, SF, Rome, Tokyo, Paris...). One of the coolest things I learned about Munich was that before the war Hitler had the Munich city plans and all the major artwork taken to a secret location in the Alps so that if the city was damaged they could rebuild in the same way. Well, it was just about completely destroyed by air-strikes and instead of rebuilding in a modern way, they found the original city plans and artwork Hitler had hidden and rebuilt the entire city! Looking around the city you can't tell that just about everything is 60-70 years old. Munich is a city rich in tradition and they are people who are very proud of what they have to offer. They also seem to have a pretty big rivalry with Berlin which I wasn't aware of. I still haven't visited Berlin, but I'm sure I'll get there at some point so I can make my own comparisons.
Here are some other things I did in Munich:
-visited the BMW museum and showroom. I've now seen the BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche museums. All very different...and all worth seeing. (Also, saw the stadium from the '72 Olympic Games which is close to the museum).
-went running in the "English Gardens." This park in the city is also twice the size of Central Park in NYC. That's the second city I've been to in the last couple weeks that had a park of that size. (Dublin was the first)
-went to the Deutsches museum. It's one of the biggest science museums in the world. I spent about and two hours there and I saw about a third of it. You could spend a couple days in this place seeing everything.
-had a beer at the famous Hofbrauhaus. I was told it's a tourist trap with pretty high prices, but you have to experience it once, right?? Right.
In Part 2...
-visiting Fabian in Wetzlar
-Cologne and a bad ending to the trip.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Lazio-Milan
I got my first taste of the world of calcio (soccer) this past weekend. My beloved Lazio went up against one of the most decorated teams in history, AC Milan. Lazio lost the game 2-1, and are in the middle very rough patch...ok, they are playing terrible right now and haven't won a league game since August! It's pretty embarrassing, especially in a city like Rome, where most people are fans of the other soccer team in town, Roma. Even my own family are relentless about making sure I'm aware of how bad Lazio is right now (besides myself, only my father and brother are Lazio fans...everyone else sides with Roma).
I was lucky enough to attend the game with a friend who is also Lazio obsessed. We showed up to the stadium about an hour early to make sure we got a good parking spot. Parking around the Stadio Olimpico is just like parking anywhere else in Rome, a mess. When we got out of the car there was a random guy guiding people into available spots. He had no affiliation with the team, stadium, or city. He just shows up on game days and hopes for tips. A tip to this guy also helps to ensure that he will keep an eye on your car during the game to make sure nothing happens to it...without the tip, I was told, he would be more likely to turn a blind eye to a thief or he might try to take something from your car himself!
Walking up to the stadium was a little different than events I've been to in the US. The main difference was the large number of cops in riot gear strategically placed around the stadium. Unfortunately, soccer games in Italy (and in other countries in Europe) can get violent sometimes. Lazio fans in particular are known for being a little extreme with their support. I didn't experience any of this negative behavior from the fans though. Aside from Lazio losing the game and the torrential downpour during the entire game, it was an amazing experience.
In fact the best part were the fans themselves. The seating is set up so the two ends of the stadium, behind the goals, are devoted solely for the diehard faithfuls...known as the "Ultras." In particular, the Lazio "Ultras" are the Irriducibili. They dominate the Curva Nord (North Curve), while the Romaniste (Roma fans) take the Curva Sud (South Curve).
Growing up the Curva Nord had been this special place that I always wanted to experience first hand, but never had the chance. I wanted to cheer alongside my fellow Lazio fans and sing the songs of our team.
First of all, they are an incredibly organized group. Thousands and thousands of fans waving huge flags while singing in unison different songs all throughout the game is an impressive sight. Most of the songs are dedicated to ripping into the owner of the team, who everyone seems to hate with a passion.
They live and die with each pass. One moment they are booing and yelling at a player for a silly mistake. Before they even have a chance to take another breathe they are clapping for the creative play of someone else. It is funny to listen to all the fans, especially because they are right on in their assessments most of the time. Their soccer IQ is unbelievable. That's everybody...the 80 year old grandfather and his 13 year old grandson, to the teenage couple on a date. They all know the beautiful game inside out.
After watching the game and the way the fans interact with the players, I think I know why the fans get so riled up, especially when there team is doing poorly. Of course they want their team to win. Who doesn't. But more than that, they want the players to care as much about the team as they do. We are in an era where it's more about the money than it is about the passion or love of the team/sport. These fans have grown up with only this team and when they see a player lack enthusiasm on the field, they are insulted. To them wearing that jersey is an honor, and every time a player steps on the field wearing that light blue/white (Lazio colors) they should play like it's their last game.
Yes Lazio lost the game, but after the final whistle was blown the whole team came over to the Curva Nord and clapped to the fans thanking them for their constant support. I could tell that this meant more to them than winning or losing. They want to be a part of Lazio...and the team showing their appreciation allows the fans that connection they desperately seek. It was my first time at the stadium and even I appreciated them coming over. I will go back to watch Lazio again soon, and I too will live and die with each pass like the rest of the Curva Nord.
I was lucky enough to attend the game with a friend who is also Lazio obsessed. We showed up to the stadium about an hour early to make sure we got a good parking spot. Parking around the Stadio Olimpico is just like parking anywhere else in Rome, a mess. When we got out of the car there was a random guy guiding people into available spots. He had no affiliation with the team, stadium, or city. He just shows up on game days and hopes for tips. A tip to this guy also helps to ensure that he will keep an eye on your car during the game to make sure nothing happens to it...without the tip, I was told, he would be more likely to turn a blind eye to a thief or he might try to take something from your car himself!
Walking up to the stadium was a little different than events I've been to in the US. The main difference was the large number of cops in riot gear strategically placed around the stadium. Unfortunately, soccer games in Italy (and in other countries in Europe) can get violent sometimes. Lazio fans in particular are known for being a little extreme with their support. I didn't experience any of this negative behavior from the fans though. Aside from Lazio losing the game and the torrential downpour during the entire game, it was an amazing experience.
In fact the best part were the fans themselves. The seating is set up so the two ends of the stadium, behind the goals, are devoted solely for the diehard faithfuls...known as the "Ultras." In particular, the Lazio "Ultras" are the Irriducibili. They dominate the Curva Nord (North Curve), while the Romaniste (Roma fans) take the Curva Sud (South Curve).
Growing up the Curva Nord had been this special place that I always wanted to experience first hand, but never had the chance. I wanted to cheer alongside my fellow Lazio fans and sing the songs of our team.
First of all, they are an incredibly organized group. Thousands and thousands of fans waving huge flags while singing in unison different songs all throughout the game is an impressive sight. Most of the songs are dedicated to ripping into the owner of the team, who everyone seems to hate with a passion.
They live and die with each pass. One moment they are booing and yelling at a player for a silly mistake. Before they even have a chance to take another breathe they are clapping for the creative play of someone else. It is funny to listen to all the fans, especially because they are right on in their assessments most of the time. Their soccer IQ is unbelievable. That's everybody...the 80 year old grandfather and his 13 year old grandson, to the teenage couple on a date. They all know the beautiful game inside out.
After watching the game and the way the fans interact with the players, I think I know why the fans get so riled up, especially when there team is doing poorly. Of course they want their team to win. Who doesn't. But more than that, they want the players to care as much about the team as they do. We are in an era where it's more about the money than it is about the passion or love of the team/sport. These fans have grown up with only this team and when they see a player lack enthusiasm on the field, they are insulted. To them wearing that jersey is an honor, and every time a player steps on the field wearing that light blue/white (Lazio colors) they should play like it's their last game.
Yes Lazio lost the game, but after the final whistle was blown the whole team came over to the Curva Nord and clapped to the fans thanking them for their constant support. I could tell that this meant more to them than winning or losing. They want to be a part of Lazio...and the team showing their appreciation allows the fans that connection they desperately seek. It was my first time at the stadium and even I appreciated them coming over. I will go back to watch Lazio again soon, and I too will live and die with each pass like the rest of the Curva Nord.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Halloween in Dublin
Anyone who really knows me will tell you that I watch a lot of movies. Not only do I watch them, but I have a tendency to memorize them as well. I'll admit it can be a little bit ridiculous at times, especially for those who have no idea what I am talking about most of the time. This love of movies sometimes gets incorporated into my travels as I start to see similarities between new people/places and the fictional characters I know from my constant movie watching.
A few weeks ago I went to London for the first time. When I got to the Liverpool Street Train Station I felt like I had landed in the world of Harry Potter (Yes, I am a big Harry Potter fan).
Well, if London was Harry Potter then Dublin, to me, was without a doubt Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original movie)! The small cobblestone streets, distinctive Georgian houses, and of course the factory in the middle of the town. The only difference was that in this case, it wasn’t a chocolate factory. It was the Guinness beer factory.
Just as in Wonka’s factory, Guinness has high walls surrounding most of the perimeter giving the impression that whatever is going on inside is not to be seen by the outside public. Of course, you don’t need a golden ticket to get a tour of the Guinness factory. After getting inside, I was hoping find some kind of beer factory worker equivalent to an Oompa Loompa or maybe a beer river, but no luck.
Before I got to Dublin many of my friends who had visited the city before told me that if there was one thing I needed to see while I was there it was this factory...and they were right. The place is very impressive, with seven floors not only devoted to the history of its beer, but also to the city of Dublin. I’m not a big beer drinker, but the free pint of extra cold Guinness at the seventh floor bar with its 360 degree views of the city was the highlight of the tour. Definitely the best glass of beer I’ve ever had.
I was in Dublin over the weekend to celebrate my cousin Gianni’s birthday. I was invited to tag along with a group of his friends and I had a great time. When the bill came at the end of our dinner I was expecting to split Gianni's portion with the other people at the table. Apparently, in Italy when a person celebrates their birthday they take all their friends out for dinner and pay for it. I had never heard of that before and I was surprised when I saw my cousin get up to pay the bill. I guess I'll have to be prepared when my birthday rolls around this year!
His birthday is on Halloween, but in Italy Halloween isn’t really a big deal. Ireland on the other hand, celebrates Halloween the just like the US. When we went out early in the day and my cousin and all his friends saw all the costumes, they got excited and wanted to dress up for the night as well. We didn’t really have time to do anything elaborate, so we ended up going to a costume shop and bought 9 identical wigs and mustaches. The description on the package was “70’s TV personality.” We were basically all dressed as Will Ferrell’s character Ron Burgundy from Anchorman. We definitely turned some heads as we walked down the street that night.
Overall, I had a great time in Dublin despite the cold and rainy weather. I kind of expected that, and so it didn’t bother me that much. I’d love to go back to Ireland if I get the chance while I’m out here.
I’ll be heading to Germany next week to watch some gymnastics, breakdancing, and visit a bunch of different cities.
Some other interesting notes from Dublin:
-There is a park in the middle (Phoenix Park) of Dublin that is twice the size of Central Park in NYC. It’s enormous.
-It was weird to see a Starbucks again while I was in Dublin. Italy is very protective of its coffee and Starbucks is not allowed in the country. I haven’t seen that circular green sign in a while up until this past weekend.
-The Subway (sandwich shop) in Dublin sells a bacon sandwich for 1Euro. Bread and Bacon...that’s it. I don’t remember ever seeing that on the menu in the US.
-There is an impressive list of writers who have direct connections to Dublin . The list includes James Joyce, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, and Bram Stoker just to name a few.
A few weeks ago I went to London for the first time. When I got to the Liverpool Street Train Station I felt like I had landed in the world of Harry Potter (Yes, I am a big Harry Potter fan).
Well, if London was Harry Potter then Dublin, to me, was without a doubt Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original movie)! The small cobblestone streets, distinctive Georgian houses, and of course the factory in the middle of the town. The only difference was that in this case, it wasn’t a chocolate factory. It was the Guinness beer factory.
Just as in Wonka’s factory, Guinness has high walls surrounding most of the perimeter giving the impression that whatever is going on inside is not to be seen by the outside public. Of course, you don’t need a golden ticket to get a tour of the Guinness factory. After getting inside, I was hoping find some kind of beer factory worker equivalent to an Oompa Loompa or maybe a beer river, but no luck.
Before I got to Dublin many of my friends who had visited the city before told me that if there was one thing I needed to see while I was there it was this factory...and they were right. The place is very impressive, with seven floors not only devoted to the history of its beer, but also to the city of Dublin. I’m not a big beer drinker, but the free pint of extra cold Guinness at the seventh floor bar with its 360 degree views of the city was the highlight of the tour. Definitely the best glass of beer I’ve ever had.
I was in Dublin over the weekend to celebrate my cousin Gianni’s birthday. I was invited to tag along with a group of his friends and I had a great time. When the bill came at the end of our dinner I was expecting to split Gianni's portion with the other people at the table. Apparently, in Italy when a person celebrates their birthday they take all their friends out for dinner and pay for it. I had never heard of that before and I was surprised when I saw my cousin get up to pay the bill. I guess I'll have to be prepared when my birthday rolls around this year!
His birthday is on Halloween, but in Italy Halloween isn’t really a big deal. Ireland on the other hand, celebrates Halloween the just like the US. When we went out early in the day and my cousin and all his friends saw all the costumes, they got excited and wanted to dress up for the night as well. We didn’t really have time to do anything elaborate, so we ended up going to a costume shop and bought 9 identical wigs and mustaches. The description on the package was “70’s TV personality.” We were basically all dressed as Will Ferrell’s character Ron Burgundy from Anchorman. We definitely turned some heads as we walked down the street that night.
Overall, I had a great time in Dublin despite the cold and rainy weather. I kind of expected that, and so it didn’t bother me that much. I’d love to go back to Ireland if I get the chance while I’m out here.
I’ll be heading to Germany next week to watch some gymnastics, breakdancing, and visit a bunch of different cities.
Some other interesting notes from Dublin:
-There is a park in the middle (Phoenix Park) of Dublin that is twice the size of Central Park in NYC. It’s enormous.
-It was weird to see a Starbucks again while I was in Dublin. Italy is very protective of its coffee and Starbucks is not allowed in the country. I haven’t seen that circular green sign in a while up until this past weekend.
-The Subway (sandwich shop) in Dublin sells a bacon sandwich for 1Euro. Bread and Bacon...that’s it. I don’t remember ever seeing that on the menu in the US.
-There is an impressive list of writers who have direct connections to Dublin . The list includes James Joyce, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, and Bram Stoker just to name a few.
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