Lettere d'Italia: Days 1 & 2
8/18/2004 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 18, 2004
Italian Phrase of the Day:
"Occhio alle tartarughe!" "Fear the Turtle!" The Terrapins have arrived in Rome! It is difficult to believe that it has been nearly 27 hours since the Maryland basketball team has left College Park. For close to 10 full hours, the Terrapins made their way to the Old Country via a pair of Lufthansa 747 jumbo jets with a quick stop at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Now as the night falls in Italy, the team, staff and nearly 110 friends, family members and fans are finally settling into Roma - "The Eternal City" - and are finally getting some sleep! After departing College Park's campus at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, the Maryland team and the rest of the travel party arrived in Rome close to noon on Wednesday (Italy time). The trans-Atlantic, overnight flight was a long one for sure, and was a little exciting at times as the Terps' jet dipped and dodged in the turbulence. Many of the Terps enjoyed in-flight movies, met fans from all over the world, or tried to catch some sleep. After a brief stopover in Frankfurt, it was on to Rome and the airport's baggage claim area, where the Terrapins began to attract attention immediately. Many international fans stopped to say "hello," wish the Terps good luck, and ask about the team's new turtle-shell backpacks before the team and travel party loaded up onto their buses and made the trip into the heart of the Italian capitol. On the team bus, one of the group's tour managers, Nicoletta Sacerdoti, pointed out many sights during the Terps' ride to their hotel. The Terrapins were able to see the walls of the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, and the Villa Borghese - the "Central Park" of Rome, on the way into the city. The Terps checked in and grabbed a quick bite to eat. Many joked about the size of their beds (looks to be a tough fit for a seven-footer) and about the difficulty operating some of the hotel appliances. Some checked out the three Italian music video channels and tried to catch up on sleep, while others immediately began to explore the city. Said junior Chris McCray, "It's so hard to believe that we were at home yesterday, and now we're here in such an unbelievable place like this." The entire travel party gathered once again in the evening, at a welcome dinner at local restaurant called Il Pomodorino. Course after course was served during a meal that lasted nearly three hours, and featured excellent musical entertainment (including cameo singing performances by various members of the extended travel party)! During the meal, head coach Gary Williams thanked everyone for their support and for making the trip. He joked, "This is a true road test for our team. We're used to playing at some of the tough places in the ACC - but on this trip were `at Italy.'" After dinner, some went out to explore more of the sights, while some jet-lagged Terps turned in early in preparation for a Vatican Tour in the morning. Also on Thursday, the Terps play their first game of the tour against Veroli, so be sure to check back as `Lettere d'Italia' continues. A domani! Ciao!
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