EuroBuffs: Soccer Foreign Tour
May 19, 2024 | Soccer
Updates from London and Barcelona
Colorado soccer is off on its 2024 foreign tour, hitting stops in London and Barcelona from May 10-20. Lola Stanley, Lawson Willis, Angelina Moschetti and Juliauna Hayward will keep a rotation blog of all the happening. Fans can also follow along on Instagram and Twitter @CUBuffsSoccer.
May 19
Today was our last day in Barcelona and the trip. We got to sleep in today and then headed into the city to see the infamous Sagrada Familia. This breathtaking church is somewhere everyone should visit. Words cannot describe the beauty of the architecture and design.
We then walked around town, getting lunch and some gelato for dessert. We shopped in many stores, but especially the jewelry stores!
To end the day, we headed to the F.C. Barcelona game where they defeated Rayo Vallecano 3-0. They scored three unbelievable goals that made all our jaws drop.
After the game, we returned to the hotel and packed all our bags. While we're all sad to leave, we're excited to get back to you, Buff Nation!
Signing off,
May 18
Today, we enjoyed a day near our hotel, taking in the beaches of Santa Susana, dipping a toe in the Mediterranean. We experienced more of the culture of Spain, having lunch on the beach and enjoying more tapas and paella.
Once mid-afternoon hit, we headed toward the city to see the famous Parc Guell. We took in the beautiful scenery and encapsulated the beautiful gardens through photos and videos.
After that, we were able to grab a few meals in the city, including excellent Italian food, seafood, and Iberian ham. We ended the night with a much-needed sweet treat of gelato.
Overall, today was an amazing day with the team. We were able to immerse ourselves in cultures different from our own and continue to learn more about Barcelona's history.
As always, Sko Buffs
-Lola
May 17
Hey Buffs fans!
We had another fun day in Spain, starting with a trip to the coastal town of Tossa de Mar and ending with a good win against another strong RCD Espanyol team.
After arriving in Tossa de Mar, we had a chance to explore its beautiful beaches, historic architecture and charming town. As we walked through the medieval walled city with winding streets, we arrived at the beach, where we were greeted with stunning turquoise water and the impressive Tossa de Mar Castle. We were able to hike up the castle and get a panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea, which was absolutely beautiful.
Following exploring the Tossa de Mar Castle, we walked around the town and visited the shops within it before grabbing some "jamon y queso" sandwiches for a little pre-game fuel. We've had a lot of jamon since being in Europe--so a couple of vegetarians, like myself--and others popped into the local supermarket and opted for some different pre-game fuel instead.
Later that day, we had our final match of the European tour. We faced off against the reserves of the RCD Espanyol team that we watched get promoted to La Liga the night before. After going up 1-0 early, we continued to battle for 90 minutes and came away with the win. Some of us managed to stay dry during the random 20-minute downpour, but I'm certain the ladies who were out on the field could share plenty of stories about the "fun" of being soaking wet for our hour-long bus ride home.
We celebrated our victory that night by exploring the area around our hotel, and we are looking forward to discovering more of Barcelona tomorrow.
Sko Buffs,
Lawson
May 16
Today was our first full day of adventures and fun in Barcelona!
We started with breakfast at the hotel, which had many options. We then headed into the city, where we had the day to ourselves, exploring places like Mercat de la Boqueria and the beautiful beaches.
For lunch, we tried different tapas and paella. We then had the opportunity to walk around Barcelona and many of us shopped.
Following our adventures, we went to the Espanyol vs Osasuna women's match, which Espanyol won 3-1, earning itself promotion to La Liga.
We ended the night back at the hotel for a good night's rest before our final game tomorrow vs the Espanyol reserves.
Thank you for all the support!
Angelina
May 15
Change of location!
We started our day early this morning by catching a flight to Barcelona, Spain. Most of the day was filled with travel, but the beauty of Barcelona was not hidden in the process. We are so excited to be able to explore more of Spain and feel so grateful for this journey so far.
After a long day of travel and some rest time inbetween, we played or second match of the tour. We faced off against RCD Espanyol's U19 team, where we started the game off strong with two first-half goals from Sami Fisher and Ava Priest. We added another goal from Sami in the second half to end the game with a 3-0 victory!
With that, we have an eventful few days ahead of us, as we are so excited to continue immersing ourselves in other cultures. We feel so lucky for this experience and every single person in the program, and we can't wait for what's to come!
As always, Sko Buffs!
Lola
May 14
Hello, Buffs fans!
Today was a crazy day! We started by waking up and eating a good breakfast. After that, we went to Richmond, where we were on the hunt for Ted Lasso. We saw so many lookalikes, but unfortunately, we never saw the real Ted. We stopped by his flat, 11A, and gave it a couple of knocks, but he never answered.
We kept searching and found our way to Fullers Pub, where everyone went to watch the AFC Richmond games on the show. We didn't see Ted, but we did see Pub, which was pretty cool.
Next, we went on our way to the Tube or subway. We may have gotten lost a couple of times, but we made it to the main event: the Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur game. We walked around and took in the pre-match atmosphere before going into the stadium. Man City won 2-0, and it was an excellent time for all of us. We got to experience a true Premier League match on our last night in London!
We ended the night back on the bus to the hotel, listening to some great music before we get up in the morning and fly to Barcelona!
May 13
Hi Buffs fans!
On our third day in London, we started getting used to the jet lag and enjoyed a fun, full day despite the city's slightly colder and cloudier weather. It was typical weather for England but had been spoiled the past two days with some rare sunshine. We started the day with some breakfast, and some members of the team got braver with their choices and embraced English delicacies like beans and toast and grilled tomatoes. Maybe by our final day, someone will try the blood sausage, but as of right now, we are still working on it.
After breakfast, we headed to the South Bank of the River Thames to ride one of London's most popular attractions, the London Eye. Despite some hesitation from Phoenix, who happens to be affraid of heights, we were all excited to see a 360-degree view of all of London. We enjoyed seeing landmarks like Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, and much more.
From over 400 feet up, we were all able to map where we were planning on going on our free day in the city. Once we reached the ground (much to Phoenix's relief), we headed in different directions to explore. Some of us discovered the grim, darker side of London's history at the London Dungeon, learning all about spooky figures like Jack the Ripper and Sweeney Todd. Others took a lighter approach and walked all around the city enjoying various kinds of food, seeing more landmarks and shopping way more than we probably should have. I'm sure everyone either walked at least eight miles or got some good practice on the Tube--which will definitely be helpful tomorrow!
After a full day, we are looking forward to getting some rest and exploring more tomorrow before heading to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the evening to watch the defending champions, Manchester City, take on the Spurs.
Talk soon,
May 12
Happy Sunday, Buffs fans!
Today, we had an adventure-filled day. The morning started simple with breakfast at the hotel. Some girls tried an English breakfast with toast and baked beans to immerse themselves in the culture, while others stuck to the basics like hashbrowns and eggs.
We then set off to our game against Haringey Borough F.C. The final score was 9-0, and we played very well, showcasing some great soccer. We also had some good laughs and enjoyed our time playing an international team.
Following the game, we did what girls do and got all dressed up before heading into the city. We split into groups to try different restaurants in London, including a rooftop lounge, sushi, and Indian food. After these wonderful dinners, we walked around, exploring the amazing architecture, stores, and all that London has to offer. Once on the bus back to the hotel, Juliauna (Hayward) and the coaches got on aux to play music for all of us to sing to as we enjoyed each other's company to end the day on a great note!
Overall, this trip has been amazing, and we are all incredibly grateful to be here!
Sko Buffs,
May 11
Today, we landed in London and hit the ground running! Although we were tired, the excitement of seeing the city fueled us through a few miles of walking and exploring. We ventured to some of the most famous sights in London, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square.
We are so excited for the next few adventures in London and can't wait for our first match of the European Tour tomorrow against Haringey Borough F.C. at 2 p.m. (local time)
Sko Buffs and we will check back in tomorrow!
