News from the D3 All-Star Europe Trip

Day 6 of our adventure was just that – an adventure. What started with a 5:45 am departure ended with one of the most stunning nights of the trip.  The group got an early morning wake up call as we prepared to say goodbye to London and hello to Paris.

We departed the hotel for the coastal town of Dover where we boarded the ferry to cross the English Channel to France. Despite getting a bit of a late start we were able to get on the 9:40 am ferry. An interesting note: to say the French are a bit more “lax” about their border controls than the U.S. might be an understatement. Our driver Ken (more about him later) pulled up to the border window. The guy in the booth looked at Ken, looked at our bus, gave us a thumbs up and a wave through. He never looked at our passports, never came on the bus, never even budged. Easy as that.

The ferry is an enormous structure. It has about five levels. We pulled in, all departed the bus and spent the next hour or so talking, eating, conversing. The ferry is much like an airport terminal but it rocks back and forth. The water was pretty calm that day so the ride was easy.

Things got interesting when we got to Calais—the French port. For some reason Ken the bus driver decided that 50 mph was all he was going to do. So the two hour trip to Paris took us about four. Then the traffic was awful—Ken got lost—and people got a bit irritated. Ken was a fun guy and the group loved to give him a hard time—but he was a bit stubborn when it came to all things bus related.

We eventually found the hotel about 7 pm. The hotel was nice—across the street from a mall and 5 minutes from a metro stop. After we all checked in it was off to a boat ride on the Siene River. This trip was absolutely fantastic. Cruising along the river at twilight was remarkable. The beauty of Paris really stood out under the lights and under the setting sun. I think everyone involved was absolutely in awe. Following the boat ride we walked to the Eiffel Tower—again, if you haven’t seen the Eiffel Tower in person, at night, you need to do it. No questions asked.

The next day we let the guys have some morning free time (or more like sleep time) as they went off on their own after everyone left the Eiffel Tower. We drove into City Center for a guided bus tour. Our trusty guy Rob joined us and we spent the next two hours driving around Paris as Rob pointed out the landmarks and shared Paris’ history. Despite his constant struggle with Ken the Bus Driver Rob did a wonderful job. We got to get out and visit Notre Dame, we say the Louvre, Are de Triomphe, Napoleon’s resting place, the statue of Joan of Arc, and Champs Elysees.

Following some free time it was off to a French Basketball League Playoff Game. The contest was a “B” level playoff game between the hosts Nanteere and Fos Quest. The crowd of about 400 people was very spirited and lively. There were four American players in the game, all four of which played at Division I institutions. Fos Quest won the game 81-71 which ended Nanteere’s season. The game gave the players an opportunity to see how good the quality of basketball was in the French Pro League. For those who are looking to play overseas it certainly let them know how much work they have to do.

From there the team was dropped off near Notre Dame for an evening on their own. One great thing about these guys is how great they all got along. They immediately bonded and became fast friends. I don’t know what the group did that night but it must have been fun. They made it up for breakfast the next morning—if you count coming in at 7 a.m. for breakfast as “making it up”. Paris is one of the most fascinating cities in the world so it is great that the players took every advantage to take it all in.

The last day of our journey was fittingly the best. A small group of us traveled about an hour or so into the French countryside to visit a U.S. WWI memorial and cemetery. The timing couldn’t be better as it was Memorial Day weekend back home. The monument built high up on a hill is impressive and breathtaking. After a few minutes there we drove further up to visit the cemetery. The weather was gorgeous and the scene mesmerizing. There had been a service there earlier that day and there were still U.S. Marines and servicemen around. There are over 2,000 U.S. servicemen buried in Aisne-Marne cemetery with thousands more still missing. The meticulously landscaped grounds were covered with plain white crosses for the fallen servicemen who lost their lives fighting during WWI.

If you went further back in the woods you could see foxholes, bunkers, and towers where the U.S. soldiers fought. To see what the woods are like now and them imagining the fighting, confusion, and living conditions that must have existed is emotional to say the least.

The last evening the entire group went up to the Montmartre section of Paris. The area was absolutely filled with people enjoying the wonderful Paris weather, singing, relaxing, and enjoying themselves. The entire area is filled with shops, artists, street vendors, restaurants, and cafes. The brick streets and architecture only add to the charm. The crowning jewel of Montmartre is the basilica of Sacré-Coeur. This beautiful domed house of worship stands high atop a hill with views of the entire city. Inside the basilica is a wonderful place of praise. The basilica is open 24 hours a day for prayer and refuge. After a spectacular pizza dinner and some shopping it was back to the hotel for the final time.

The following morning the group was up and ready to go at 6 a.m. for the bus ride to the airport. Everyone was tired but certainly fulfilled. I am sure this was the trip of a lifetime for everyone involved. While the basketball portion of the trip was very important I think it  was the life experience for everyone that will be remembered. No one will remember plays that happened in the second quarter of a certain game they played, but they will have stories to tell for the rest of their lives about their time in Europe. If the worth of a trip is measured in laughter, smiles, and light-heartedness (as it should be) then everyone’s cup was certainly overflowing at the end. Thanks to all nine players, Coach Gillespie and Penny and the Addison’s for a wonderful trip. Let’s hope next year we can do it again.