VA ODP Day 7: Paella

All the planning, adapting, sight-seeing, game day routines, passionate matches, laughs and heartaches…. comes to a close in a couple of days. Alum of previous trips know the feeling, it goes from anticipation to a memory. Seize the day…. and that we do with a trip to see the largest sand dunes in the world, to dip our feet in the ocean, hangout for lunch in a beach town and play our last batch of games.

 

Dune du Pilat is our first stop in the morning, a hike through the sand hills had the staff romancing of the thought, how about some sand soccer and recovery in the ice-cold water. None of that is happening today as we are off to Cap Feret, a local beach town for lunch. Some chose to picnic by the water, others frequented the local shops and restaurants. To the fields for an afternoon match.

The 02 Girls completed their 4 matches yesterday. The 03 Boys, 04 Boys and the 04 Girls will play their last ones at FCE Mérignac Arlac. We arrive to the feel of a community club with refreshments being served, players of all ages, families milling around and locker rooms ready for us with chalk writing on the doors welcoming us. All 3 matches to kick off at the same time. The 04 Boys play some bright soccer and see their result from yesterday mirror with a “2-nil” (read between the lines) win. The 03 Boys finish the tour with a comfortable result, players kept their poise under the pressure of this weekend. The 04 Girls wrap up their adventure with a complete effort managing the match with some highlight goals (ESKEDIT!).

What an organization to host us!! Take a look at this pic of paella, we eat well and make sure that FCE Mérignac are thanked for their post-match hospitality.

With a number of plans in play due to the last-minute nature of the train strike in France, we have decided how to manage the unpredictablity of tomorrow's (today when you read this) travel. After some town time, we will be “bonding” on the bus from Bordeaux to Paris, to fly out the next day.

Merci!