DAY 5 - Ljubljana (Scrimmage vs Slovenia)

Hello everyone! Today was a very relaxing day, with the SCVA Blue (Kaila's team) scrimmaging against the Slovenian Youth National Team. They did great, and are ramping up for the Tournament, which has Opening Ceremonies tomorrow evening and play begins on Monday. While Kaila and her team practiced, played and had fun, Darci, Dad and two of the other parents rented bikes and rode around Ljubljana for 2 hours - way cool! Darci and the two moms took a funicular up to Ljubljana Castle while I ran back to the hotel for an extra camera battery! We had THE MOST DELICIOUS dinner at a little streetside cafe - wow, and it was sooo good, and we were soooo hungry! The best thing in Ljubljana is just to sit at a cafe along the river and talk, people watch, relax.

We wake up tomorrow at 5 AM to catch an early train to Pula (rather than riding the team bus with 40 girls plus 8 coaches and parents!).

DAY 4 - Ljubljana (caves & castles!!)

Hi guys! We had yet another awesome day! We woke up at 5 AM to have an early breakfast (with sausages!!), and catch the 7:10 AM train to the Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. When we arrived at the Postonja train station, it was very lightly raining, so we decided to walk the 25 minutes to the cave rather than pay 15 Euro for a taxi (uh oh). About 1/3 the way, it began pouring REALLY hard, so by the time we reached the cave we were sooooo drenched (and rather cold and miserable). But the cave tour was totally worth it - an amazing underground cavern system with 1,000+ year old formations. After the cave tour, still wet, we enjoyed THE BEST cup of hot chocolate to warm us up inside and out! Then Dad and one of the other parents took a short taxi ride to the Predjama Castle - built in the 13th century into the side of a cliff, about 300 feet above the valley floor.

After our big adventure to Postonja, we watched the older SCVA team ("Red") scrimmage the Denmark team, and then enjoyed a relaxing dinner in Old Town along the river.

James & Hannah - love you and miss you guys!!!

Mom & Dad

DAY 4 - Ljubjlana

James & Hannah - this is a quick post to let you know that we are all doing awesome, and Kaila is having a blast too. She's staying in a Youth Hostel with our two Southern California teams, the Danish girls team, and the Slovenian girls team, getting a chance to get to know the girls from the other countries. Glad to hear you're enjoying the DS! You're a sweet little angel and we love and miss you!

DAY 3 - Lake Bled & Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Hi guys!! After two perfect days in Innsbruck, we had rain and mist most of the way into Slovenia, but it was still beautiful. We stopped at Lake Bled, where the girls (and mom & dad!!) went on a bobsled track down a huge hill - it was soooooo fun!! We had a delicious light lunch (smoked salmon!), then rode into Ljubljana, and checked into our "Hotel M" - very nice, right next to the bus stop that runs into Old Town. Mom, Dad, Anthony and one of the player's mom (Linda) went into Old Town, had a light dinner, and enjoyed just walking around.

Tomorrow we have a big day with a bus ride to some caves, and to a castle built into the side of a mountain!

James/Hannah - send us an email (kevinanddarci@msn.com) or post another message on the blog if you're not able to see these updates!! Love and miss you guys!

DAY 2 - Innsbruck

Hello family! We had an awesome day in Innsbruck!! It's now 12:22 AM our time as I write this post, but I am not EVEN tired. Darci and I spent the day sightseeing in Innsbruck, including the Imperial Palace (Hapsburgs), the Hofkirche - Court Church (spectularly decorated church, with two rows of "Black Men" bronze statues guarding the tomb of Emperor Maximillian. Anthony toured on his own today, picking up some Warhammer guys! We all went out again in the afternoon, watched the girls practice for a little bit, then headed off for a free classical music concert (the Austria Festival Symphony Orchestra - it was spectacular!). We wrapped up our day with a grand meal with the team, followed by some very relaxing conversation on the hotel patio. Mom would LOVE the Hotel Charlotte - very nice, very friendly people, only a short walk to the tram station and bank.

James & Hannah - we miss you guys!! We pray you're having a blast too!!

DAY 1 - Munich, Dachau, Innsbruck!!

Hi James and Hannah, and friends/family!!!!!!! Please see the SCVA travel blog for additional commentary and photos! We had a great first day - a long travel day but lots of fun. Kaila is traveling along with the SCVA team. Me, mom and Anthony went out to dinner last night on our own with the other two parents traveling with "the tour" (only 5 parents/family are on the bus traveling with the entire team; the rest of parents are traveling on their own and meeting us in Pula).

We hope you guys are having a blast at Horse Camp and with the Seitz' family! We'll post more tomorrow (WiFi permitting!).