LORETTO, Pa. (August 20, 2014) – The Saint Francis University men's basketball team spent its final day in Europe touring and visiting the beach in Barcelona.
 
We visited the La Sagrada Familia Basilica, also designed by the aforementioned Antoni Gaudi. What is unique about this church is that is began construction in 1882, Gaudi died in 1926, but the church still is undergoing construction today. Its estimated completion year is 2026, but as our Barcelona tour guide told us it very well might never be.
 
After that hour-long tour of the church, we all went over to the local beach where we got the chance to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Some of the players missed the sand so much they decided to get buried in it (pictured above).
 
SFU went on to play its second game against the Catalan Select team on Sunday night and the trip was then all but over. At the pregame meal, several players wanted to see what all the hype was about with the espresso so they experimented with it (pictured above).
 
Then came the daylong travel experience on Monday. We made it to Toronto after a nine-hour flight that didn't have any in-flight movies. We spent a couple hours in the United States customs line in Canada, they were trying a new process, and some spent more time in line than others.
 
The trip was an once-in-a-lifetime experience and I know I can speak for everyone when I say how great of a time we all had learning different cultures and playing basketball internationally. I hope you all enjoyed reading the blogs!

Here is a look at the post-trip questionnaire that everyone completed, some early conclusions: Team manager Xavier Medard slept the most on the trip and Mailk Harmon has no chance of living overseas!
 

Questionnaire	Which city was your favorite and why?	What was your favorite non-fast food meal you ate and where was it?	What was the highlight of the trip?	What is the first thing you are going to do when you get home?	What was your favorite sightseeing moment?	Which player has the best chance of living overseas and which has the worst?	What was your favorite hotel or dorm we stayed in?	Who slept the most on the trip? Who slept the least?
Malik	Paris, because it was the first one we went to.	The duck in Ambialet	Going to the beach in Barcelona	Play basketball	Seeing the Mona Lisa	Ben/I have no chance	Mercure Hotel Limoges	Ben/Greg
Earl	Visiting Paris was my favorite, especially going to the Louvre Gallery to see the Mona Lisa. By the way, she was checking me out.	Eating the duck for dinner in Limoges	Coming back from 25 points and winning in Limoges	Take my Euro's to 7-11 and see if they work	The Eiffel Tower	Pat/Malik	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xavier/Steph
Basil	Paris, we got to visit the Eiffel Tower.	Steak and Chicken in Paris	Our 25 point comeback in Limoges	Hug my family	The Eiffel Tower	Georgios/Not sure	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xavier/Father Joe
Greg	Paris, because of all the history.	Why eat fast food in Europe? Fois Gras at Casta la Clesche	Night in Ambialet, nothing to do, but hang out and play games a nice bonding time	Sleep	Louvre/Eiffel Tower/Beach in Barcelona	Georgios/Malik	Mercure Hotel Limoges	Coach Krimmel since he never slept on the bus/Coach Summey
Ollie	Barcelona, because of the beautiful view and the better choice of food.	The club sandwich from the hotel in Barcelona	Teaching and playing dice with the team	Rest and relax after calling my mother	The Eiffel Tower	Ben/Daniel	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Father Joe/Steph
Michael	Barcelona, because I could understand what they were saying.	The buffet in Barcelona	When Pat fell when he went to sub into the fourth game	Catch up on sleep	The Eiffel Tower	Georgios/Daniel	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xavier slept the most
Aric	Barcelona, because of the beach and Basilica.	Breakfasts in the hotels	The 25 point comeback in Limoges and the cathedrals	See my family and girlfriend	The cathedrals and the Eiffel Tower	Ben/Malik	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xavier/Coach Holland
Ben	Barcelona, the peple are nice and there is a beach.	The duck in Paris	The 25 point comeback in Limoges and swimming in the Mediterranean	Play basketball	La Sagrada Familia	I have the best chance/Malik	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Me/Greg
Ronnie	Barcelona, everything about it is beautiful and I love the beach.	The dinner we had in Ambialet	The 25 point comeback in Limoges	Wish I was still in Europe	The Eiffel Tower	Myself/Malik	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona, I felt like a king wearing a bath robe	Xavier/Steph
Dalton	Paris, because of the Eiffel Tower.	The duck in Paris	The 25 point comeback in Limoges	Eat real food that is not nasty	The Eiffel Tower	Steph/Daniel	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xavier/Steph
Daniel	Paris, because of the sightseeing opportunities.	Cheeseburger at the hotel in Spain	The SFU satellite campus in Ambialet	Sleep	The Mona Lisa	Not sure	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Jordan/Ben
Patrick	Ambialet, I enjoyed myself more than I thought.	the duck in Ambialet	The 25 point comeback in Limoges	Visit friends	Eiffel Tower	Earl/Malik	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Basil/Ronnie
Steph	Barcelona, I enjoyed the La Sagrada Familia Basilica and the city.	The duck in Ambialet	seeing the La Sagrada Familia was the highlight of my trip	Take a nap in my bed	La Sagrada Familia	Ben/Malik	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xavier/Malik
Dom	Barcelona, because of the architecture.	The kabob in Paris	Going to the Eiffel Tower	Sleep	The Eiffel Tower and Mona Lisa	Georgios/Mailk	Mercure Hotel Limoges	Ben/Greg
Georgios	Paris, because my parents were there and because I loved the Louvre Gallery.	The club sandwich in Barcelona	The 25 comeback in Limoges	The first thing I'll do in the U.S. is sleep	The Louvre	Ben and I/Malik	Mercure Hotel Limoges	Xavier/Greg
Xavier	Barcelona, It was fun experiencing the Spanish culture.	The duck in Limoges	Just being around everyone for 10 days	See my best friend	The Eiffel Tower	Earl/Not sure	Mariott Hotel in Paris	Me/Not sure
Coach Krimmel	Paris, because of all the history.	The meals in Ambialet, the food was excellent and we ate like a big family	Spending time with all of the people on the tour, Including an SFU alum (Reiner Mougnol)! We got closer as a basketball family on and off the court. It was great to see our guys entertain themselves in Ambialet especially the rock throwing contest. Our guides Ailbe and Kevin were great and our bus driver (Jorge) was the best! A close second was taking pictures of people sleeping on the bus, the plane, and the airport!	Give my two boys (Alex and Tommy) a big hug	The Seine River Cruise in Paris. Seeing the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and many of Paris's historical landmarks by boat at night is impressive.	Greg/Malik	Tie: The Renaissance in Barcelona because it was right in the heart of the city, and Ambielet because of its character and peacefulness.	Coach Taylor/Ben
Aileen Krimmel	Chartres, because it was quiet with stone streets you could stroll around and little shops that were locally owned. It was nice to slow down from Paris.	I loved Paul in Paris and Limoges  it was like the French version of Panera and the sandwiches were great. It also had my favorite breakfast food pon chocolate	Honestly, I truly enjoyed watching the team and staff bond and grow as a family. It is so nice to see everyone in a relaxed setting just having fun, learning about one another and appreciating all that they got to experience on this trip	Hug my children!	I loved the boat ride around Paris. Although a close second was watching the team become their own exhibit in the louvre!! I don't know who had more pictures taken of them... The Mona Lisa or the SFU basketball team!	Easy - Malik has no chance right now. To high maintenance!! Greg or Aric definitely have great potential. They were the most adventurous with food and into all the sightseeing and culture	Ambialet. It kinda felt like home even though it was 4000 miles away. It was nice to have down time in the middle of such a busy schedule. We were so welcomed by everyone and it was so peaceful and beautiful and it forced everyone to put down their phones and enjoy each other's company!	Rob slept the least for sure. Only about 10 minutes on the bus the whole trip. I don't know how he does it!! And although there may not be pictures of them I think OJ and Earl got some pretty good nap times in the back of the bus
Coach Summey	Barcelona, I really enjoyed the people, the food and the good times we shared as well as the amazing Gaudi architecture throughout this great city.	I really enjoyed the food we shared at Ambialet.  Both meals they fixed were terrific, the duck was awesome and sausage & lentil soup was perfect.	How can you pick one: our come from behind (25 pts down) win in Limogue was a basketball highlight but having the opportunity to view the Mona Lisa, Eiffel Tower and La Sangrada Familia were equally special.	Eat bad American Fast Food (and love every bite!)	Visiting the Louvre.  I can see how people could go there time after time and never see the same thing!	Best chance - Ben, his grasp of the language and culture makes it very easy for him to assimilate.  Worst chance - Malik, man cannot live on McDonald's alone!	Hotel - Renaissance Barcelona: one of the best I have ever stayed in EVER!!	Who slept the most - Chad Hutsko (actually maybe he was just the loudest sleeper, LOL). Slept the least - Steph Whyatt
Coach Holland	Barcelona liked the atmosphere and people more than France.	Dinner in Barcelona at the Brazilian steakhouse. Although I wanted more of the filet, but they wouldn't bring me anymore. So much for all you can eat.	Jorge yelling at other drivers once we arrived in Barcelona trying to take us around and getting us to the hotel.	Laundry	La Sagrada Famalia Basilica	Tough because they all wanted their wifi but I'll go with Ronnie. No chance I'll say Malik.	Renaissance because was in a good location and comfortable bed.	Xavier slept the most. I slept the least
Jordan Miller	Paris, because it had the most history.	The duck in Ambialet	Going to the beach in Barcelona	Watch Sportscenter	The Eiffel Tower	Pat has the best, Malik has the least	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xavier slept the most and Coach Holland the least
Ryan Lynch	Paris. The history of the city is amazing and it contains some of the most historical building in the world. As well as the Louvre Museum.	Sausage and lentil stew prepared by Tim and the kitchen staff in Ambialet.	Seeing Chad Hutsko (The Dean of Discipline) sprint to the crepe stand in Paris. Only to be denied his fifth crepe of the day.	Work football practice	The Italian painting wing in the louvre museum.	(Not counting Ben and Georgios) I would say ronnie has the best chance. And Malik has the least chance.	Favorite room was in Limoges. But over all the night in Ambialet was the best.	Xaiver/Coach Holland or Jordan
Chad Hutsko	Paris, just because of the history behind it.	The team dinner in Paris. It was an all meat dinner that is why I liked it	Just seeing France and Spain. Both countries are full of history	Laundry and Sleep	Seeing the SFU campus in Ambialet, it was beautiful.	Ronnie/Malik	Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona	Xaiver/Coach Holland