Morning practice always gives rise to challenges new and old. Whether it be the first "highball spike" of the day, or recruiting stiff quad muscles to perform a defensive squat. But today's challenge was unlike any other, in a "very much like every other" sort of way. There is one skill present in the "volleyball practice" universe that torments me to the greatest degree. I've spent many long hours in the gym attempting to perfect, or even just... satisfy the requirements of adequate execution, but to this day it baffles my system. Itching to know what it is yet? I'm sure you are: Box hitting. It sounds simple. Stand on a box --> toss volleyball --> hit volleyball at target [usually a team mate, practicing a digging or passing skill] --> smile with content that you've contributed to another players growth. I think the "hit volleyball at target" is the most difficult part for me. It appears that I excel at "hit volleyball far left of target" or "into the net before target"... perhaps if I kept note of those tendencies and made compensations to my initial calculations it would help... or I would end up in circle logic, and get nowhere. But today I got "somewhere", through it, I'm glad.
After lunch I had a tough decision to make:
1. Crush a 4 hour nap.
2. Watch funny youtube videos for x hours and nap for y hours [where x + y = 4 and x,y belong to Q]
3. Use this free time to walk down to the lake, rent a bike, and obtain some of the photos I had been so distraught over missing during my last adventure of the sort.
I chose option 3:
Just before the midpoint of the bike trail I stumbled upon this view of the church. I figured it was touristy enough to satisfy the quench of my loyal blog followers, but also beautiful enough for me to feel that even though it may be a staple of the town, I truly am capturing an impression of something valuable.
You may have been seen Castle Bled from my last blog post, but I'll have you know that this photo took a lot of work. For ages last night [I guess... as many ages as can fit into a night] I attempted to take this picture, but due to my lack of knowledge regarding flash photography I was doomed to almost completely black slates of attempted castle shots. Obviously my problem was solved when the biggest and best flash of all [I'm talking about the sun] decided to show up.
I enjoy taking photos of signs. You never know what you're going to get when you go to different places. I mean... the general idea is the same, but the subtleties that exist blow me away. This is a rowing club, that means no fishing, swimming, certainly no roller blading [notice the diagonal change], bike riding or sun tanning but greatly encouraging... whatever is being said in that last box. I have a friend who is a rower, and she may appreciate how serious the people of "Rowing Centre Bled" are.
It's easy to see the stunning lake, and picturesque mountains. But what you may miss are the two small brown boats on the bottom left of the photo. They rent these boats out to people [usually couples] for 10 euro / hour, and you are free to bask in the romance of the scene.... or just paddle around in the lake, depending on how you see it and what you're into.
To break from the photo journal segment, I also have some volleyball related news. Today we played the top Romanian club team "Remat Zalau" [which may or may not be proper spelling]. We won 4 sets to 0, in a somewhat modified match [1 extra set]. It was our last preparation match, for the real show begins in just a few days when we start our World Championship.
For now I will sign off, my last full day in Bled was well spent, and I'd like to leave you with a sign that is quite commonplace when leaving a town in Europe. All the best,
-j.duff
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