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Day 12: Off to San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (California, USA) - After ten days of intensive practices and playing games, sometimes bothered by unfavorable weather conditions, the Dutch National Softball Team today had a day off. And so, everyone went down to San Francisco.
First, we visited Muir Woods National Park, where the amazing, giant Redwood trees are growing (they are no where else in the world!). Then, we crossed the famous Golden Gate Bridge to go to downtown San Francisco.
Starting from Fishermans Warf, we all could go our own way and so the team split into groups to explore the city. We rode the Cable Car, made sightseeing tours, saw the world's crookedest street, admired the hilly Streets of San Francisco, shopped, walked around, looked around and enjoyed being in 'Frisco'. And of course, took photos. Well, here are some of those photos. So enjoy our day off with us.
Sunday also was Oscar Day, as the Academy Awards were handed out in the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. One Oscar came to our 'hometown' of Emeryville, as Ratatouille won the Award for Best Animation Feature and its producing company Pixar Animation Studios is located in Emeryville, where the Dutch team is staying.
For the record: Daniel Day-Lewis (for There Will Be Blood) was Best Actor, Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) was Best Actress, Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men) was Best Supporting Actor, Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) was Best Supporting Actress and No Country For Old Men won the Oscar for Best Film.
On Monday, it is back to business, as the team has to rise early again with breakfast being scheduled for 7:15 AM. A morning in the weightroom will then be followed by an outdoor practice on the softball-field in Berkeley and later in the day, the team will visit the Dutch Embassy in San Francisco. Then, on Tuesday, a game is scheduled against the University of California-Berkeley, before the team will travel to Hawaii for the second part of this American trip. There, the team will play ten games in eleven days.
A scenic road through the mountains took us to Muir Woods
The team enters Muir Woods National Park
The world famous Redwood trees in Muir Woods
Of course, lots of photos were taken.
Here, Jolanda Kroesen, Daisy de Peinder, Marloes Fellinger
and Rebecca Soumeru aim their camera towards a Redwood tree
Beautiful Muir Woods
Marloes Fellinger is dwarfed by giant Redwoods...
...while Dana Horeman and Nina van Huissteden fit into one
Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge
The famous wheel at Fishermans Warf
Near Fishermans Warf, we were welcomed by President Bush himself
Wellknown slugger Barry Bonds, who last year broke the Major League Homerun Record,
while playing for the San Francisco Giants, poses, ready to swing
Former prison-island Alcatraz in the Bay of San Francisco
Coach Rob Walgien, Media Officer Marco Stoovelaar and
KNBSB member of the Board André van Overbeek on Fishermans Warf with Alcatraz in the back
The staff had its own transport in downtown San Francisco
From left: Coach Mary-Ann Hatt, Physical Therapist Rob Oskam, Business Manager Caroline Theunissen,
Media Officer Marco Stoovelaar, Head Coach Liz Kelly and Coach Rob Walgien
(photo taken by André van Overbeek)
Saskia Kosterink and Debby Connor in the Cable Car
Marjan Smit and Petra van Heijst also enjoy a ride with the Cable Car
Players leave the Cable Car to walk around or do some shopping
The hilly Streets of San Francisco
Downtown San Francisco
Go back to the schedule of the USA Tour
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