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January 31, 2006 - We have already taken you to South Korea and Italy so far in our offseason overseas tour to visit with WNBA players. Continuing north through the European subcontinent, we next bring you the many stories of Storm guard Iziane Castro Marques, a native of Brazil, currently playing for USK Praga and living in the Czech Republic for the first time. Of course, Izi's previous WNBA stops in Miami and Phoenix, so she is accustomed to the diverse lifestyles and cultures of the world.

Playing in Prague, Iziane misses her Seattle teammates and fans, her coaches, staff and friends and, of course, the television shows. But despite the inconsistent and sometimes dreary weather, Marques has fallen in love with Prague for its beauty and things to do. In fact, she loves to sightsee so much that she could be her own walking guide book.

More About... The Czech Republic

Country Czech Republic Capital Prague Total Area 30,450.33 sq mi Population 10,264,2125 (July 2001 census.) Languages Czech Religions atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4% Life Expectancy 71.23 male, 78.43 female (2001 est.) Government Type parliamentary democracy Currency Koruna GDP (per capita) $12,900 (2000 est.) Industry metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments Agriculture wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry Arable Land 41% Natural Resources hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

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"There are lots of different places to go for shopping," she starts out. "I like to shop a lot... everyone who knows me knows that about me. I always end up with extra luggage on the way home. I prefer to do most of my shopping in the States because it is usually cheaper and better quality. But I still buy a few things here and there, especially a lot of souveniers for my family and friends back home. There are some shopping centers here and one of my favorites is the Carrefour Market, a huge shopping center with restuarants and big stores that sell clothes and lots of differents things. I spend alot of time there."

Spending money is not that difficult, either.

"When I first got here, I used alot of cash. I also used to change money but i find it better and alot easier to just go with the credit car. Now I prefer to use my credit card."

In regards to the historic or cultural sites, Prague is brimming with places to visit and see.

"I have seen some of the museums from the outside because they are right on the city. I know that some of them should be interesting to see and that the admission price is not that much, some are $1.00 or others are free."

Unlike other major metropolitan cities in Europe, the traffic is not that bad. There is some traffic around the St. Charles Bridge during rush hour, but since Izi does not drive and does not have a car, she gets around the city by either walking, taking the train or by taxi.

"I take a taxi when I have to go to the game or the airport (the club pays our expenses). I take the train to do shopping or sightseeing. The transportation here is one of the best. Prague is known to have one of the best public transportation systems in Europe. The metro, trams and buses are used by 2/3 of Prague's population and cover the majority of the city and outskirts. The metro makes getting around town alot easier and faster since it enables you to cover long distances in a matter of minutes."

The easier it is to get around, the easier it is to see more of the city.

"One of my favorites things about the city of Prague is just the beautiful view," Marques says. "It looks so beautiful. The Charles Bridge is very nice to see and walk along with all of the artists on each side of the bridge painting and people just walking along the bridge and the Castle."

But she was most blown away by the magnificant site of the Cathedral de San Vito and ehe also enjoys the city's rich history, specifically the way that the older parts integrate with the modern aspects of the city.

Clearly she is quite comfortable in new surroundings. However, she cannot speak or read a word of Czech and relies on a teammate to communicate for her during the games or practices with the translation, most of the time. She just does the best she can with the few words that she knows and always seems to get her point across.

"The usual thing is when people start talking to you and you just have no idea what they are saying so you are kind of shy or embarrased by their reaction," she said. "They ask about everything, but when you don't speak the language they always ask you something and most of the time i don't even know what they ar saying.

She loves that the country is very "alive" with lots to do and to see, including a wide array of shopping options. She even relies on public transportation to get from place to place and she even invited her mom along for support. But that's not all. Her mother also does most of the cooking for her as well (she admits she has not tried any of the local cuisine yet). Admittedly, she has seen a lot more of Prague than she has the rest of the country as when the team travels to the other cities for a game, they typically stay to play for one day only.

"I did not forget a thing," Marques said. "I travel with everything. I have lots of suitcases so i can feel like I am at home."

But Izi is a traveler without a permanent, year-round home. She has lived in Australia, and Miami, likes Moscow's Red Square, Segovia, Spain, Paris and the South of France. Yet, from Andorra and Belarus to Venezuela to China both for competition or tourism, one story stands out for her the most.

"I was in Russia this past year with my friend Ana, and we were waiting in line at the post office to pick up a package," she explained. "All of the sudden, people started cutting in front and Ana screamed at them telling them that they have to make a line. They had no idea what she was saying, but they got the hint because she wouldn't let them in. It was funny and they looked at us like if we were crazy, including the translator who told us that it was very commom here to do that and not get in line."

She is not without her humorous stories in Prague, either. Playing alongside Storm teammate Janell Burse, the comedy is never far away.

"In my first week here, J.B. took me for a walk in downtown to see te city, stores and the astronomic clock, etc," she said. "We went to eat at the T.G.I.Fridays and showed me how to use the local train. On our way back, she gets lost. We took the train to the opposite end. So finally 20 minutes later, she was like 'We were supposed to be home by now, I think we are on the opposite side.' It was funny and she was so embarrased and I wanted to laugh, but I didn't want to make her feel bad. It is normal and everyone gets lots, especially in another country. On the way home on, after finally getting on the right train, she kept saying how sorry she was the entire trip."

Let's just hope that both of them can find their way back to Seattle for training camp.