From what I have seen, America has left its mark all through the Caribbean. Some places more than others but if you want Oreo’s, KFC and a Bud to wash it down you do not have to walk very far. Actually you could say that about most of the world. Except for Cuba and North Korea, more about Cuba at a later date. I have no desire to visit North Korea.

Anyway Basketball is everywhere and I am glad. You can watch Basketball at every bar, hotel lobby, and shop front you visit. Basketball courts are everywhere as well. The oppressive heat means that people only really play at dusk time. We have a Basketball court minutes away and our incredibly fit engineer was quite happy to take me off playing a couple of Sundays ago. He had destroyed our first mate with a three hour run on the day before.

Apart from a few lazy games here and there I have not really played Basketball in any serious capacity since I was at school. The years and yachting have not been kind. During my first game I was stricken with a strange paralysis which stopped me from jumping. I blame this on social games of netball. I also suffered from periodic brain freezes which meant for some very silly passes. Luckily the team we played had a player just as talented and we won both games.

Our second outing was much better and worse. Since the new year I have engaged in a new fitness and diet regime (photos and statistics will be forthcoming). I have also gone out of my way to watch a lot of Basketball on TV in bars and hotels. I did a lot of jumping, took great pride in rejecting Greeks, Australians and suspiciously non descript characters. I was named the garbage man by an American because of my rebound prowess. Things were going pretty well until I wrenched my ankle unceremoniously. This has ended my balling for the foreseeable future. It did give me something to write about. Budding writers take note, self harm is a fount. Just don’t get EMO about it.

Now for the icing. Anna and I went to our favourite hotel last week. At 2am we got talking to some Texans in a bar. They were there on business. San Antonio was playing the Lakers. San Antonio won with 4 hundredths of a second on the clock. Turns out one of the guys was a CEO for a company and they have season tickets 5 rows behind the San Antonio bench. If we are ever in San Antonio we are welcome to watch a game with the guys. Got to love Texans and Basketball.