Traffic as usual (day 4)

Korfball, that's what in the end brought me here, Starting at 7 am, playing for almost 4 hours korfball a day and an extra hour of video and presentation. Counting the hours I have spend with the players I may not forget the lunch and snack time. It is surprising me still, the variety of different taste, spices and flavours. Even colours are different to what I've been managing the last years at home. Something else what strikes me is the traffic. Many of you are probably familiar to youtube video's of traffic in Italy, Egypt, India and China, well never a dull moment during a 5-minute trip to the University. 

Today the owners of the dormitory invited sir Rod and me to the famous Harber view restaurant, a pittoresque old school fish restaurant near the Embassy of the United States of America, of course with a beautiful view on the harbour and the connected bay. Just less than ten miles away from the University and dormitory, still not a single moment without a curious situation on the road. Trafficlights, pedestrians, scooters, motorbikes, dogs, trolleys, busses and minivans were confirming the unequivalent law chaos theory. So many moment I thought that the space between two cares was not enough for a person to pass, but still small motorcabs were shortening their route to a new client. Together with the afternoon rain from the monsoon, loud horns, sellers of different products at cross junctions the chaos was complete. On our way to the bay we visited the former Spanish site of the old part of Manila with traces of the colonial period of the 17th and 18th century. The fish was very good though! But what about the korfball.....

Every joiurnay stats with a first step, that's why we focussed the last days on some principles, together with the staff we gave the players some ingredients and although every lunch they brought me the most amazing meals (I cannot wait for the duckling...), I am still very curious what they cook themselves in korfball. They eager to soak all the information, they try repetitavely single steps and parts of the game, they improve their passing and are more and more efficient with their chances. Everybody at the Faculty is eager to gain some points at the Championships, that would really be a hughe boost for the development of korfball in the country, trying to be part of the Curriculum in the educational system would be priceless. 

I very much hope that the players will be inspired by the things we acchieve during the tournament and that they would have as many laughs as during the last sessions. Once they are on the court, their attitude is of courage and sportmanship, if that's enough to fulfil the ambition...... time will tell.

Thursday we have the last sessions in Manila, Friday we leave for the Championships