The Caribbean

We're all going, in the words of Sam Rousso, to have to face up to some facts. Yes, The Brain Tru$t has absolutely been captivated by the Caribbean. The natural environment partnered with the wide-ranging socio-polital landscape makes the Caribbean completely fascinating. So here is a run-down of the places I am speaking of. . . The Caribbean consists of these independent nation-states: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as well as Trinidad and Tobago. And the Caribbean is also home to many a colonized dependency, including: Anguilla, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Navassa Island, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

So far I have spent most of my time in Puerto Rico with short touch-downs in Antigua, Saint Vincent, Saint Kitts and a recent arrival for a long stay in Grenada. The delineation of the islands by independent/dependent status is something The Brain Tru$t will examine relentlessly. After a few short weeks in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, I have been struck by the notion of Puerto Rican independence and now luckily I have the good fortune of being able to view independent Grenada from a NEAR insider status. Many say that the independence of Puerto Rico would immediately push it lickety-split into the third world, as true as that may be there is also a saying that after a few drinks, every Puerto Rican is for independence. An idea worth examining to say the least. I have learned that Puerto Rico is a special place and its plazas are becoming ever bordered by KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and its piers breaking under the weight of the footsteps of Royal Caribbean cruise passengers.