Sunday was dominated by a trip to see a focal point of American culture: an NFL game. The San Diego Chargers were playing divisional rivals the Kansas City Chiefs in only the third game of the season (Sand Diego having won the first two, Kansas City having lost the first two).

We got up in what we thought was plenty time to get to the 1:30pm kick-off -- the stadium is only a 40 minute drive from our apartment. However, a quick check on the Chargers web-site for driving directions revealed that the car park opens 4 hours prior to kick-off, and is typically full 3 hours prior to kick-off. Much like an airport, you should intend to pass through the security gates an hour and a half before kick-off! Our lazy Sunday morning suddenly turned into a bit of a panic/rush ...

The car park was awash with 'tailgating': folk setting up BBQ grills, beer drinking tables, bean bag throwing games. It was all the very definition of carnage! You had to watch where you parked: not because there were few spaces - there were plenty - but you might be parking in an area someone had designated as their hangout area, beer store or open path for throwing American footballs back and forward. On my way to 'will call' to pick up the tickets I'd booked, I passed a woman with a full length grill BBQ-ing what looked like every piece of the same cow!

The game itself was a lesson in spoon feeding an attention seeking child. No minute between entering and exiting the stadium was lacking in some element of forced entertainment. Whenever the actually game paused (which happens often) the gaps were filled with fireworks, blaring music, cheerleaders, on-field fan challenges to kick field goals, strange Mexican themed dancing.

It was ... GREAT!! I got wrapped up in the excitement of the game, which was far closer than it should have been (the Chargers narrowly won after dominating until a very nervy finish - you could say they won Thistle style). Ailsa got wrapped up in the chants and cheering along with the tannoy and big screen. She also made friends with a large hispanic man to her left. There was lots of high-fives and hand shakes when the Chargers scored. The guy to my right reminded me of Broon Snr: he kept complaining that the people in front of him were standing up to see the action. It was almost like I was back at Hampden ... but with the sun beating down on a open bowl.

Having been scorched by the Californian rays all afternoon, we jumped in the apartment complex pool as soon as we got back. It was great to cool down and watch the sunset whilst other apartment dwellers cooked their Sunday dinners on the BBQ over to our left.