Monday – Still at Sea – Second Workshop and CHIPS

The second workshop – a tonal study in one colour (Paynes Grey) – went well. Everyone seemed very settled, and many even turned up particularly early to set the tables up, which was a bonus. The tech guys also laid on a wireless michrophone for me, which made the whole job a lot easier – I’ve really got to get myself one of those – it’s fantastic!

So; the day, all-in-all, was another lesson in relaxation and not doing very much (other than running the workshop, of course). Unfortunately, it all got a little less relaxing in the evening, at dinner time. We’d stayed out on deck to watch the sunset and get some great video and photos, and timed our dinner perfectly; we’d worked it out that if we headed for the Garden Cafe at about 7:45, that gave us plenty of time to eat before heading to the Neptune Lounge, where the first-sitting show, featuring the guest comedian and guest magician, neither of whom we’d seen before, and both of whom we were keen to catch, would start at 8:45pm. When we got to the Garden Cafe, though, they wouldn’t let us in. Turns out it was a Chinese meal themed evening, and only guests who had booked could eat there.

Needless to say, we weren’t very chuffed. We found out a little later, from one of the entertainers, that, to add insult to injury; not only were we not allowed in there, but had we known about the special event earlier, they probably wouldn’t have let us book eiither – the guests taking preference (of course)…. oh the indignity!!

The upshot of this was that we had to eat in th Glentanar Restaurant, at the second sitting (which starts at 8:30pm) – the very same restaurant that we turn into a watercolour workshop of an afternoon. Whilst I don’t really mind too much, I have to say that I don’t really do ‘posh’ – the very definition of which was illustrated by the Beef and Guiness pie that we both ordered, which came – I kid you not – with a regulation FOUR chips. Every single person around us, that ordered it, commented on the fact that there were only four of them…. FOUR!!!! FOUR CHIPS!!! Honestly!!!! I have to admit that the pie was delicious…. but FOUR CHIPS!!! I mean…… what were they thinking?…..

Second sitting just means everything gets shifted back, later into the evening, so after we’d eaten, we killed a little time in the Lido Lounge, checking out the entertainers there (who we were actually quite impressed with), before heading into the Neptune Lounge for the 10:30pm second-sitting show. The comedian, Bob Webb, was very good – the magician, though, Matthew Dowden, was extremely good – he did some close-up magic, in front of a video camera, so that even those at the back could see…. and he was GOOD! How do they DO that?