Turkey For Christmas Dinner?

Friday 22 December

It had rained hard for most of the night, and was still drizzling when we went to breakfast. The grey clouds overhead were wall to wall, and showed no signs of breaking. Everyone was asking “where is the sun”? We did the usual blog and reading, until about mid morning when the skies showed signs of clearing for a while – the peaks were still shrouded in deep grey clouds, but out to sea seemed a bit brighter. We decided that a walk would give us some fresh air and some much needed exercise – Colin doesn’t like the sand on his feet, so we chose to walk along the road, anticlockwise from the hotel. It didn’t really matter which way we chose, any form of settlement – more than a couple houses clustered together, was several kilometres away, and further than we intended to go. (There is a restaurant further along this way, that I would like to try, but the only way to get there is by bus, which is hourly in the evening – if it runs – and it is too far to stagger – easily about five or six kilometres –and after a few glasses of wine I’m not sure we’d make it.) Along the road, there were detached properties on one side with marvelous views through the trees out over the bay. These varied from quite primitive structures of corrugated tin, held together in a wooden frame, to large elaborate brick buildings, with colonnaded verandahs and tiled roofs. We wondered what they were like inside. All the gardens look well-tended – I think these people prefer to be involved in outside activities rather than indoors.

We reached the end of the cove, where the beach turns into another bay, and continued on passed a part-built grey concrete hotel complex, situated across the road from the sea. Apparently it was started over thirteen years ago, and most of the two storey accommodation buildings were built in a large grassy field and large picture windows fitted before the sponsor pulled out. Then it was left. We have heard that it has recently been bought by an Italian for the Sheraton group, which could mean a real 5* hotel on the island. But that would be a huge undertaking from its present state and take some time. The walk was uneventful but pleasant and we returned to the hotel in need of a beer.

They had published the menu for Christmas dinner today – which inevitably included Roast Turkey and all the trimmings – the other options being Roast Virginia Ham or Tuna. I can’t really think that I would choose Tuna for Christmas dinner - but I suppose it could be different (another first). We have to decide whether to eat at lunchtime or in the evening – we are hoping the weather will have changed to being bright sunny by Monday, so will probably opt for a meal at sunset. It still feels very strange – a bit like when we cooked Christmas dinner for one of Colin’s birthdays at home (in August) – light evenings and warm weather - I wonder if they will have crackers?

We spent the rest of the day blogging, and puzzling – it’s taking some time to catch up with the blog, but I am now on yesterday’s, so nearly there. Afternoon tea had to be chamomile – filched from breakfast - as we are out of green tea and only a sachet or two of Jean’s blackcurrant left. The room’s selection includes English breakfast for Colin, but otherwise paw paw or mango or vanilla. We went for cocktails with the Manager again at 17.30 and managed once more to drink four or five tumblers of the green lethal brew. This time it was held in an open room beside the pool, and there were a few more people than on Tuesday night, so it was quite a social event – we got talking to several people, mainly from Australia, escaping for Christmas, and Lucy, here with husband and twins, originally from England, but who have globe trotted all over the world with hubby’s work (something like Andrea, who worked with us at Beths, and her family I would think, who traveled the world with Shell).

We changed (this is a bit of a habit really) for dinner again, before sitting down at Captain Andy’s. It appeared that the buffet in the main restaurant had been cancelled again – two nights running - it can only mean there’s not enough people in the hotel to make it worth while - so this eaterie was reasonably full. On tonight’s special’s board was Roast Pork – one of my favourites – but served with polenta – which I definitely do not like. We managed to get the waitress to persuade the chef that mash would be good, and the meal was delicious – lots of good crispy crackling and tasty meat. Since we have been here, we have only really managed main courses – no entrées or desserts. The portions are quite large, but doing not a lot during the day, means that we are just not very hungry.

We returned to the room, watched the end of a film and turned out the light. We really are getting used to this holiday mode again.