Rainy day Monday

We did all the usual touristy stuff today despite that fact that there was unrelenting rain all day. The umbrella I packed in the last minute helped, but Hans only had a baseball cap to keep him dry. It was woefully inadequate. So we warmed up by having coffee and dessert in the fabulous 4 Seasons Hotel which has been completely revamped in the last few years.

The prices reflect their upscale renovations.

But the desserts were exquisite. I struggled through the menu even though they had the English written menu.

"Come here, we have them all on display," he said, and led me to a glass counter where the selection was dazzling.

"What's this?" I asked, "and this" as I pointed to one after another. I wanted him to describe each one but after about 5 or 6 I decided I had better make a choice, though he was being very patient. "I'll have the mango and coconut with mixed berries" I finally said, pointing to a lovely deep yellow cylinder that had a few colourful, sassy berries perched on top.

A different waiter delivered my dessert plate, but it was the wrong one. "I'm sorry," I said apologetially, "this isn't the dessert I ordered."

"I'm very sorry," he replied. "Let me make it a gift to the gentleman." and he deposited the plate in front of Hans. So, we got a free $15 dessert. And the gentleman thoroughly enjoyed it.

Comments

Lethe said…
What a nice introduction to the city!
6:13 AM
Haloranch said…
Definitely made up for the rain.
8:40 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Summer Palace

Image
Wow. Our days are full of strange sights and long hours. In the bus every morning at 7:00, and never home before 5:00. The summer palace was built by Rama V to commemorate the village where he met his wife. How romantic is that! Lo hiding between the antlers The gardens are gorgeous, with topiary herds of elephants, deer and rabbits. Sounds of peacocks echo through the gardens but they remained frustratingly elusive. Their cries were augmented by the screech of other unseen birds in faraway branches. But we did see an amazing variety of bougainvillea in all colours. Hans standing by the elephant's trunk. From the walls in the Reception Hall, yellowing faded faces of Ramas I to IX gazed out from acestral photos. Each Rama is believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu. Other rooms held lacquered furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl and stunning teak carvings. As with all Buddhist buildings, we have to remove our shoes and in some cases, we were asked the night before to dress respectfu
Read more

The trouble with winter is…

The trouble with winters here is that they can be incredibly brutal. This is especially true when your driveway is 400' long, oriented east-west, and invitingly open to the howling north wind. Last night the afore-mentioned wind was an unwelcome escort on my drive home late in the evening. All the way home I contemplated whether or not I should risk driving my car down the driveway and into the garage, where it might get trapped overnight. I decided not to risk it. From the head of the driveway I phoned Hans to say I was leaving the car on the road, loaded up my stuff, wound my scarf around my head to ward off the wind, and opened the door. Like a spinnaker, it caught the wind and creaked alarmingly before I wrestled it closed again. I proceeded more cautiously. The driveway was already starting to bulk up with mogul-like drifts and Hans had opened the gate for me – a precaution when drifts in the drive are a possibility. After a soak in the hot tub to fight the chill,
Read more

"The Party"

If you've seen the movie "The Party" with Peter Sellers, you'll be able to visualize the scene at dinner this evening. We had Rock Cornish Game Hens. Just as I was critizing someone else for their bad table manners, my cornish hen flew off my plate and skittered across the table. Bits of chicken went flying in all directions. "You have a piece of chicken hanging from your eyebrow", said Teddy, nodding at Hans. "He's just keeping an eye on it", said Vern.
Read more