Who’s done a Shirley Valentine?
- Thread starter luckyfox
- Start date
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jefmcg
Guru
New York Story
It was late one night, when I returned to my hotel room. After a depressed glance at the room service menu, I decided I could do better for $30 outside the room.
Finding a seafood restaurant, I ordered a Nantucket Bucket (lobster, including bib) and a bottle of wine then settled down with my Tom Wolfe paperback. It was messy, complicated food, and the novel was thick and hard to hold, and the wine required some attention, too. Eventually, I closed my book and concentrated on the food.
There was only one other table occupied in the restaurant, and they were near enough for me to be unable to avoid their conversation. Two men were listening closely to a third, who was clearly senior:
"The problem with Europeans", he began. "Oh oo", I thought.
"The problem with Europeans, is that they never take the initiative, they always wait for us to make innovations, and then they follow."
"He's going to start talking about Jews soon", I thought, burying my head in my book.
Sure enough, the next remark that drew my attention from the increasingly greasy pages of the novel was
"It's a pretty big coincidence that three Secretaries of State in a row were Jewish"
While I listened with increasing horror, he blamed the carpet bombing of Cambodia on "the Jews", as his companions nodded sagely. Back to my book!
Finally, they finished their meal, and the delightfully flirty waiter came out and flirted with them, and they settled their bill. A while later, when I finished my meal, he came and flirted with me. As he seemed well acquainted with the other party, I broached the subject:
"If I come back here again, do you have a no-fascists section?"
"I know", he said, "but do you want to know the worst thing? They all work at the UN. Two of them are translators, the other is a delegate."
It was late one night, when I returned to my hotel room. After a depressed glance at the room service menu, I decided I could do better for $30 outside the room.
Finding a seafood restaurant, I ordered a Nantucket Bucket (lobster, including bib) and a bottle of wine then settled down with my Tom Wolfe paperback. It was messy, complicated food, and the novel was thick and hard to hold, and the wine required some attention, too. Eventually, I closed my book and concentrated on the food.
There was only one other table occupied in the restaurant, and they were near enough for me to be unable to avoid their conversation. Two men were listening closely to a third, who was clearly senior:
"The problem with Europeans", he began. "Oh oo", I thought.
"The problem with Europeans, is that they never take the initiative, they always wait for us to make innovations, and then they follow."
"He's going to start talking about Jews soon", I thought, burying my head in my book.
Sure enough, the next remark that drew my attention from the increasingly greasy pages of the novel was
"It's a pretty big coincidence that three Secretaries of State in a row were Jewish"
While I listened with increasing horror, he blamed the carpet bombing of Cambodia on "the Jews", as his companions nodded sagely. Back to my book!
Finally, they finished their meal, and the delightfully flirty waiter came out and flirted with them, and they settled their bill. A while later, when I finished my meal, he came and flirted with me. As he seemed well acquainted with the other party, I broached the subject:
"If I come back here again, do you have a no-fascists section?"
"I know", he said, "but do you want to know the worst thing? They all work at the UN. Two of them are translators, the other is a delegate."
twentysix by twentyfive
Clinging on tightly
- Location
- Over the Hill
bigjim
Legendary Member
- Location
- Manchester. UK
Alone time is ok for me in short doses. I have toured alone and find it quite a lonely experience. I often book a week alone in Mallorca. Usually in a busy AI hotel. I don't find that lonely. I see the same people every day at mealtimes and often end up joining them in the evening for a drink. I've also met other cyclists staying at the hotel and ridden with them for the odd day. Best of both worlds for me on a Mallorca break as I'm free to be alone or spend time with others. Touring the alone thing is more or less forced on you. I get homesick after a week on my own.
jefmcg
Guru
I backpacked around New Zealand for a week on my own. So many tiny adventures I wouldn't have had with friends.
I ended up talking to a bunch of commercial fishermen on a train off to spend a week living in an isolated cottage drinking and - yup - fishing. At first they admonished me for doing something as dangerous as travelling alone, by the end of the conversation they chided me for not wanting to go along and cook for them.
I ended up talking to a bunch of commercial fishermen on a train off to spend a week living in an isolated cottage drinking and - yup - fishing. At first they admonished me for doing something as dangerous as travelling alone, by the end of the conversation they chided me for not wanting to go along and cook for them.
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
This . Although it does lead to some unwanted attention/ suggestions from certain type of couples .like last night the Hotel in Brizzle
Swiftly rebutted and I left hotel bar sharpish .
- Location
- London
You must tell us more.
This . Although it does lead to some unwanted attention/ suggestions from certain type of couples .like last night the Hotel in Brizzle
Swiftly rebutted and I left hotel bar sharpish .
Ps, your NoW response doesn't quite match your tagline I have just noticed.
jefmcg
Guru
Did anyone else assume after reading the thread title, that it wasn't just about traveling alone, but having a passionate affair with a Greek waiter, unaccountably played by an Italian-Scottish actor?
Edit: I've never done this, but owing to a school girl crush on Tom Conti, I couldn't say for certain that I wouldn't.
Edit: I've never done this, but owing to a school girl crush on Tom Conti, I couldn't say for certain that I wouldn't.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
For long weekends, several times, and on two occasions in the total isolation of a hermitage. No media, no human contact. Wonderful.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Not quite the same but I'd often get my wife to book a flight and join me for a few days, maybe a week while I used to work in Cyprus. She never had any problems really, I'd pick her up and during the day she'd do her thing while I was working.
She did get lost once on the main road through Limassol, missed the hotel (walked straight past it), kept going and had to ask someone about 2 miles later
I always enjoyed working on my own, finding my own entertainment, just doing what I wanted to do, eat what and where I wanted....not often us men get given free reign
She did get lost once on the main road through Limassol, missed the hotel (walked straight past it), kept going and had to ask someone about 2 miles later
I always enjoyed working on my own, finding my own entertainment, just doing what I wanted to do, eat what and where I wanted....not often us men get given free reign
vickster
Legendary Member
As you say, that's not really doing a Shirley Valentine as @jefmcg inferred...unless her Cypriot hunk was the one that gave her the directions...after having his wicked wayNot quite the same but I'd often get my wife to book a flight and join me for a few days, maybe a week while I used to work in Cyprus. She never had any problems really, I'd pick her up and during the day she'd do her thing while I was working.
She did get lost once on the main road through Limassol, missed the hotel (walked straight past it), kept going and had to ask someone about 2 miles later
I always enjoyed working on my own, finding my own entertainment, just doing what I wanted to do, eat what and where I wanted....not often us men get given free reign
And she never returned with youDaveReading
Don't suffer fools gladly (must try harder!)
- Location
- Reading, obvs
I thought it was about talking to the kitchen wall.
