The Evening after the morning before and some of the afternoon before the evening before the morning after

These two weren't on Lord of the Glens but  maybe I didn't meet everybody

So far all the posts have contained pictures from my phone.The next post will contain all the ones from my camera

The last post ended with our return to Muirtown Locks but failed to include :-
Photos of My Trip to The Bridge

Loch Ness from The Bridge

Our Outing with Brian the Hotel Manager
The last evening party

This is partly due to technical difficulties and partly due alcohol. Nobody's perfect.

My Trip to the Bridge

Tony, the First Officer explains all

An old ship's wheel so that idiot passengers can pretend to steer for the benefit of the camera. I think Ken looks like Noel Coward in the Cruel Sea

Brian decides on a new style for his Zimmer

I look nonchalant which is French for I don't have a chalant

   

Loch Ness

 

                                                                                                           

Loch Ness again

Back at Muirtown, Brian Copeland, the Hotel Manager and damn nice fella mentioned in earlier posts announced that if anyone is interested in a short walk to see an exhibition on** the Titanic he will be leaving in 20 minutes. Now Brian has done a terrific job all week and in normal circumstances one would have no hesitation in following him to the ends of the earth....well Muirtown anyway. However it would be true that his track record (and I use the term advisedly) on short walks and the definition thereof has not been too brilliant. To be fair it was only one occasion and as I said above Nobody's Perfect.

** Actually it was about the Titanic rather than on it which was a comfort to those of us not too capable in a diving bell.

We went ,of course,and it wasn't too far though the sharp and freezing wind coupled with the absence of my hat meant that I discovered frozen orifices about my person of which I had previously been unaware and my brain felt like it does when you rush a lolly

The exhibition was a collection of memorabilia from and about the Titanic. A vast amount of stuff that was too much to take in. But I did enjoy it, especially the film section. I have an interest in film history and was surprised to learn that there were at least 20 feature films on the Titanic story, 14 tv films and innumerable documentaries. The man who owns/runs/organises the exhibition told me there were so many because it was an obsession with many people. Believe me this guy knows all about obsession and I happily coughed up a few quid for the collection. 

http://www.odditycentral.com/news/man-builds-100-foot-replica-of-the-titanic-in-his-backyard.html

The 10:1 model of the Titanic.

Alan and Jane (nb Docrera) studying Titanic memorabilia

Brian prepares his followers for the Great Inverness
Chicken Run across the road. "It's all safe he cries.No trains coming"

The Final Evening
After returning from the Titanic adventure and having established there was nowhere within walking distance of the ship to get a gargle-nay bother-we packed and got dressed for dinner. This is necessary as being the last night they don't like you b-----k naked which is understandable mainly because of Health and Safety and the soup being so hot. Nothing worse than being scalded by the cockaleekie.
Much favourable comment about my dicky but  no photograph.

Bubbly in the bar-sadly the Scottish Dancing had to be cancelled because of illness-apparently they were reel sick (ho ho) but nay matter. Hope they are all well soon.

The food has been wonderful all week. properly cooked, beautifully presented and great variety. 10/10 for catering. The waitresses were superb, efficient without being superior and obligingly laughing at the usual inane comments that people make. Not on our table of course. It's just what they told me about the rest of you.

To start we had vegetable soup which was delicious

Haggis



 Beef





then Sticky Toffee Pudding (David's favourite) or Cheese
No photo-no room

The Haggis was piped in by a lady Bagpiper (if that's a term -sounds like a bagladypiper to me but she was very good and good to look at!) and then Brian C did Burns' Ode to the Haggis-rather well I thought, with great assistance from one of the guys from the kitchen. Very entertaining.

Brian then made a speech on how the trip had been for him and apparently we weren't too bad a mob.

Adrian, very eloquently, proposed a toast of thanks to the Crew who had so ably and so cheerfully made our trip so memorable and then asked me to do the" three cheers" as he couldn't remember the order of the words but I happily obliged and all assembled joined in enthusiastically.
Well done Adrian

In his speech Ady reminded us all how privileged we were to have such a wonderful week and this prompts me to remind anyone interested in the mission that Pam is currently visiting in Uganda can visit the site www.teamsonline.org  and if they have anything left after settling their bar bill then good on you.

A very pleasant night in the bar watching my table indulge whilst I lectured on the demon drink. Sorry....that should be lemon drink.
Lots of jokes and banter and even the normally shy Brian was able to stammer out the odd witticism.

Brian, Cath, Pat and Jenni
Ken, Pat and David

The following three photos are courtesy of David and Jenni and were added after publishing this post. What a jolly crew.

Whether Adrian and I have been lucky on this first cruise I don't know but we do seem to have met a terrific bunch of people all with a good sense of humour. I so envy them that.
And so to bed-like the Seven Dwarfs-feeling Happy, alongside the Doc. and waking up Grumpy.

Postscript.
During the night I heard Adrian harrumphing round the cabin I assumed on a visit to the usual offices. On waking he explained he had spilt a little of his cocoa but not much. When I put my glasses on I thought I had gone blind so if I ignored anyone in the morning it was because my lenses were still smeared in cocoa. Could be worse I knew a chap whose wife trod on his Horlicks and he couldn't ride his bike for a fortnight.

Paid the bar bill-£180 -so Ken and Brian were using my cabin number after all -but I understand and I don't blame the Prize Bar Steward, Gordon, cos he has to respect his elders-and Gawd are they elder!. I know David didn't cos he's a boater and by definition a gent.

 A good breakfast and baggage on the dockside. Into a cab and off to the airport with Huw and Claire, so good company to the end.
Home to snow and happy memories.

Thank you everybody-from the Captain downwards, Brian Copeland and his team, every passenger I met and the lucky ones I didn't.  And of course, the Clerk of the Weather and the wonderful Caledonian Canal-a dream fulfilled.
You all made it a terrific holiday.

Oh and thanks to Adrian for being so short of mates he had to ask me. Cheers Ady.

Would I recommend Lord of the Glens to anyone else?

Definitely!