Saturday, February 20, 2010

Beach Club 2

We had a lazy weekend this week and went to the beach again today. Now we are pretty much regulars (the waiter even knows our “usual” orders and we know him by name) we are getting to see the same people there a lot of the time.....


  • There is the middle aged Scouser (Brit from Liverpool for the uninitiated) who looks like she has been here for a long time judging by her colour. She sits alone, quite contented smoking and drinking her pints of lager. Her daughter (I am guessing it was her daughter judging by her looks) and her other half (wearing a full Liverpool kit - why do fully grown adults feel the need, unless they are going to a football match?) came to see her. It’s the first time i have seen her with anybody else.
  • An older bloke, I think Irish, and his wife also sit near us on the beach (we are creatures of habit and sit pretty much in the same spot). He also has that leathery tanned look of a retired expat. Some of their family have also been visiting this week with their small children enjoying the beach and sun. He also drinks pints. I don’t know how people do that - drink pints and pints of beer in the sun. The heat makes me dehydrated enough without taking loads of alcohol on board too.
  • There is a young Arab lad, maybe 12/13, who obviously has special needs, that is there each day at the weekend really enjoying the sand and water. He is supported by a very patient maid and sometimes we see his mother. The staff obviously know him well and give him lots of time and attention, especially the Life Guards who play with him in the water and take him out in the kayak. It is great that he can come and enjoy the facilities, as I feel sure that many families that have children with special needs must keep them indoors, as you see so few of them.
  • Every week we see an older couple, that just have to be British. He looks very “old school” English, and wears a Panama hat - even when swimming! He is very tall and lanky and walks like he has steel rods through his back and legs. He goes for regular dips in the water and has the most ungainly and slowest backstroke technique I have ever seen. The buoyancy of the water helps in two ways, it keeps his hat dry and actually prevent him from sinking between strokes. After swimming, he does some stretching in his strange, elongated way. HIs wife just sits, fully clothed, with him in the shade all the time.
  • There is the family of obese ex-pat Arabs whose mother and daughter insist on wearing the most impossibly small swimming suits and bikinis, compared to the size of their bodies. Clearly a case of body dysmorphia when making purchases from the swimwear section - and enough to make everyone else vomit.
  • Finally, there is Pankaj, the waiter. There are several waiters taking orders around the pool and on the beach, but generally we get Pankaj. He hails from Sri Lanka and is a very kind, intelligent man. He is very well read and has an opinion on most subjects. He is saving money so he can start a restaurant with his brothers. I’m sure it will be an excellent restaurant and I would love to eat there. Last week he seemed less happy and engaging than usual. When he got a chance to chat, it turns out that the previous day two of his people left without paying their bills. When this happens, it comes out of his wages, a wholly unfair situation. We gave him some extra tip that day to try and help out a little.
The weather is getting hotter (maybe 32ish today) and will continue to rise now until the summer. We will see how much longer we can manage a full day on the beach (Caz will give in way before me!). In the mean time, we will enjoy our lazy days with the rest of the cast from The Sheraton.



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