Miami and Caribbean Cruise - Part two

The cruise

Here it is. A follow up on the Miami Caribbean vacation:

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Saturday 17th October 2009, we checked out of the Airport Regency Hotel, excited about the second stage of our holiday.

The hotel transport took us down to the Port of Miami to board our cruise ship. It was here we had our first breathtaking sight of the ship itself, the Carnival Liberty. An awesome 110,000 ton vessel carrying 3000 passengers and 1150 crew.

Even though embarkation was handled smoothly by the Port of Miami, the actual boarding felt like a lengthy process - a lot of standing and queuing and sweating and wilting in the sweltering heat, but finally, and by by this time looking somewhat bedraggled, we set foot on the ship itself, only to be hijacked by an official photographer. That's right. What a picture that must have been. Temporarily stressed, harassed and just wanting to get into our cabins…..

Our eagerly awaited voyage to the Eastern Caribbean had begun. Almost begun that is. The waiting around was not over yet. We had to wait until our cabins had been valeted! But this wait was a little more comfortable as we could sit down and rest and we were excited.

Word came through the ship's loud speaker system that our cabins were ready. So off we went to explore them and unpack. Then, barely after setting foot over the threshold, we were told that we would have to take part in a safety drill. Our cabins were on the ninth deck and the drill was on the bottom deck. Use of the elevators were not allowed for the drill and so we had to make our way down nine double sets of stairs. No laughing matter when you have a sore knee, as I had. The drill itself caused considerable amusement and produced yet another period of waiting around, but it was fun!! After it was over we returned to our cabin, this time via the elevators. We had four hours to explore the cabins along with a little of the huge ship before it finally set sail.

The ship itself was spotlessly clean. The cabin staff were really friendly. We just knew right away the we would be thoroughly spoiled throughout the entire time. The cabins themselves were quite spacious with ample room to walk around and plenty of space for clothes and toiletries etc. Two ladies sharing a room need space! Hair-dryers and a TV set were in every cabin.

As we left the Port of Miami I watched with a mixture of fascination and a kind of disbelief . It was really all happening. It was an unforgettable experience. We were not disappointed. We waved at the people along the beach and shore as we moved away, and they waved back at us. We had begun our cruise in style. Just like in the movies!

Time to eat. Our cabins were on the Lido deck and it was just a short stroll to Emile's self service buffet restaurant which was also situated on the Lido deck. It was brimming with many gourmet delights and included a Burrito bar and a Sushi bar. Fish and chips were available upstairs in quieter surroundings.

Everyone was in high spirits and looking forward to visiting the exotic places our cruise would take us. Breathtaking destinations such as Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, San Juan in Puerto Rico and Grand Turk.

The evening dinner was a lavish affair in the Silver Olympian Dining Room. Afterwards the adrenaline was running high and Kay and myself went up onto the deck for cocktails and stayed there until 2am in the morning. I sipped my cocktail and watched the night sky for ages. It was very dark out there on the ocean and the Milky Way was visible. The glorious band of light stretching across the sky up there among the stars, which of course is our galaxy viewed sideways on. Plus seeing the other cruise ships that had left the Port of Miami with us was a beautiful sight too. They floated on the horizons all lit up and glowing in the distance. Great floating palaces. Fabulous.

And so after this long, long day, thoughts of going to sleep became an attractive idea and off to our cabins we went. I got into my bed totally exhausted, looking forward to the new experience that tomorrow would bring.

The morning saw a sudden change in the itinery. We awoke to the news that a storm in the vicinity decreed that we should visit Nassau instead of Half Moon Cay. Oh well. C'est la vie. A tinge of disappointment as we felt that Nassau would perhaps not be as relaxing as the original scheduled destination. Never-the-less we were up for it. It turned out to be great fun.

Getting ashore was a lengthily business, after all there were three thousand passengers to disembark. And so after another spell of waiting around we made it onto dry land, and once ashore decided to take a guided tour of the lovely island of Nassau which included a tour of the truly exotic Paradise Island with it's Sultan style palace. From a distance the palace looked like a big blob of pink icing on a very fancy cake. Close up it was spectacular. A sister palace to the one in Dubai. Inside the walls themselves were lined with a huge aquarium. Tropical fish swam around from all angles as you wandered in awe from sumptuous room to sumptuous room. An overwhelming insight as to how the other half live!

Monday was a full day at sea and there was plenty to amuse us on board the ship. A hairy chest contest was in full swing on the main deck as we sailed out of the Bahamas. In fact there was not a dull moment the whole time we were aboard. We were after all afloat on a ship which boasted twenty two bars and lounges, two swimming pools and two jacuzzis. A water slide. A mini golf course, a jogging track for the energetic; not to mention all the sunbathing on deck. A giant LCD screen 12ft by 22ft loomed over the Lido deck swimming pool, showing everything from shows and movies to some of the 'fun' antics going on aboard the 'fun ship.'

St Thomas, in the delightful US Virgin Island was our second port of call. Here we hired a private car and visited some of the lovely beaches this Island has to offer. Cathy and Andrew had a feast of snorkelling. Kay and myself elected to sunbathe. Iguanas posed for us whilst we took pictures of them. The views from the higher slopes of the Island were breath taking and often we could see our ship anchored in the port far below us.

Our third destination was the city of San Juan, on the lovely, vibrant island of Puerto Rico. Here we took a free trolley ride around the city, an inexpensive way to go sightseeing. The Castillo san Felipe del Morro is a World Heritage Site steeped in history and dominates the small harbour. Sightseeing was followed by a look around the fascinating shops in Downtown San Juan. After the brief shopping spree we headed for Senor Froggs, a lively party bar and great fun. On entering we were adorned with balloons. A lady came around and painted our faces. We joined in a friendly conga and all in in the middle of the afternoon!! Party hardy guys!

Our final destination ashore was to the small but very lovely island of Grand Turk in the Turk and Caicos Islands. Now we were on UK soil. And you guessed it! The rain was hammering when we sailed into port. Oh my, how it rained. We glanced at each other in trepidation but then happily after a short while the downpour ceased and voila!! one of the most beautiful days of the whole trip emerged.

Leaving the ship we made for the duty free shops! Amazing how these shop seem to be more expensive than most shops you find in your own home town. By now it was very hot and so onto the sun loungers for a spell of sun bathing and a dip in the turquoise sea. Glorious sunshine blessed us for the rest of our stay. Cathy and Andrew had a great time snorkelling. Once again Kay and I opted for an intensive spell of sunbathing. Gotta work on that tan.

Back on board for another full day at sea and this was to be our last day. Of course the saddest part of any cruise is the last night when you have to say farewell to those whom you have come to know over the week. And in that short space of time, we felt that we had come to know many of the crew members on board this magnificent ship. The staff in the Silver Olympian Dining Room where we we had enjoyed many a feast, and where the waiters had sung and danced and entertained us, eagerly posed for photographs with us. They were as sad to see us go as we were sad to leave them. For a whole week they had tolerated our eating and drinking quirks without so much as a bat of an eyelid, and we were very grateful to them. In fact it seemed they automatically knew our likes and dislikes. Amazing. All the crew had become like family to us.

We would not have the slightest hesitation recommending this cruise to anyone who may be wondering if cruising is for for them. We all agreed that we would certainly love to do it all again.

And so our cruise around the islands of the Eastern Caribbean had ended. But that was by no means the end of our holiday. Kay and I were to leave Andrew and Cathy next day, but she and I were about to embark on the third and equally glorious part of our adventure - a few days in South Beach, Miami. But that's another blog.

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Footnote: The picture shows Kay and myself in the mood for some Calypso in Nassau

Miami and Eastern Caribbean Cruise October 2009 - Part One

Miami and Eastern Caribbean Cruise

October 2009

Part one - Hello Miami

My vacation time is almost here again: Southern Crete in September. It has brought back memories of last years great holiday. Here it is.

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Travelling on the 10.30pm Tuesday overnight National Express from Newquay to London Heathrow Airport (and surviving it), I awoke on the bus to discover it was Wednesday. By some miracle I had actually managed to fall asleep on the darned thing.This was a double miracle as at first I got nauseated going through the narrow winding country lanes in Cornwall and had to visit the awful portable loo a few times…nuff said….. Well, before I fell asleep proper, my friend got on at Exeter and very kindly took the seat in front so she didn't disturb me (very thoughtful).

Eventually Heathrow Airport loomed and we descended from the coach to the sleepy bus terminal. It was 5.15am….

After finding somewhere to get a mediocre coffee. We sat and sipped it until our other two friends joined us and after a considerable period of waiting around, 9.55am arrived and hey presto it was time to board the plane.

Yes, the time had come and Kay, myself and our friends, namely Cathy and Andrew Haglington of the UK Social Group checked in and soon we were on our way to Miami courtesy of American Airways.

The flight was uneventful, unlike some flights I've been on..(maybe that's another tale) and I had a delightful American air stewardess who served my gin and tonics with style and grace. G and Ts are one of my all time customary rituals when I fly. The holiday had begun.

After spending a long but pleasant nine hours in the air, during which I watched Ice Age 3 and fell in love all over again with Scrat the Squirrel, we eventually arrived at Miami International Airport, a feeling of excitement in the air.

The weather was very hot, hot, hot and very humid and when we finally cleared customs and stepped outside the airport doors I could have sworn that we had been plunged into a sauna.

Melting in the heat and humidity of Miami, we stood and waited for our taxi which seemed to take an eternity to arrive. But eventually arrive it did and whisked us off to our hotel; the first of three accommodations that we were to enjoy on this lovely trip.

On arrival at our hotel, the Airport Regency, we checked in and then off to find our rooms. They were large and spacious as US hotel rooms always are. A quick freshen up and we headed outside to the pool to lounge around and to have a cool refreshing swim. Given that the hotel was full, there were not many people around the pool area, and so we virtually had the pool to ourselves which was great.

And so after snacks and food on the airplane, the obvious was happening; hunger was catching up with us as well as the jet lag. We needed to eat and have something substantial in our stomachs and so we headed into the surrounding streets to find a restaurant. It was not difficult. Plenty of bars and cafes most of which were a hive of buzzing activity adorned the streets even though we were quite a way from Downtown Miami.

We spent three nights in this part of Miami. It was a taster of what would come later at our other hotel on South Beach where Kay and I would stay after our Caribbean cruise. I looked forward to being underneath those elegant, huge palm trees on South Beach, but that would have to wait. A cruise was the next thing on the agenda and that was almost upon us.

Day two and getting into the good old shopping mode, we hit the The Dolphin Shopping Mall for which the hotel obligingly ran public transport to and from. It is a huge mall with lots of shops, restaurants, bars, fountains and just about everything that anyone could think of. It was a shopper's paradise. I got hijacked on my way around, someone wanted to do a professional made up job on my face. It was a pity that I did not have time to linger there and have it done.

The night before we boarded the ship for our cruise, we booked a cab and had a lengthy drive, (all around Miami or so it felt) to The Outback Australian themed restaurant. This was a lively and very colourful place with a great 'bush tucker', menu. The ambience was relaxed and friendly……..America meets Australia…… a great combination. Music, beer and lots of food. It was good to be in the US once again.

We met up on the final night and had a chat about our upcoming cruise. We were all looking forward to it. For Kay and myself it would be a new experience. We had never been on a cruise before. I was just dying to leap aboard, get in my cabin and set sail for those wonderful caribbean Islands; like we were about to step into a TV show.

And so that night we slept and dreamed of sailing the seas and being pampered by big muscular hunky men…….and having lots of fun. We were not disappointed as far as the fun went. The men? Well maybe that's another story. And so on to our cruise and another blog……..

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FOOTNOTE: Picture of Kay, Andrew and myself outside our Airport Hotel

Rescue at Towan Beach Newquay

Air Ambulance in Newquay

It was yesterday, the 4th August 2010 at around 4.15pm. Yes it is summer again, that time of the year when everyone should be enjoying themselves in Newquay. And the vast majority are doing precisely that.

So all the tourists are here and sumer season is in full swing with the Boardmasters, a major surfing festival underway once again.

On the afternoon in question, I was in the process of preparing a dessert for my evening meal when I heard the helicopter flying low overhead. Looking out the window I saw it hover and then land on Towan Beach.

Oh dear, I thought. Here we go.

The chopper sat for a short while on Towan Beach, and by now it had gathered a lot of sightseers as it were. People all around it were sitting and standing on the beach, most with their surfboards. Others were standin on the high cliffs above, watching the scene below.

After a while the helicopter took off again, did a kind of loop and landed again in a small cove right next to Towan.

I grabbed my camera which has a record mode. The zoom isn't too great so I could not see what was happening too well. I didn't have time to get my camcorder, which would have shown the scene with a lot more clarity. It's always fascinating to see the efficiency with which these guys work - how they co-ordinate their rescues with the life guards and often the Lifeboats too if the emergency occurs out at sea. Happily the latter was not necessary in this case.

After five minutes or so the chopper took off most likely on it's way to Trelisk, Cornwall's main hospital in Truro.

I don't think anybody had fallen from a cliff, well I sincerely hope not. We had bad injuries and even deaths from cliff falls at least six time last year in the summer season.

But I'm thinking in this case it was someone who had got into trouble in the water, maybe someone on a surfboard who had fallen off and was and knocked out by it. It does happen.

It all highlights how dangerous the sea and the high cliffs that surround Cornwall are. They make the county amazingly beautiful but can be a hazard for tourists, and sometimes for residents too.

It is a must that visitors read a guide book or a leaflet advising where it is safe to bathe and where it is not. Then they will leave for home with happy memories.

Nocturnal "Encounters" in Newquay

UFOs…Black Holes?

Close Encounters? Well almost.


Here's how it happened…

10.30pm August 3rd and I am tired so I decided it's time I hit the sack (party animal that I am).

And so it was that I laid my head down on my pillow to go to sleep. Snuggled down, closed my eyes…and then opened them again - This closing and then opening of eyes is an odd ritual I go through every night. It's called insomnia.

Well upon opening them I glanced out of the window to see if the moon was shining up there amongst the stars..... and……. Whoa!……. what was that floating through the night sky? Was it smoke? Was there a fire? Couldn't smell anything burning but you never know. Best make sure.

And so to satisfy my curiosity what did I do? Yes that's right. I got up out of bed and looked out of the window.

Gasp! Followed by another….Gasp!

What was that up there in the sky?

A huge montage of swirling lights. Lots of them spinning around clockwise and pulsating in and out. Like a huge pale animated sunflower painted in the night sky.

I stood there mesmerised trying to make out what the hell it was I was looking at. I had only had one glass of wine that evening so my imagination was not playing tricks on me. Was I dreaming? No. I pinched myself. I was awake.

Anyways. There I stood for a while watching these dancing lights in the sky.

Aliens, I thought…funny looking green men….abductions…..

Then I remembered I had been reading Professor Stephen Hawking's book "A Brief History of Time" and I knew it…..my immediate suspicions confirmed.

A BLACK HOLE…….come to suck us all in!

I recalled what Professor Hawkins has said about the moment you are being pulled into a Black Hole. First you are stretched, elongated to a great length and then shredded like spaghetti and then you are compressed into a very dense and very minute spot or blob, if you like, and spat out the other side of the abyss. Yuk.

And so it was, shivering in my bath robe and bare footed, I stood at the window waiting to be either abducted by aliens or shredded like a plate of pasta. Did I have a choice? I wondered. I really wasn't up for being abducted and I didn't much fancy being food for a Black Hole.

Climbing back into bed - and trying to resist a temptation to hide under the covers. I decided that whatever it was out there was benign and so I thought I should attempt to go to sleep.

But before doing so, a quick peep again through the window and I realised the lights were subsiding. Good. The aliens have had their fill of Newquay. Too noisy. Too many bars. Too many surf shops. Too many drunks……too much…well you get the picture.

I did manage to drift off to sleep…….and then about 1.30am I awoke again quite suddenly. Glancing out the window and thinking how nice and peaceful it was with just the sound of the ocean lapping up the beach when………oh no!…. They were back again! They had sent their Black Hole to sneak up and get me whilst I was sleeping. Oh nooooo…..

Getting out of bed again to have another look, and yes, there they were once more in all their glory.

I looked around but could not see any laser beams coming from any of the clubs around Newquay. Was it the reflection of water from the harbour I was seeing? No, that wasn't right either. Not possible. The ring of lights was huge.

It was not warm standing there with the window open, so I resigned myself that if I was to be abducted, well so be it. And thus I climbed back into bed and once more fell asleep while the strange celestial light dance went on above me.

Morning broke. I awoke and all was quiet. No more lights. No abductions that I was aware of. No spaghetti hanging from…….I'll leave it to your imagination.

I asked others in the apartment block if anyone else had seen the bizarre light show and Yes, they had.

No one knew what it was. One person (who hadn't seen it) suggested that it was strobe lighting from a disco that was going on in Berties Night Club. Maybe. But I have seen those lights from the disco before and they did not look like the ones I saw on the night of the third of August.

Oh well, there must be a rational explanation. The following night was 'normal', whatever 'normal' is for Newquay in party mode. But I will keep my eyes on the skies again tonight and tomorrow night and probably every other forthcoming night..….and if I see them again and if I find out what they really are I will let you know.

That is assuming a big headed, bug eyed monster doesn't appear and try to whisk me off to a pink and purple remote planet somewhere in the far distant reaches of the universe......

If he does there's only one thing I have to say to him…UFO!

Summer and Autumn reflections in Newquay and Cornwall

July 18th Saturday 2010 - After the rain

a sunny day in Newquay

And the place is in full swing…..almost. The following two weeks will see the height of the tourist season and with it comes a whole array of fascinating people with an equally whole array of fascinating things to do, a lot of which are not available in the winter months.

Summer heralds the abundance of strong light here in Newquay; there is no other place in the British Isles that has the quality of natural sunlight as does Cornwall. Being a thin peninsular protruding from the far South West of Great Britain into the place where the Atlantic Ocean meets the English Channel, the extraordinary light occurs as the rays of the sun are reflected over the whole county. It has the same quality of light as you will find in such places as Miami and California.

Combine the light with the sea and the rugged coastline on the north coast and the gently sheltered fishing villages on the south coast and you have a mecca for artists of all kinds. Painters in particular are attracted to the county as they love to try and capture that special quality of light on canvas.

Then there are the writers; (perhaps the most famous of all was Daphne Du Maurier), who in past times loved to spin tales about the old days of smuggling; heady days when pirates defied duty laws and smuggled such items as rum, brandy, silk, tea and tobacco up the beaches, into the coves and caves and into the county. Situated high on Bodmin Moor is the Inn made famous by Daphne du Maurier - Jamaica Inn, originally a coaching house and Inn, and now a haunted Inn with it's own museum paying tribute to all those fascinating smugglers of yesteryear who used it to conceal and then smuggle their contraband goods out of the county and onwards up country . It's a fascinating place to stay and to visit and a great stop off spot for anyone driving in to Cornwall from the M30, the main highway that takes you through the south west of England and into Cornwall.

But here in 'modern Cornwall' in the 21st century, summer becomes a playground for the surfers particularly in Newquay. Along with the tourists, they throng the crowded streets; strolling along to the soundtrack from the street musicians who provide a backdrop to the impromptu outdoor entertainment. In late July, early August, Newquay plays host to the Board Masters - a well know surfing festival. Take a walk down to Fistral Beach at this time of the year and you will see and hear, and can be a part of Radio One's beach party with it's variety of DJs all assembling down at the famous stretch of sands - a great place for serious surfing, roller blade sports, summer entertainment, late night BBQs, beach parties or just chilling out with buddies and a beer.

And then, suddenly the summer will be gone. Quickly fading as all summers seem to do, each one more quickly that the one before. Even so, the great beach parties will still swing into Autumn. Into the slightly cooler September air, when the days are shorter and the earlier descending evenings become filled with the cries of the circling seagulls as the noise from the previously crowded beaches has subsided. This time of the year awakens an anticipation in the local resident that at last they are able to get some peaceful recreation times with the beaches less crowded and the sunshine now more mellow. It's actually easier to get a Mediterranean type sun tan in Cornwall in the autumn months.

And so I personally am hoping that the sun will be shining constantly from hereon in…to the end of October at least. There's nothing quite as lovely as the Cornish coast in the autumn when the sun is shining on the sea. Sparkling like diamonds. The wet beaches reflecting the high cliffs and buildings that tower above them. And reflecting the Seagull as they pad along the wave kissed shores looking for sand eels, a tasty dish no doubt and according to the multitude of birds with their beaks full of morsels that go zooming past my window, there is no short supply of them. Of course as you may have guessed there my well be a tasty chip or two given by, or snatched from a lingering tourist.

The changeable weather that often persists throughout the summer months in Cornwall will usually stabilise come September and October and we can look forward to quite a few warm sunny days in succession for both of these months.

And it is in the Autumn and Winter that I usually take my holidays. We temporarily leave behind the rugged beaches that I look upon each day and jet off to even sunnier climes to have fun and chill with some great friends I have made here in the south west.

Newquay and the Helicopters that cicle overhead

Just heard the loud buzz of a chopper circling over Newquay Bay. I thought it might be the air ambulance, as in summer there are lots of accidents. Young people having too much alcohol and falling over cliffs, either to their deaths or sustaining terrible injuries.

Last summer no less than six people fell to their deaths from the high cliffs surrounding the bay. The council have put railings up in some of the most dangerous places, but it would be impossible and not very practical to completely line the coastal area with railings.

True, there are arguments for and arguments against, and at the moment the arguments against are winning the day. It is thought that youngster should be better behaved when they come down here to Newquay on "holiday."

What they really come for are the stag and hen parties. Or they come just to get blind drunk. More often than not they are under age and in many cases their parents just 'drop them off' and leave them to their own devices here in Newquay.

The town has got rather a bad name over the last few years as a drink and drug and sex mecca. Consequently the council are trying to address the matter, and just the other week, some youths were - for want of a better word, "kicked out" of a well known camp site, put in the cells for the night and then sent home.

So just a few minutes ago when I looked out of my kitchen window, I fully expected to see the air ambulance in the sky, but happily this one was a Royal Navy police helicopter. Nothing bad happening at this particular time as far as I know. Anything any different and I will update by posting another blog.

Of Art Groups and Divas

What a carry on! The art group and the Diva is what I am talking about. It goes like this.

Ivana is our art teacher. Ivana is a Diva. A flambouantly dressed person. A lovely person but a Diva never-the-less. Let me give you a some examples.

A few week ago she had conjunctivitis. She arrived at class wearing a very large pair of sun glasses. "Oh," she says, "I am wearing my shades because I have conjunctivitis and I have to keep my eyes sheltered from the light." Fair enough. No problem.

As each student arrives at he class." Oh I am wearing my shades as I have to shield my eyes from the light." Okay. Fine. But this went on and on to everyone who entered the building. It was becoming a source of amusement.

So to recap if any recap is needed, Ivana has conjunctivitis and has to wear shades indoors. Well after three weeks of being reminded of this temporary affliction and why she was wearing shades; the aforementioned shades suddenly were no longer necessary as Ivana now no longer had conjunctivitis. I'll leave you to fill in the blanks.

Okay. Fair play. We can all put up with that. We all know Ivana and her quirks, so no-one had too much of a problem with the shades. No not at all, just a bit of a giggle.

But…and it's a big BUT, you never know quite what you are doing when Ivana's around. When she is teaching she turns into 'Mega Diva.' That's right. She either deliberately changes her mind …..or else she doesn't know what the hell she is doing. Let me enlighten you. She tells us to do one thing one week and then the next week she has completely changed her mind and tells you to do something else. Usually something entirely different. Which to say is at least somewhat confusing if not outright frustrating.

To illustrate. The lady who sits next to me, Molly I will call her her, was told by Ivana to do a painting of a sunset with dark silhouettes of trees in the foreground. Right. Well Molly started her painting and did a lovely sunset background. Ivana then comes along and tells Molly that it's time to start putting in the silhouetted trees in the foreground. So Molly painted the trees in.

The following week Ivana appears, looks at Molly's painting and says "Oh, you have put the trees in too soon you have ruined it. You will have to scrub the whole painting out, then paint the whole canvas white and start all over again from scratch." OMG.

Anyway between them they tried to scrub the painting and remove the black silhouetted trees. But alas, the trees had other ideas and were not budging. No matter how and with what Ivana and Molly tried tried to get rid of them, the trees simply held their ground and refused to be uprooted as it were.

I have never found out what happened to Molly's canvas which at the end of all the scrubbing and scratching, really was totally ruined. I must remember to ask her when I next go to the class.

And that's not all. Similar things happen to me all the time. One instance is the painting i'm working on at the moment.

Here's how that story goes. I took a few photographs in to class to give myself some inspiration for a new painting. Like the dumb person I can be sometimes, I showed them to Ivana. I did have my mind set on one particular photograph. But Ivana thought that the one I had chosen "may confuse" me. (That was rich). And so she suggested that I do another one. She suggested a seascape with little else in it apart from the sea rushing in between some rocks and a meagre sunset on the distant horizon.

Okay I started it. I had a feeling from the outset that I was in for a bit of a struggle with it. The following week Ivana came around to have a look. "Hmmmm," she said. "Hmmm….you are walking a tightrope with that one. You are going to have to be very careful." Great, I thought. How true Ivana. How you Ivana.

Anyway I'm still working on this picture which does not lend itself very well to being transformed from a photograph to a painting. I have had to alter quite a lot of it, and it is still not how I want it to be. Doh!

It is not just myself and Molly who feel aggrieved by these 'problems'. One lady commented just yesterday "you come in full of the joys of spring and leave depressed." Yes indeed you do.

Painting is supposed to be a relaxing therapeutic pastime, not a source of aggravation and anxiety. Anyway, whatever you are feeling at the time shows in your painting. Therefore it can all go very wrong very easily.

To be fair, teaching art must be difficult, but at least stick to some basic guidelines and let the student get on with their own interpretation of what you have taught them gently guiding them through it as they go along. Changing your mind every week is not learning the students anything in my opinion.

What d'ya say???

FOOTNOTE: The painting illustrated here is one of my first. It's a Swallow Tailed Gull form the Galapagos Islands.