Well, it's Fathers day, (20th June) and decided to visit a brand new ice cream parlour not far from where we live. As well as a very modern and swish looking circular counter filled with all the ice creams you could ever want, they also have cakes andmany pictures on the outside walls of lots of famous people eating ice cream. Well, while we were in there eating this wonderful ice cream, someone came in to collect an ice cream cake, but decided to have writing piped in chocolate on its top. The lady who does this, put on a pair of blue rubber gloves, (kinky huh), picked up the piping bag, and while squeezing, wrote something on top. We saw all this while looking through a glass window into the preparation room could only imagine that the piping lady had been asked to put on 'Happy Fathers Day’. The cake was then presented to the customer who looked up in astonishment at what had been written. It would have been so much better had the piper known how to spell. The cake was taken back into the preparation room and several large strawberries strategically placed on top to hide the mistake. We could only presume that message said "Happy farters Day" instead of the proper message. We had such a laugh.

The Princess Casino was full of colourful flashing ‘Gamatron’ machines. Sounds like Megatron from the kids film Transformers. All offering ‘triple diamonds; Inca gold; Pirates Treasure’ as lures to get punters to put money into them. Gone are the old fashioned one armed bandits that take coins and you pull the lever to watch the three rotating drums with pictures on. Everyone trying to get the three lemons or cherries to hit the jackpot. And remember when you hit that jackpot the noise of the jangling winning coins dropping into the metal scoop beneath. Wonderful wasn’t it? The new replacements are machines that take Dollar bills, and credit cards. There are no levers to pull, but just buttons that take no effort to push at all. The winners (when you hit the jackpot) are awarded with a fake electronic sound of jingling coins and the printing of a ticket which then has to be taken to the cash desk and exchanged for actual money. How clinical it has all become in the way to lose money! Horrible!

People who seem totally bored are sitting and playing the machines at the touch of a button now. They seem to be completely mesmerised and unexcited at feeding the hungry flashing mechanisms in front of them. Meanwhile on stage the small man playing a keyboard automatically goes through his popular renditions of soft soothing music. Lulling you into feeling good as you slowly loose you money. In contrast, a large friendly Caribbean singer wanders round, microphone in hand, smoothly singing to any paying, playing clients. As we arrived, and saw this strolling crooner he just happened to be singing that famous hit by Paul Anker ‘Diana’. For me??????? Of course. Even roulette has been automated. No croupier saying “Rien ne va plus” (no more bets) before the croupier flicks the little ball round the edge of the wheel. The waiting punters watching as the little ball bounces off the metal guides before dropping into a particular number on the revolving wheel. Now there is just a screen to tell you to stop betting. And then after a few seconds of a picture of a wheel spiining and the ball falling into an imaginary cup, which number has won. Punters also don’t dress up any more’ shorts and sandals are the norm here on the island of many casinos. Bring back those James Bond days.

And now for the French beach party. Wow! Wow! Wow! Ronnie told us where it was going to be and that he was playing in the band. This time it was to be a ‘big band sound with at least eight musicians. So off we went to the French side of the island to a small village called ‘Grand Case.’ Booked the best table overlooking the beach and watched the roadies setting up. First they put down the stage for the band with the sea right behind them. This was followed by the ‘dance floor’ in front of the band and sloping towards the sea. Caribbean time is something else. We were told to arrive at 8.00 and ten it only started at 10.00. Food while we were waiting was good though; the French know how to cook. The sound man got it terribly wrong, and couldn’t get it right all evening. Even the band couldn’t hear themselves playing it was so loud and the feed-back from all the microphones did not help the situations one little bit. Dyana & I had one dance between courses and were congratulated on our dancing as we left the dance ‘floor’. The word was out that there were ‘dancers ‘ here now. I was immediately pounced upon by a nymphomaniac who after asking Dyana if we were brother and sister (and getting a “No. We’re husband and wife”) still persisted in wanting to dance with me. Nothing was going to put her off! Quite an experience, and the least said the better. Now, as well as me, there was a young woman who wanted to dance with Dyana, but she was having none of it!! We left the party at 2 in the morning, completely exhausted and deafened. We should really have known that it was going to be a gay night out. After all, the venue was called ‘The Rainbow’ Cafe.

If you want to send us a message about this, all you have to do is click on the ‘send a message’ just beneath the picture of Dyana & I walking on the beach which is on the right hand side of the page.


Sorry no photos for this blog, but just wait till you see the next one which we'll publish in a days time.