Travel A Great Observation Opportunity
Once again in Egypt, this time at The Barron Palace Hurghada, amidst the opulent surroundings this 5 Star resort will leave you wanting for nothing.
Staff are attentive and really stop at nothing to ensure your time at the resort is one leaving you yearning to repeat.
No matter where you travel however, the human element of behaviour rarely fails to surface and reveal itself.
Whilst totally relaxed I do find it difficult not to people-watch. The everyday conformists or perhaps more appropriately those who are accustomed to waiter service, are not the ones who catch your eye, more so the individuals who struggle a little with structure and order, where their every move flutters with an amplified awkwardness which cannot help but draw the eye.
For simplicity I have categorised my observations of meal times into the following groups:
The Indecisive
Overwhelmed by choice these people in particular, wander up and down with a seeming lack of purpose, unable to make a decision on any one single item. The decisiveness is yet further clouded by starters, mains and desserts being available simultaneously. The overwhelming choice seems to have disabled all intent of ever eating again, as they drift along each offering an empty plate in hand.
The Hunter Gatherer
They go about their quest with assertion, collecting food in vast quantities, as it may not be there tomorrow, they collect for a family of six though there are now only two of them. Returning to the table with all 3 courses and enough fruit to keep a small zoo ticking over for a fortnight, and upon leaving the table and now being full the same quantity of food remains, untouched yet somehow claimed as an offering to their right of passage.
In Search Of English
Beguiled by choice this unseasoned traveller wanders desperately in search of something familiar, having travelled thousands of miles they would happily settle for egg and chips as long as it wasn’t spiced.
At breakfast time they will select pre-sliced bread over a fresh roll in case they are caught unaware by its taste and flavour over the more predictable perfectly formed slice of white bread.
The Entertainer
This title is given to the family unit, each having never sat at the table for any occasion, suddenly having high expectations for their offspring rallying to the table and demonstrating their newly acquired etiquette for the whole family and onlooking guests to enjoy.
One by one each attempt falls over as IPads, mobile phones and video games also fail to focus the mind for the purpose of eating, but instead provide background noise, reminding all of their presence. Then as if by revelation, one of the younger members of the dispersed family group discovers the chocolate fountain, which serves not only as a source of nutrition but also by way of not making them recognisable on CCTV.
Now food to this group is not dissimilar to that of The Hunter Gatherer, food is not gathered in abundance, but instead collected in random samples to plicate or pacify the discerning child.
As mealtime draws to an end, an assembly of pushchairs awaits almost chariot-like in form, as one by one a collective of overtired children are scooped up and taken to bed only to repeat the whole process at breakfast again tomorrow.
The Sampler
This final category belongs to the group of people amassing an array of plates and bowls, much of which is consumed en route to the table, just in case its taste touch or texture does not match what was once appealing to the eye.
