Obligatory October observations!

Okay, I'll admit it. I do love to people-watch. And now we're in the Balearics for a couple of weeks, I've been indulging in my favourite past-time.

I don't know if this happens to anybody else, but when we're on holiday DH and I always think we see people we know, or people who appear to look like people we know. For instance, the head waiter in our hotel could be the twin brother of the lady who works in our local chemist back home. We've also seen an actor from a TV soap and Captain Bird's Eye swimming in our pool.

This has been happening off and on all week, and especially with one particular lady who I believed was someone I used to work with.  It all came to a head last night when she gesticulated to me wildly and shouted me over with a huge grin.  There you go, I said to DH, with a rather smug look on my face, it is her.  So - I trotted over and said hello, and asked her if she'd now retired from the secondary school in Blackburn? Um - er - she replied, I actually work at a bank in Manchester.  To cut a long story short, she wasn't who I thought she was, and it was all very embarrassing, and the only reason she'd waved at me was because she'd noticed me staring at her.  Several times. Oh, dear.  DH always says my nosiness will be the death of me, and he's probably right.

Take for instance, the poor old guy I noticed in the dining room, armed with a walking stick, and obviously struggling to carry his food. I felt so sorry for him. I even thought of offering to help him but then, after watching him for a while, I realised he actually eats more than anyone else I know. I can't tell you how many times this seemingly feeble man returns to his table laden down with piles of food balanced on his plate, some of which he slips deftly into his wind cheater pocket to eat later. This clever little dodge happens at both breakfast and dinner so instead of the two meals a day he's paid for, he's getting four. I mean, how crafty is that? I've also discovered on the grapevine (DH) that this same guy borrows the hotel luggage trolley on a daily basis to carry huge quantities of water back from the local supermarket. Now, I know we're all being encouraged to drink more fluids, but ten litres a day? What's he doing? Washing in it?

But, to finish - and this is the worse one of all - I got the shock of my life today.  It was early - around nine o'clock - and DH and I were strolling along the path that overlooks the sea. Now, Santo Tomas has a bit of a reputation for nudity but usually those who wish to indulge - I'm told - congregate further around the headland and not near the main body of hotels. Not so this morning.  I just happened to glance up and - yes, you've guessed it - I spotted a man on his balcony, and, unfortunately for him, the front of his balcony disguised very little, if you know what I mean. There was nothing hidden. Everything was visible. Ahem! And yes, he should have been wearing some clothes before deciding to take in the morning air.

At the same time as I spotted him, a young Spanish teenager who was walking past shouted something up to him - clearly some sort of obscenity - which caused the naked man to scuttle back into his apartment quicker than a scalded cat. 

All this was before breakfast. We definitely had to have a quick glass of cava to put us right.

Until next time.

Kim X