Majorca 2016 – Day 2 – Triathlon and Long Trousers

Let’s start of with a picture of cell block H looking resplendent in the morning sun with its new glass fronts. Never, ever judge a book by its cover.

The one thing we were always going to be sure of on this holiday was Sun. Pleasingly there is plenty of it. In fact a little too much this morning. Mrs CT had forgot to bring a hat and I had left mine on a bus 2 months ago in Menorca. A brief walk out to the local tourist shops was called for.

When entering the main thoroughfare we noticed all the side streets had been closed off to traffic. Hmm something was afoot. Now I know that many of my cycling friends are well aware of the rise in the past few decades of the popularity of the island for serious 2 wheel fun. In fact Froomy and his Sky teammates use it as a training camp in the cooler months. What may not be as well known is the mecca it has also become for tri-athletes, those slightly seriously disturbed soles who just want to punish their bodies by swimming 2km then cycling 90km and then running half a marathon. And all of this today in 36c. The chaffing it must cause doing this in wet trunks/bikini bottoms is making me wince.

So here we are in the midst of the cylcle stage of the Alcudia Triathlon. Serious bikes and riders for hours and hours. There were hundreds of the maniacs.

Talking of sports, here is another top notch facility from TUI and their hotel – a table tennis table made from concrete. I kid you not!

After half an hour or so of watching the wheels go around we adjourned back to the sunbeds. Today was shown on the forecast as windy. For once the forecast was correct. “No umbrellas to be erected” was the message from management – whoever they are. I mentioned the trees on the piss yesterday, well there is no guessing as to which way the wind usually blows at this resort.

I also might of mentioned yesterday as to the dated decor of the hotel – I think I did? Here are a couple of pictures of the reception looking bored in its various shades of brown. Note total lack of staff. No doubt dealing with the stack of complaint forms – yes I am smug enough to say that it is not just us 🙂

When I popped back later there was a queue of 30 poor soles, freshly arrived on their 2 hour tour (longer than the flight please note) of the island, courtesy of the TUI airport bus, waiting to check in. Now here is another character from our well known Solano TV hotel. We shall call her/him, Lesley.

Unfortunately I can assure that Lesley is in fact a her. With her blouse open to her navel, and bending down to serve you, it is a sight that is not recommended. When you then also note that she is in a mini skirt with high heels you realise that this is a prime case of age inappropriate dressing. Next to her is Crissy from Scotland as referred to yesterday.

In reception there are a good few notice boards mainly put together by a class of primary school children using crayons and a pritt stick. You would think that in a Thomson Gold hotel they could do better – some hope. Here are two.

You may just notice that two of the notices are the same “LONG TROUSERS for gentlemen at the evening meal”. They have to call it evening meal rather than dinner as it would confuse the Northerners. Can you imagine all the Geordies sat around the pool bar at lunchtime in their trousers. Yes that’s correct you peasants lot, lunchtime and dinner, they are the correct terms for meal times. In fact there are 12 of these such notices from reception through Neptunes Bar and of course at the entrance to the canteen Mediterranean Restaurant.

Now, at this point I could have a rant but instead I am going to have a discussion with you and I would welcome you thoughts as comments at the bottom of this blog.

With my ability to read, something I have had since I was three, I knew about this rule from the Thomson brochure and in fact the same rule has been in force since the Gold concept came about. Obviously there are some undesirables that try to sneak into dinner in their speedos or ripped denim shorts otherwise there wouldn’t be so many notices.

Dressing for dinner comes from a bygone age when there was respect and standards. Has that age passed? Tailored shorts paired with a nice shirt and leather deck shoes is very acceptable a many swanky restaurants in the Mediterranean. Tragically I think that allowing men to wear shorts to dinner would be subject to decisions from the management to decide what is smart and what is not and that is the problem.

My biggest gripe with all of this – if men are expected to be smart then shouldn’t the women? Girls and unfortunately women of an age, turning up with their arses hanging out of hot pants, tops open in the back showing off aging “ass horns” and general sheep in lambs clothing flys in the face of this draconian rule.

If you impose a dress code then it should be for everyone if not surely it is discrimination? Discuss.

Laters