R S Hispaniola

Water makes the most romantic setting - unmistakably the best views have water in them. Water is beguiling, appealing wherever it is. When you can also feel the water underneath, with gentle movement a good feeling prevails. A sense of adventure starts to creep in - why? who knows?
Everybody knows. It's very deep in all of our cultures it is life itself. - We are water. Water is deeply etched in everyone's soul.

Maybe that's why people reach a side of themselves that's bigger than the to-do list. A part of them wants to turn off the mobile and just get on with being there.

Enter the Hispaniola. The boat may be simply moored safely on the Thames. As you enter and your coat is taken you can already feel the movement beneath your feet. To the right is a gracious restaurant with blue glasses on all the tables and in front of you is the water. There are other vessels moving up and down. They emerge from beneath the bridge on their several errands. Right now though we are simply on the water about to have lunch. By the way the salmon and mashed potatoes were brilliant. Felt good, tasted good - however the spinach was worth mentioning now. I always have spinach. It's such a great dish to compare with. This had a vigorous flavour, perfect texture and had been picked in the morning. Great cooking.

The timelessness set in and we started to talk about the waterways. The price of ships has gone up more than eggs proportionally that's for certain. The waterways are a world of their own. The men and women who work on the water seem more than ordinarily peaceful. I suppose it's the timelessness - tide's up or tide's down. The gangplank was downhill in and downhill out or so it was with me.

Lunch stayed with me and I was able to lunch there again much to my pleasure. I had arrived a day early and sat in the lounge with a Campari or two before going uphill off that time. It was a pleasant interlude and I was welcomed every moment. They laughed a little because I had done the same the week before - this is a true confession. Why? I haven't fathomed however there is some draw to the water I confess.

I for one am going to take lunch on the water far more often - not to mention a proper journey
and some movement as the evenings get a little longer.

Jackie