Birthdays

On Friday Robert took me out for a surprize birthday dinner (a few days ahead) to the probably highest restaurant I have been to - the Equinox on the 70th floor of Swisshotel. The weather was good so the views from up there were quite amazing with the whole town lit up underneath. The food was lovely too as we tried many different things from the degustation menu. A bit funny how the called one course "scallops ..." whereas it was actually just one scallop on the plate! But I guess it would have sounded a bit odd on the menu. As we were almost finished, just enjoying our desserts, we got funny company. A gentleman was led to a table next to us - the one we had actually hoped to get right at the window. He was probably in his 40-s, wearing an old dirty T-shirt, similar jeans and carring a few shopping bags. After checking the table and the view from every angle he found it acceptable. Then his girlfriend arrived in similar attire. She immediately asked the waiter to bring her very quickly a very cold coke. (He had one too.) We could not avoid hearing them speak Spanish but couldn't of course establish where they were actually from. Definitely not locals though as this just is not the dresscode here at all. And after that meeting can't really blame the Chinese for calling us all "smelly bignoses". Well our friends moved on to the menu. He had a longish discussion with the waiter to establish what a bouillabaise was and then decided to have a go but without the fish (and make sure it's hot!) Then he went on to choose his main course. He asked to have the seabass but just grilled no sauce and with rice. The lady of the house had a discussion if the salad is big or small. And so it went on and on and the poor waiter kept running to the kitchen to make sure the wishes can be granted. I'm sure he got hard time from the chef as well who was probably insulted that someone didn't even want to try his exquisite creations. The couple clearly was not in the right place, something starting with Mc would have been more appropriate. But I guess the Singaporeans take the dresscode literally so that somebody in clean even longish shorts can't get in but as long as the trousers are long it doesn't matter if smelly, dirty etc. It was really like a clichee from a movie, except in a film they would probably have been americans (sorry). A similar real life situation that I remember was in Austria with russians with the difference that they were welldressed. We left hastily as it was getting too embarrasing and unpleasant. I had to grin at the whole situation, except maybe when looking at the bill. You don't really want such company with these prices.