My Travels - English Tea

Landed in Glasgow, Scotland and had a short drive to the ferry pier. The ferry ride seemed to last a couple hours. I only remember gray and drizzle. We checked into the bed 'n breakfast about 2pm and I was starving. So while the others napped, I looked into the dining room. It was dark. I was told it was only open for breakfast but the nice lady at the desk said, "wait downstairs in the TV room and I'll bring you tea." I shrugged, better than nothing to get me to dinner. I was just expecting a hot beverage, but she brought a tray with a couple sandwiches, quartered and with the crusts cut off. Never had cucumber sandwiches before. Never had a sandwich with alfalfa sprouts. There were biscuits (shortbread and cream sandwich cookies) and chocolates! Of course, there was tea and cream...never had such dark tea before, I needed the cream. Bright sunshine was streaming into the room from a huge picture window. I only regret that I didn't leave a big tip on the tray, or any at all, because the meal never showed up on the lodging bill as I'd expected to add tip to my meal bill. As you can see, I've never forgotten my first encounter with British hospitality. I only learned years later I'd been given "tea," meaning a substantial meal with tea, the hot drink. Americans would think of it as an early dinner.

The sketch is gouache and ink. It's not much, but I'm rather proud of it as I've never been able to draw from memory or imagination. All the sketching practice of everyday objects has paid off.