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I'm watching MOTD and nibbling on curry-coated peanuts.

The nuts aren't actually that nice. The crispy coating is all heat and no flavour.
 
While more unusual than a novelty, I have got what may have been a promotional watch from Korean Air (I think) which has two dials on the face so it can be set to show local and home times for travellers.

Two-time watches are actually a "thing" - quite clever really, they tend to squeeze two movements into the case. Some of the older ones are actually quite desirable.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Oh, and speaking of promotional watches, I have a Rothmans Williams watch that I bought in the duty free shop on board the Reine Astrid while sailing from Oostende to Ramsgate. Was about '95-ish iirc...
Reine_Astrid_1974-01.jpg

Only on that route from 94 to 97, so close.
 
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Only on that route from 94 to 97, so close.

She sailed Dover-Oostende and Ramsgate-Oostende for the best part of a decade and a half, because she was on loan to the Belgian government (Stena Nautica) prior to being purchased in the early/mid 1980s. That's her in the old Regie voor Maritiem Transport colours of the time. She then briefly sailed in Townsend Thoresen livery, and then plain blue & white before the final Oostende Lines iteration. The flirtation with Ramsgate was brief, and then shortly after, all the remaining ships* (Reine Astrid, Prins Albert, Princesse Marie-Christine and the virtually new Prins Filip) were sold and replaced with the seacats Rapide and Diamant for the last hurrah of the ferry service.

* The other belgian government car ferries were the Prinses Maria-Esmeralda and the Prince Laurent. My uncle (mum's brother) served as a purser on pretty well much all of these ships. And on many of their predecessors as well.
 
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I think she's probably been scrapped now, but she was a fairly lively ride. You definitely wanted to find space forward of midships, as she tended to be tail-happy in all but the calmest of seas. The Reine Astrid was actually the smallest and slowest ferry in the fleet, but I do have very fond memories of the old girl. She was bought primarily for her excellent freight capacity.
 

craigwend

Grimpeur des terrains plats
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