Intermission, Entry 28

Intermission Entry 28, November 14th, 2011, 11:35pm (GMT +0)

The Independence of the Seas orchestra, testing rookie bartenders all around the world.

We spent our day off in Lisbon ordering series of flaming shots from a dockside bar. Our bartender lit the entire first round of shots on fire before attempting to mix and distribute them, only to find that the first drinks had grown too hot to handle while she was lighting the others. She called the other bartender over and they debated the issue in Portuguese . . . we saw them fetch a damp washcloth, and as my understanding of high school physics had not yet been obliterated by alcohol I began to back away from the bar. Sure enough, they tossed the washcloth on to the first glass and --

BANG!

It shattered with a sound like a gunshot, spewing flaming vodka and shards of hot, broken glass everywhere. Luckily no one was hurt.

The other five glasses, looking more and more like small olympic chalices instead of beverages, were pushed to one side with a wooden stick and left to burn themselves out. She poured us another round of flaming shots (which were quickly consumed), and we warned her to please be careful with the remaining drinks (as they were still burning and turning the glass various shades of brown and purple). We did at least tip generously -- hazard pay, after all.

Going places, educating bartenders.