FORUM

I do this post at regular intervals, but I still try to bring some joy into our lives.

Port-Vendres is currently graced by the super yacht "Titania", which from the outside is just very big and brutally ugly. A bit of research shows that is for hire (they always are) for €450,000 a week, "plus expenses" which presumably means the crew of 20 and the 190,000 litre diesel tank.

You only get the full horror when you look at the picture gallery, here

https://www.burgessyachts.com/en/charte ... 05137.html

The interiors defy description: it would be like being trapped for a week in the most expensive brothel in Kazakhstan. You will understand that I am not writing from experience, just trying to give an impression.

[/u]

It is very nearly the most vulgar thing I have ever seen.

I think it's fabulous. Lucky people!

neil mitchell wrote:It is very nearly the most vulgar thing I have ever seen.

OK, if it offends you I'll get my crew to move it (as soon as I've finished lunch).

neil mitchell wrote:It is very nearly the most vulgar thing I have ever seen.

I'm gagging to see the most vulgar thing you've ever seen: it must be a corker.

Webdoc wrote:

neil mitchell wrote:It is very nearly the most vulgar thing I have ever seen.

OK, if it offends you I'll get my crew to move it (as soon as I've finished lunch).

I suspect that this is a blague: nobody who owns a yacht like this, or even rents one, would be seen dead in Port-Vendres. This is where they come to fill up with diesel and caviar.

No, saw it last week at Garbet near Llanca parked up in the creek. Très posh.

martyn94 wrote:

neil mitchell wrote:It is very nearly the most vulgar thing I have ever seen.

I'm gagging to see the most vulgar thing you've ever seen: it must be a corker.

I thought the same thing! but maybe avoid the word 'gagging', just in case

i wouldn't say no to sitting on the deck with a glass of champagne...

Titania....Titanic....

Well, Martyn, there cannot be too many things quite as ghastly as the Durbar Room at Osborne House.

neil mitchell wrote:Well, Martyn, there cannot be too many things I quite as ghastly as the Durbar Room at Osborne House.

"ghastly" maybe, though that's in the eye of the beholder (and surely what makes it interesting). But in any event not "vulgar": it was done with complete conviction (entirely justified at the time) to be a suitable setting for the Queen Empress of India, and her Indian baubles. There can't be many other late-Victorian rooms in any other European palace with representations of Ganesh, done by Indian craftsmen. I've not been there, but you tempt me.

The problem with Titania is that they have just bought generic bling, by the square metre.

Perhaps you are right but, being an Isle of Wight native and having grown up there, I remember my first (of many) school trips and the utter revulsion I felt towards it aged 7. Even at that age I recognised the gross wealth and privilege which it represented and the servile way that our teacher told us about it. It is properly crafted bling, I agree, but from that day I have always regarded any ostentatious display of wealth of privilege as vulgar. Russian oligarch or monarch of the British Empire, I don't differentiate. The state education system worked that day but not in the way it was intended.

neil mitchell wrote:The state education system worked that day but not in the way it was intended.

But what does it matter whether it was intended? It's pretty much the point of education that it should have effects that aren't in the lesson plans. It seems to have worked for you.

I do agree, as a qualified and experienced teacher that is my philosophy. However, I know that we were being taught to be in awe of the monarchy because that was the way then. I like to think that has changed but you are of course right, it shaped me.

Its funny how every discussion about these yachts slips into how awful, lavish and useless they are. Are there smarter ways to invest in? Yes. Does it solve the world problems? No. Are they really awesome looking? Hell yeah. I would love o throw a party on such yacht. Well as long as it doesnt look like something like this.

Me too. If I had a boat like that, I'd call it the P-O Life and invite you all to a champagne cocktail party. Love over the top-ness. Why not? Doesnt do any harm to anyone and gives us loads to talk about, good and bad!

Kate wrote:Me too. If I had a boat like that, I'd call it the P-O Life and invite you all to a champagne cocktail party. Love over the top-ness. Why not? Doesnt do any harm to anyone and gives us loads to talk about, good and bad!

I would just sit there like Ernst Blofeld, stroking a Siamese cat, and dump you all in a tank of piranha fish. In a nice way, obviously.

[quote="neil mitchell"] Even at that age I recognised the gross wealth and privilege which it represented [/quote]

Quite. I’m sorry to disagree with Kate, but such gross inequality does actually cause all kinds of social harm, including mental and physical illness, social unrest, etc, etc. And interestingly, research shows that huge wealth doesn’t even make the people who possess it happy - once your income reaches a point where you can live quite comfortably (it used to be about £50,000 a few years ago, probably a bit more now), anything above that doesn’t make you any happier.

I'm sure you're right Steve. Wealth, be it hard worked for, inherited, or won brings out a lot of strong and unhealthy emotions in others but life is short. My personal opinion is that If you have the money, and there's something that makes you happy, buy it and enjoy it. And if others resent you for it, then that is their problem to deal with.....but I'm talking on a much smaller scale than you.
Inequality will always exist. you cant pay a toilet cleaner the same as a brain surgeon.....and i fear I am opening up a can of worms so will stop there, keep my finger poised on the delete button ready for what might follow..... and tell you that you will all be invited to my big boat party, no matter how mean you are !