The Tapas Bookings

[G-Unit]

The Tapas receptionist said she was approached by a tall thin man on Sunday 29th April asking if he could book dinner for 9 Mark Warner guests for the whole week at 8.30pm.

The man said he wanted the booking because the group had 'many' small children who would be left alone in the apartments during dinner. At intervals two parents would go to check if the children were OK.

She demurred about the booking, pointing out that MW were only allowed 20 diners per night. The man insisted and she managed to make the booking.
http://mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LUISA_COUTINHO.htm

Perhaps she 'managed' to make the reservation because 'Steve' authorised it and this guy got half the story;

on a date he cannot remember, the group, just the adults because the children were dining with the nannies, had been too late in making their dinner reservation at the Tapas, and an exception was made, authorised by his boss Steve, as the Tapas only provides for 20 dinners for half board clients as was the case.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LUIS_BARROS.htm

A simple tale; Russell or Matthew booked on Sunday for the whole week, and the receptionist allowed it after checking with someone higher; the catering manager. He doesn't mention it but perhaps he forgot if he was busy going away;

He said that he was absent from Portugal between Sunday 29th April and the 2nd May 2007.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/STEVEN_COVA.htm


204

[mercury]

Well spotted GU! Is it possible a tapas restaraunt employee called the manager whilst he was away? For a guest request? Maybe maybe not

Ps I wouldnt call Russell thin

[pegasus]

http://mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LUISA_COUTINHO.htm

This is the employee SH/AC/KM were trying to make contact with.
See the half visible top line in this handwritten note

[G-Unit]

Well spotted GU! Is it possible a tapas restaraunt employee called the manager whilst he was away? For a guest request? Maybe maybe not

Ps I wouldnt call Russell thin

It's possible that the manager was at work on 29th also and he went home and went away later in the day. I think Russell is thinner than Matthew and Matthew had no interest in food on Sunday 29th. He was ill all day and went to no meals.

Rachael's 15th May statement refers to a hiccup, but on a different day. She also didn't seem to know the table was booked for the whole week;

On Monday they were told that there was no room for all of them in the restaurant, but they obtained a special favour from a waiter and all dined together. In order to obtain this favour they said that the children were asleep and that they could not move anywhere else. For this reason, from this day onwards they would reserve a space in the restaurant (for the adults) for the following day.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/RACHAEL-OLDFIELD-11-MAY07.htm

In her rog interview she says she booked the table on the 29th;

 we'd booked to eat in the Tapas Bar that night because The Millennium had just been one kind of a bit of trek and a bit too stressful with all the kids and it was, thought it would be quite nice to have dinner by ourselves, so erm I booked a table for eight thirty in the Tapas for us

[Miss Taken Identity]

It's possible that the manager was at work on 29th also and he went home and went away later in the day. I think Russell is thinner than Matthew and Matthew had no interest in food on Sunday 29th. He was ill all day and went to no meals.

Rachael's 15th May statement refers to a hiccup, but on a different day. She also didn't seem to know the table was booked for the whole week;

On Monday they were told that there was no room for all of them in the restaurant, but they obtained a special favour from a waiter and all dined together. In order to obtain this favour they said that the children were asleep and that they could not move anywhere else. For this reason, from this day onwards they would reserve a space in the restaurant (for the adults) for the following day.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/RACHAEL-OLDFIELD-11-MAY07.htm

In her rog interview she says she booked the table on the 29th;

 we'd booked to eat in the Tapas Bar that night because The Millennium had just been one kind of a bit of trek and a bit too stressful with all the kids and it was, thought it would be quite nice to have dinner by ourselves, so erm I booked a table for eight thirty in the Tapas for us

Oh this is interesting G.
 The poor mites were stressed having to take the children out for dinner/food? or , OR was it because they wanted peace to have a drink . This was a planned event- it really does come across as they couldn't be bothered with their children. Dump them off during the day, Dump them off to bed a night.  OMG How cruel.

They seemed determined to get things done there way, expecting people to jump for them...hmm

[G-Unit]

Oh this is interesting G.
 The poor mites were stressed having to take the children out for dinner/food? or , OR was it because they wanted peace to have a drink . This was a planned event- it really does come across as they couldn't be bothered with their children. Dump them off during the day, Dump them off to bed a night.  OMG How cruel.

They seemed determined to get things done there way, expecting people to jump for them...hmm

I suppose it depends on what you think a parent's role is and what you see as an acceptable balance between the needs of the parent and those of the child. I always wanted to be there for all the firsts; first smile, first swing, first sight of the sea, first boat ride. I also wanted to be sure my child learned my standards, was subjected to my idea of discipline and was comforted by me if they were upset or hurt. Handing any of that over to others wasn't part of my agenda, but seems common these days. Non-family members spend more time with some children than their parents do.

There did seem to be a sense of entitlement.

Anyway, back to the bookings. What does Kate say:

Today [Sunday] we’d been able to make a dinner reservation for the adult contingent at the poolside Tapas restaurant. Apparently, this restaurant, a canopied outdoor addition to the bar, catered for only up to fifteen diners in the evenings, and reservations could not be made until the morning of the day in question.

In spite of what we’d been told about booking the Tapas restaurant, Rachael managed to get a table for nine at 8.30pm pencilled in for the rest of the week after having a word with the receptionist at the pool and Tapas area.

to explain why she was bending the rules a bit, the receptionist had added the reason for our request: we wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently.
Madeleine, Kate McCann.

This isn't what Rachael or the receptionist said. The receptionist said Sunday and a man booked for the week, Rachael didn't mention booking for the whole week.

[mercury]

This is one of the reasons I believe it was a mistake for the PJ to decide there was no point in UK police doing rogatory interviews with the parents. Kate Mccann wrote a book, she could have relayed most of it to the police instead to clarify everything, and contrast and compare with the rest of them go eiter bolster or show discrepancies.

Ps Matthew Oldfield and Russell O Brien are both tall, ROB the taller, but ROB ,at least from pics at the time seemed podgier

[G-Unit]

This is one of the reasons I believe it was a mistake for the PJ to decide there was no point in UK police doing rogatory interviews with the parents. Kate Mccann wrote a book, she could have relayed most of it to the police instead to clarify everything, and contrast and compare with the rest of them go eiter bolster or show discrepancies.

Ps Matthew Oldfield and Russell O Brien are both tall, ROB the taller, but ROB ,at least from pics at the time seemed podgier

I'm thinking Matt was sick all day Sunday. Plus the man had an older child with him; the receptionist thought it was MM but Russ's daughter wasn't at kids club Sunday am, MM was.

[mercury]

I'm thinking Matt was sick all day Sunday. Plus the man had an older child with him; the receptionist thought it was MM but Russ's daughter wasn't at kids club Sunday am, MM was.

OK, that makes total sense.

Anyone know what Pegasus's photo text says?

[pegasus]

(snip)Anyone know what Pegasus's photo text says?

If you look at the employee statement I referred to, and the image filename, it's not rocket science to read the name Mrs H's note is addressed to Merc.

[mercury]

If you look at the employee statement I referred to, and the image filename, it's not rocket science to read the name Mrs H's note is addressed to Merc.

see it now, thanks P

[pegasus]

see it now, thanks P

Also if you read KM's SMS message it is addressed to L** which is abbreviated form of same first name Merc.

[mercury]

Also if you read KM's SMS message it is addressed to L** which is abbreviated form of same first name Merc.

What does it all mean?

[jassi]

If you look at the employee statement I referred to, and the image filename, it's not rocket science to read the name Mrs H's note is addressed to Merc.

Who is Elsie?

[G-Unit]

This is the Tapas supervisor Tiago Rochas Barreiros . He was aware of the booking;


From the very beginning, a request was made to the restaurant workers to reserve a table for 20H30 until the end of the week.

When was 'the very beginning?

they were clients of the Tapas restaurant which they began frequenting the 2nd day of their arrival to the OC. [Sunday, then]


He has other interesting snippets;

He goes daily to the family's apartment in order to bring them lunch.

That every day around 13H00, he heads to no. 4-G (where the family of the missing child is staying) and to no. 4-1 (where 10 people are lodged) to deliver lunch. He repeats this routine at 20H00 to take them dinner.

Meals for 12 delivered twice daily. Did he carry them all himself? Poor chap.

It seems extra alcohol was drunk during the week in addition to the free wine;

That the payment for alcohol, not included in the vacation package, was paid by credit card. This payment was made by random members of the group of nine.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/TIAGO_BARREIROS.htm