The flaring torches lighting the stairs towards the poolside restaurant of the Cliffside Hotel and the strains of music coming from a guitar filled the night with a romantic ambiance, making guests feel completely relaxed.
It was a perfect time to unwind, gaze into the shimmering lights of the swimming pool or sip wine and chat with old and new friends.
Guests had a heady time hopping from one station to another, sampling the different wines and cheeses set up by the various establishments involved in the wine and cheese industry.
Attractively-packaged baskets of assorted goodies lie temptingly on a table under the mango tree, beckoning for guests to bid on them and help fund the projects of the Belau Tourism Association (BTA).
It was BTA’s first major activity, spearheaded by the Accommodations & Restaurants committee and aimed towards improving the standard of services in the island.
The night was a grand finale of the two-day event which will become a part of BTA’s regular activities in the years to come. Bartenders and bar operators got a full dose of training from wine expert Sheila Peebles on Friday, tackling topics and hand-on workshop on wine handling, tasting, preparation and other concerns about wine.
With the success of the Wine and Cheese event, BTA is gearing for the next events this year- the Annual Bartenders Competition in June, the Cake and Coffee contest in October and the White December affair.