CYPRESS RIVER, Man. – The church spire points to the heavens, inviting people to gaze upon a star-spangled sky.
The evening is calm, with only a hint of chill. Fields roll away into the distance, obscured by the shadows of the night.
It is here that dozens of people have gathered for a journey into the past. The turn-of-the-century church, converted into a bed and breakfast known as the Cafe Bru, serves as the vessel for that voyage.
The guests have boarding passes, identical to those issued to passengers aboard the R.M.S. Titanic. Throughout the evening, they gain some sense of what it was like to dine on the famous, ill-fated ship.
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The hosts, Annette and Bert Wytinck, have prepared an 11-course meal, reminiscent of that enjoyed by first-class passengers on the Titanic.
The Wytincks have dubbed the evening the Last Dinner on the Titanic, a fitting choice considering the menu and props that accompany the April 10 event they held to promote their restaurant. They are planning more theme events to tie in with Mother’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and other special occasions.
The dining tables feature bouquets of pink roses and white daisies. The music evokes thoughts of what it was like to live at the turn of the century. It is the type of music once performed by Wallace Hartley and his band, men who became famous for continuing to play while the Titanic slid into the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
At the centre table, a man is dressed in naval attire. He bears a striking resemblance to captain Edward J. Smith, who was to retire after guiding the grand ocean liner on its first voyage across the Atlantic to New York.
Also seated at the table is Steve Santini, curator of the Manitoba Museum of the Titanic at Portage la Prairie, Man. Santini, an encyclopedia of knowledge about the Titanic, has brought some artifacts from the ship for guests to view. Among the artifacts is a deck chair and carved wood from the Titanic’s forward grand staircase. One can only guess at whose hands may have touched the staircase before the Titanic sank to its watery grave on April 15, 1912.
Throughout the evening, Santini shares stories about the famous and not-so-famous people aboard the Titanic – the women who would not abandon their husbands, the people who survived through bizarre strokes of fate and those who had premonitions of disaster long before an iceberg brought misfortune to the ship.
It was the first time the Wytincks had hosted such an event at the Cafe Bru, located a short drive south of Cypress River. They plan to hold a similar event next year, noting that more than 25 reservations have already been made.
“It’s great to see so many people interested in the Titanic and the history of the Titanic,” Bert said toward the close of the evening.
