On this trip of 45 days, I racked up 552,972 steps or 236 miles (a 5.24 daily average offsetting the 5.24 daily average of pints) and blew out one pair of boots. Drank lots of beer and lost 12 pounds. And went to 151 different pubs, 108 in Scotland. Some I have visited whenever near for years.
I had a drink in every one. If I walked out of one without a drink, it held no appeal, and therefore no photo. Usually I would ask for a 1/2 pint of the darkest local if there were none I recognized, but sometime a cocktail. Half pints are the best way to Pub Crawl. If you go into a new pub and the atmosphere and banter is poor, or if the beer is sour, whatever, you don’t have to spent twice the time a pint would take. If it’s good, you order another. If it’s real good someone will buy you one as it’s only a half. And a 10 pub day is still walkable. Generally these pubs are in chronological order. Some hit more than once, obviously.
The start.
Helsinki.
Very personable bartender, great chat with a guy named Jonas (Yon Ass was his way to say it).
Black Door, good beer and cheap for Helsinki at 5 Euros. I began my quest for insight with the lad and in the pictured his mates I missed.
“What is it like to live with a border with Russia whilst they are invading Ukraine?”
Rather than being off-putting, this question, from an elderly American, seemed to invite conversation. I asked it over and over in Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga with nearly 100 % of people telling me that they had faith in their government and NATO to protect them. And that Ukraine must win. They joked about the previously thought to be the second most powerful military in the world being the second most powerful in Ukraine. A couple former Finnish soldiers told me that the 800 mile border has only 5 roads. The Finns can defend 5 roads they said but Russian tanks can’t get through hundreds of miles of forest.
I’m glad of those conversations.
Excellent stout. Some cinnamon or something
as those who know me know.
Roof top bar overlooking the Helsinki Harbour
Bingo night
Tallin next
The Nazis invaded Tallinn so quickly bombing wasn’t needed so the old town is exquisitely medical with builds over 700 years old still being used.
1 1/2 hour chat with a couple my age from Ohio. Travel likes, Trump dislikes. Wishing for a candidate younger than us!
A British pub or English based on the St George flags inside. I had a nice time with Kenny Merrilees from Mallaig Scotland here and his wee son Daniel. I like Mallaig so, next rip
???
Estonians with divers degrees of English still led to good craic. The parting shot of a ‘jellyfish’ nearly killed me. Vodka with Tabasco!! WTF?!
Nice breeze
I spot a tattered Saltire and beelined down some scary old steps to this! Not sure if “Highland Stout” is a Scottish brew but I know it’s a good one.
And I did not expect haggis for a few more weeks, yet here it is as bonbons!
The lad at the right, had me follow him to his next boozer. Another Saltire & the barkeep cowboy. I’m sure the place gets wild after 10 but too late for me
And around the corner from my hotel.
Riga
Since they make their own gin, a martini was required. A touch of Blue Curacao makes a pretty drink I call the Blue Whale
Loved the figurehead Colonel!
9.9%! Local brew
Velta, the bartender and I had a lovely conversation. She’s in the film industry and hopefully heading to LA at some point.
Oldest Irish bar in Riga
Only Cuban bar in Riga had a great DJ.
After the flight from Riga and the train north I had figured Birmingham was where I’d run out of juice. I was correct. I stayed here. Folks stay up long after the pub was closed outside so a bit noisy.
The hen parties were enjoying the music more at the Dovecot too. Nice weather, good tunes
Saltburn
Quayside Newcastle is my favorite part of England. Maybe because it’s almost Scotland
Another Spoons being refurbished
Whee Tess took me on the way back from the Holy Island
Local musicians pulled me in as I walked by the open door. I literally danced down the ramp to the bar. I don’t dance lol.
Durham after a visit to the cathedral
Good beers at the Brew Dog but few are as good as the price demands. I think the 1/3 pinto Dog M I bought would have been £17/pint!!
Last time I was in Newcastle I had a great steak pie here at The Bridge Hotel so when I realized I had come across it I was salivating. New owner no longer serves food. At least the chat with a few young guys in their 60’s was good.
My favorite Newcastle Story: Last time I was here I stayed in the hotel next to this pub. It’s now an EasyHotel and still nice. So as I approached the group standing outside I realized they were from Texas. I asked if they were part of a queue. “What’s a q?” said one with a perfect drawl. A line to enter a venue I replied. Na, we’re waiting for the guy who went in to check it out. As he came out he’s was shaking his head negatively so I asked, emphasizing my Masshole accent to the max what was wrong? “Full of locals!” he replied giving this Yank a quizzical look. I’m processing 10 people from Texas not happy with locals in the oldest pub in a northern England city. But I can be pretty quick sometime so I responded “You guys are in luck. 2 blocks down the road and a couple blocks up the street on the right you’ll find the ‘American Bar’! It’s great. They thanked me and hustled off. I was laughing to myself as I walked in to which the bartender asked ‘What’s so funny’ Then eye-rolled when she heard my accent. Another American she was thinking. I explained by gag, there is no American Bar in Newcastle-by-the-Tyne that I know of. I had made it up. She said ‘ so those people won’t be coming into the pub?’ ‘Only to kick my ass when then find out a Yank played them’ I responded. The first pint was on the house.
It’s a very nice pub
Scotland!! I begin in Ayr
Some of the buildings that Wetherspoons are housed in are very nice and it’s always a hike to the loo. Here it’s above & behind where the organ would have been.
A pint, a slice of haggis & a slice of black pudding for about £3.19 makes a nice tea.
Old, very old with a leaking roof. There are only a few people who thatch roofs anymore and the waiting list is long. Listed buildings can’t just go with asphalt shingles you know
Awesome local musicians. Worth the trip by itself. I’ve posted a dozen videos of nights there on my YouTube channel and a couple on this website
I don’t think the regulars appreciate that the pub doesn’t clean the beer lines. The pint (I broke my own rule) was so bitter I left it and went out for a cigarette (I don’t smoke them) and went to the Anchor next door. A bloke came in and saw me and pointed out I had left a beer on the bar. I told him I forgot and he soon left. Betting he enjoyed his free pint of sour beer lol
Pepper sauce on the haggis
Ray is a hotel manager enjoying his afternoon and evening off. We had a long conversation that we resumed in the Twa Dugs later.
Next is Glasgow. With this very popular pub based on the crowds
Due to the shape of the bar, which gives this pub it’s name, it is apparently the longest bar in the UK, maybe Europe
I met Ciaran Harper Mcelhinney last trip and we stayed in touch. Here I got to buy him, his new wife Emma and another couple wedding drinks
One of if not the oldest pub in Glasgow and very enjoyable with great decorations!
The Hootenanny beer garden
Good local music
Karaoke is this club’s thing. The outside seating allows one to not sweat with the crowds or go deaf. A few good pubs in this corner of the city within a couple hundred steps of each other and the 2 hotels I recently stayed at
The karaoke is better here but no outdoor seating
Next to a subway station, near the botanic gardens and a good place to start a subway pub crawl. Which began here
I then moved on to Falkirk to ride the wheel. No pubs near the hotel but if I added the cost of my hotel, a taxi to the rails station, a trip to Edinburgh and back I probably saved over 100 quid/night.
Coming down from the National Museum of Scotland’s roof top terrace, which offers some of the best views of the city, I realized I’d never sat for a drink here. Watching all the punters posing for photos touching the wee dug’s nose was amusing
Half Hung Maggie
The last drop before being hung or the drop that hung the convict?
Getting a seat outside on a sunny day in August in Grassmarket is pure pleasure as was the pint of Belhaven Lager! Didn’t know the beer I use to pour from a keg in my living room, came in a lager. Excellent, Smithers.
Most of the tourists are up by the castle. This was once where Edinburgh ended.
Darkest bar ever. Thought I had shades on when I entered
I
I caught her show at the Fringe at the above bar. Excellent!
How could I skip an advert like this?
Nickname in college, still used by some without the whistle part
Perth
Good banter like last time
But the conversations here were among the best of this trip
Too dark.
Nice inside & out
My friend Kyle and his lovely partner Emma. So good to hook up with him again and meet her. lots of great banter and laughing went on in many pubs. And in each one Emma had to show ID. She’s 28! lucky woman who will most likely always look young at any age . Balding Kyle on the other hand….
Now it’s Dundee.
I met Kyle & Connor here a few years back and we’ve stayed in touch. I think I’m older than the 2 of them added together
Another classic old pub
A long walk from the Sleeperz hotel but worth it for atmosphere and banter
A
A used record shop converted into a cool bar
One of the best for age and conversation if the city
For those pendejos who don’t understand
My dapper friend Connor who, when he picked up a microphone in a karaoke bar, was very good.
Jordan, Martin & I had a great bit of banter
Next to hotel so easy breakfast and cheap pints under cover in afternoon
These two are next to each other down an alleyway
I liked the outside seating area and had some nice conversations multiple times.
I can buy beer at home but not the craic.
{ 0 comments… add one now }