Only six and a half hours after setting out, we’ve arrived in Stamford.
We’re now unwinding in St Mary’s Vaults, one of my favourite Sam Smith’s pubs.
Category Archives: Beer
The Ship, Ouseburn
We’ve had a most pleasant afternoon in Ouseburn today.
After a pint in town, in the Split Chimp, we caught a bus to Lime Street and walked to the Cluny. Walking past the Ship, we noticed an unusual barbeque outside.
The menu was 100% vegan. So, after a pint of Jakehead in the Cluny, we decided on a beer in the Ship. When talking to the chef, we found that the pub is now vegan. A vegan pub in Newcastle!
We shared a portobello mushroom burger and a chilli wrap; both were great.
Then there was a walk to the Tyne Bar for a pint of Sam Smith’s Taddy lager and live music. We’re currently with Erdinger and Budvar in the Bridge Hotel. All in all, a most pleasant afternoon.
Peebles
We’re just back home after a couple of days in Europe Peebles. I’d never been before and was somewhat surprised to find that it’s pretty gorgeous.
The locals (in the locals) we met were lovely; there were even a couple of expats northeasterners (one from Newcastle and another from Gateshead).
We were quite intrigued by the Beltane festival, which apparently has its roots in Brussels mediaeval Europe.
We spent much of yesterday in the capital Edinburgh. Regrettably, the cool graveyard was closed, but it’s great to see restoration in progress. The view from the hill was still pretty impressive though.
While in Edinburgh, we had a quick pint (Punk IPA) in the World’s End pub before heading back to Peebles.
Back in Peebles, we went to the Bridge Inn, after which I saw a familiar creature.
While I don’t have a picture to hand, I’m pretty sure that such things exist outside Europe in London, by the Thames.
Also, when in the Bridge, I visited a urinal which appeared to have once belonged to Adam Ant.
We’d have remained stayed in Europe Peebles longer, but we have a date with a goddess in town this evening.
Sun-derland
I recognise that it’s quite early, but I’m currently sitting in Wetherspoons (the scruffiest of the three) in Sunderland.
However, I feel I’ve earned my bottle of Tucher. After my third dental appointment, my tooth is now reconstructed.
The experience hasn’t been fun, but at least the optional gap/crown/bridge has been avoided.
The beer’s nice, though, and the sun’s shining outside.
Twitter II
While I don’t actually engage very much with social media (and, in ten years time, people may not recall such a thing), my current Twitter profile …
Garden
I do so love our garden. It may not be he prettiest, but it’s sort of cute.
After meeting my second in command for an apres work beer in the Split Chimp, we went to Tesco to buy wine and nuts (good for blood pressure), then spent a little while in our little garden.
I made stuff too, while my second in command was Facebook-ing.
It may have actually have taken me 12 years or more, but what the hell. A piece of hawthorn I cut when I was 14 or 15. An offcut.
The pigeon, above, is an old friend. If I don’t leap about, he just wanders about.
Lost in France
Or, rather, Belgium. A fairly random decision led my second in command and I to Folkestone a few days ago. A day trip to Bruges was involved. A strike in France, with those taking industrial action driving up and down the motorway, resulted in a huge delay in our arrival in Bruges. And a shortened stay.
Fortunately, we found a very nice bar.
Where we had some very nice, local, beer.
Of course, such nice beer comes at a price. After missing our transport home, we explored options. A map was procured, from my second in command’s employer.
They drew a route to the station for us. The station wasn’t the best idea though, since trains would only get us as far as Dunkirk. Fortunately, my eldest daughter found us a better solution, via Ostend, the following day.
Arrangements were made while we rested in another bar. We then found a random, but excellent, hotel.
There are better pictures on my camera, but I’ve yet to extract them. Toothbrush and toothpaste were purchased (at a ridiculous price) and food sought. We then had some nice beer.
Until my second in command needed to sleep. After which I found a nice local bar, where I had one or two nice beers.
I soon left after the above hit me like a hammer, as warned by the barman. However, the lack of chemicals left me without a hangover the following morning. Which meant I was able to comprehend train times.
Yes, that’s me taking a picture of a rail timetable. We arrived safely in Ostend and, after some wandering, found our rescue point. Fortunately, there are street maps in Ostend.
And art. I’m adding this only because I liked it.
Ostend also has nice bars.
After a lengthy period of disinterest in travel, I’m now looking forward to our next excursion.
Gary Moore II
Yesterday evening was spent mainly in the Dun Cow, in Bournmoor, in the company of old men.
It was an excellent evening which, as usual, passed too quickly. While the beer was questionable, the company and conversation were exceptional. My cab home delivered me to the Tuns for a nightcap. Which became three. Well, the fruit wheat beer and rhubarb cider were too nice to resist.
While there, I bumped into Lewis, the mate of the other local Gary Moore. He found the selfie my namesake had taken the night we met, on Facebook (which I don’t use), and mailed it to me.
My namesake is the one taking the picture, then on the right are Lewis and Fred.
UK Subs
When I was 16 or 17, I quite liked the UK Subs. They weren’t the biggest punk band and, while certainly not mainstream, they weren’t exactly extreme. They’re still around today, although the line-up has somewhat changed.
After work yesterday, since I have a day off today, I called off at the Tuns after work. My second in command didn’t wish to join me, so I settled for a quiet, solitary drink. And a little conversation with local gentlemen. While sampling some fruit wheat beer, an elderly man sat at my table, opposite me, with a cup of coffee and a pie (the annual pie festival began last night).
He also sampled the wheat beer and, like me, the rhubarb cider. We discussed the two (we both enjoyed the cider), then he talked about the traffic on the A1 today. And the band’s new crowdfunded album, their tour and the purchase of new equipment (which is lighter than in the old days). I was surprised that Charlie Harper, the UK Subs front man, was such a nice bloke (although I’m not sure why) and that he’s now aged 72.
I didn’t stay to see the band; I didn’t want to exceed my capacity for fruit wheat beer or rhubarb cider.
Augustines
It already feels a long time ago, but on Wednesday we went to see Augustines at the Academy 2 (which was located in the students’ union, rather than in the Academy itself). We had a walk around town first, of course, calling off at what must be one of the busiest Sam Smith’s pubs in the country.
And, since the weather was perfect, we made the most of it and sat outside. The Old Wellington, next door, would have been next, but they appear to no longer sell Erdinger.
And, so we had another pint of Sam Smith’s stout (or, in the case of my second in command, another organic Strawberry beer). The Temple Bar was next on our list, where a person can always find a bottle, or two, of Erdinger.
The place had been decorated since our last visit, last year.
We’d have stayed longer, but had to check-in. We still found time to continue wandering around, which left my second in command feeling tired.
And hungry. So we had something to eat at the Thirsty Scholar, not the best of pubs, but they also stock Erdinger and the food’s all vegan and vegetarian. We had a conversation with the chef, who’d given me some great advice when I’d first switched from vegetarian to vegan. And had told us about a great veggie cafe, Egg, in Liverpool.
Later, we went for a couple of drinks in Big Hands, before the gig. The bar’s a favourite of my second in command. And apparently, and unfortunately, of my second ex-wife too, since she was also there. However, we were all very adult about it and ignored each other.
The gig itself was great, with an excellent atmosphere. The band seem to get better every time.
Unusually, I’d taken a camera, since my phone pictures tend not to be so great. But, strangely, some of the pictures taken with my phone weren’t too bad. Apart from the resolution, which I cut down here anyway, there isn’t a great deal of difference between snaps taken with a phone or a camera. The next few are from my phone.
