Our first official pub crawl was Tuesday (4/20) and was I ever excited. There are approximately 1 million pubs in downtown London, so it is hard to pick and choose with so many options. Peter had a plan though and the schedule proceeded in this order:
Ye Old Cock Tavern
Didn't get to stay long. But very old and lots of famous people drank here, including Charles Dickens.
Cheshire Cheese
Drink 1: I consumed a giant bottle of Samuel Johnson hard apple cider
There is still sawdust on the floors from the 16th century! It was used so the tobacco the gentlemen would spit out could be swept out of the building much more easily. Classy guys. There are so many levels to this pub but the majority of the group was content in the basement sipping away at our drinks
Chugging at the Cheshire
The Cartoonist
Drink 2: I had a nice glass of pinot grigio
Quite possibly my favorite pub on the crawl. The walls are covered in cartoons from cartoonists who used to and still frequent the establishment. Some were quite racy and we had a good laugh at the randy bear comics downstairs.
Crude yet hilarious
Blackfriars
Drink 3: Strongbow hard apple cider
Peter's favorite pub. It was "beautified" by the Victorians into their concept of what medieval architecture should look like. They failed miserably
The inside of this pub is divine though, marble everywhere decorated with merry monks and friars. Also, in a little nook, a bunch of Aesop 's Fables on the ceiling, nothing better than drinking with all these tales of morality swirling around your head
The Anchor
Drink 4: Half a pint of Stella Artois
The Anchor is right on the Thames and it was very touristy. But I liked the whole sailor feel that was going on and I didn't hesitate swiping some chips from a friend's platter of appetizers.
The George
Drink 5: Split a pint of Carling with Laura
Last pub of the evening and what a marvelous place to end. Back in the day, The George is where all the carriages would depart for long journeys and this is the location the pilgrims meet up at in the beginning of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. As I watched in horror/admiration as Michael, Nick and Eric downed glasses of boilermakers, I realized what a successful crawl this had been. Our class gets along famously and aside from the skipping, singing and lack of coordination in walking as a group, we didn't act too idiotic.
During this pub crawl I realized I had become insanely jealous of native Brits. Not only do they have all these incredible establishments at their disposal but they are drinking establishments that are historical and forever preserved! A drinking culture will always thrive in this city because each of these pubs offers rich and fascinating histories. There is nothing like them in the states, and I am seriously depressed by that. Oh well, enjoy the time I have I suppose!
p.s. The title quote is from Michael after our fourth pub. And it is actually true
A prefect retort from a Latin student:
ReplyDeleteabsentem laedit cum ebrio qui litigat
To quarrel with a drunk is to wrong a man who is not even there