MORE YE OLDE DUMFRIES

 

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My notes don’t record a lunch stop, so I fear we just ate crisps (whether plain cheese or something less exotic) in Dumfries that afternoon.  It may account for later grumpiness.

These posts are compiled by me uploading photos and going “aha” (not the Norwegian one), but the one below took a while to figure out.

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It was here in Tracy’s in 1995 that I had a Scottish haircut, memorable only because the £4 I was charged was a quid more than the locals were being taken for.  Perhaps they had Wetherspoons vouchers. Clearly nothing has changed in the styling in 23 years, except my own flowing locks.

We pressed on, noting that the best looking pubs were the ones not in the Guide. This one had Fosters for £2.20, which is cheaper than the Rifle Drum.

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Nothing much has changed in Dumfries in decades, by the look of it.  I’ve no idea what these bottles are, though Mrs RM was taken by the Penny Blue.

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Outside the Tam O’ Shanter, classic pub No.2, we attracted our first “helpful local”.

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“You’ll be wanting to see the statue of Robbie Burns”

I’d seen it. You can’t miss it.

“Is that the one with a pigeon on his head ?”

“Oh, no, a pigeon wouldn’t do that“. Cue extravagant directions for a statue approximately 50 yards away.

We ducked into the Tam O’Shanter, a real boozer. Broughton beers, tracksuits, bored dogs, crutches.  What more could you want.

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But with elbows at the bar, and blokes round the walls, Mrs RM shot off into the pool room to look for power sockets.

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Look closely and you’ll see a painting of Robbie Burns in the style of Che Guevara.

I think the search for sockets must have been fruitless, as even more crisps couldn’t cheer Mrs RM up.  What do women want if not warm brown beers ?

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

15 thoughts on “MORE YE OLDE DUMFRIES”

  1. Fosters cheaper than the Rifle Drum but that’ll be because it’s not a pub of such character.
    From a distance that painting of Robbie Burns looks to be in the style of Elvis Presley, probably recognising that Elvis’s only visit to Britain was to Scotland.

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  2. Just to head off Russ at the pass you might want to copy check for a couple of typos.
    Although I sometimes think you leave them in to keep him on his Edgars.

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    1. Russ will be upset you beat him to them. I knocked that one out, at it were, in 20 minutes before heading out for banked Bass in Stockton. A good excuse if you ask me.

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  4. ““Oh, no, a pigeon wouldn’t do that“.” –Such a delightful exchange; very glad you captured it.

    I think I would go through more strain trying to pronounce “Hole I’ The Wa'” properly than simply saying the words hole in the wall. 😉

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  5. ““Oh, no, a pigeon wouldn’t do that“. ”

    Thanks. That reminds me have to give the bonnet of the car a quick wash. Pigeons did indeed do that on it earlier today. 🙂

    “Mrs RM shot off into the pool room to look for power sockets.”

    I take it they have the same type of sockets in Scotland. 😉

    “Look closely and you’ll see a painting of Robbie Burns in the style of Che Guevara.”

    Or Che Guevara in the style of Robbie Burns. 🙂

    “What do women want if not warm brown beers ?”

    If you can figure that one out either 1) let me know or 2) go make a killing in marketing. 🙂

    Cheers

    PS – “those Mrs RM was taken”

    Though dear boy, not those.

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