March 2025. Iaşi. Romania. Let’s get the culture out of the way quickly, so you philistines can read about pubs* next up. I have to get my culture in where I find it; when you join CAMRA-approved “Pub Research Trip” (ugh) you have to sign a contract agreeing not to nip off to visit Art… Continue reading IASI – ROMANIA’S CULTURAL CAPITAL
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WELCOME TO IASI
March 2025. Iași. Romania. Mrs RM will probably produce one mega post on Iaşi; expect it in October (2026). My attention span aged 60 is now so low I can only blog in chunks of 10 pics and 300 words, i.e. lots of 2 minute posts you can read while downing your pint of Doom… Continue reading WELCOME TO IASI
The importance of the “comma below” in Iași
March 2025. Iași. Romania. A 4:30 am alarm in the Mid Stay at Luton Airport, a quick fry-up of last night’s curry, and then we left the campervan in the safe hands of Alfie, Dave and co. It’s only a 10 minute stroll to the terminal, which makes Luton Mid Stay better than some short… Continue reading The importance of the “comma below” in Iași
3 HOURS IN HITCHIN – RAJ DOUTH AND UNLIMITED FLAT WHITES
March 2025. Hitchin. Mrs RM’s quest to visit all the countries in Europe (she such a ticker) reaches a pause, if not a conclusion, in Moldova. For now, Belarus seems A Bad Idea, if only because of the rumoured lack of Bass. Luton Airport is home to Wizz Air, budget airline to all of Eastern… Continue reading 3 HOURS IN HITCHIN – RAJ DOUTH AND UNLIMITED FLAT WHITES
THE ABBOT IN CODICOTE’S GOAT IS THE “BEER OF THE GODS”
March 2025. Codicote. Hertfordshire. We’re just back from Luton (Airport, oo-ee-oo), with quite a tale to tell, but before posts on Russian theme pubs and MoldovanTomato Gose, one last GBG tick in dear old England. Time for a pint before an early flight, sadly not in luscious Luton itself, but in a village that’s eluded… Continue reading THE ABBOT IN CODICOTE’S GOAT IS THE “BEER OF THE GODS”
NORTH WESTWARD HO !
March 2025. Manchester. Son Matt just messaged me asking for a smart pub recommendation in Hebden Bridge for Emma’s family. I was tempted to say “Fox & Goose”, but we’re all getting on OK and I don’t want to ruin that, so Old Gate or Vocation then. A week ago he was looking at a… Continue reading NORTH WESTWARD HO !
THE INEVITABLE TIM TAYLOR LANDLORD, EVEN IN LOUGHBOROUGH
March 2025. Loughborough. One cask pump is plenty, often more than enough, but sometimes five (5) pubs isn’t enough, and a sixth was demanded. Always best pick one you’ve never heard of, lest folk on Discourse accuse you of only going to the “best” pubs to keep your NBSS averages up. The Blacksmiths doesn’t look… Continue reading THE INEVITABLE TIM TAYLOR LANDLORD, EVEN IN LOUGHBOROUGH
A WORKINGMAN’S BASS AT LOUGHBOROUGH’S PEACOCK
March 2025. Loughborough. Despite his looks Quinno is actually younger than I am, so doesn’t remember those magical times when the Good Beer Guide described entries as ” basic town pub”, “rough pub, women tolerated” and “workingman’s pub”, which was all the description you needed in 1975, in an age before street art. I don’t… Continue reading A WORKINGMAN’S BASS AT LOUGHBOROUGH’S PEACOCK
BACK TO 1995 AT THE BLUE MONKEY
March 2025. Loughborough. I’ve rather lost faith in the little Blue Monkey’s little chain of East Midlands pubs since some disappointing cask in Nottingham and Newark, but they cling on to hard-won GBG places in Loughborough, where the Organ Grinder has just won “Traditional” Pub of the Year, which tells you a lot. I guess… Continue reading BACK TO 1995 AT THE BLUE MONKEY
A WHIGFIELD REVELATION IN THE SWAN IN THE RUSHES
March 2025. Loughborough. A day without plans in an unsung Leicestershire town, bar a Spoons breakfast and “culture”; makes a change from a CAMRA-approved “pub research trip” with strict timings and no time to nip in the nearest museum or Brew Dog or pause to take photos of dead pubs. The only “must” on my… Continue reading A WHIGFIELD REVELATION IN THE SWAN IN THE RUSHES
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