More local tourism for you, as I again head outside the comfort zone of my home county, and explore posh Essex. Saffron Walden is SO posh that BRAPA had to leave after disgracing himself at the local primary school in 1984 (see below). Here’s where Simon used to keep his collection of Beer Guides in… Continue reading A WALTZ ROUND THE WALDEN
A HOVE TREASURE TROVE
Notice anything striking about today’s featured programme ? No, not the match ball sponsored by Tamplin’s (who ?). Or the cutting-edge murk from Watney’s on sale in the ground. Or the Brickwoods logo which looks awfully familiar. No, it’s our old friend, JE Cooke (Christian names weren’t invented till the Beatles), late of my… Continue reading A HOVE TREASURE TROVE
ELY – WAITING FOR THE BOATS TO GO OUT
Yes, just some pictures of baby ducks in Ely for you. You get the pubs re-opened, I’ll visit them for you. Look how much of Page 123 of the Navigator I’ve done. Perhaps I should start swimming the rivers and colour those in. I popped in to Ely to make sure my parents didn’t fall… Continue reading ELY – WAITING FOR THE BOATS TO GO OUT
KETTERING’S FADED GLORIES
Thousands of years in the future, artificial life forms will read this blog* and wonder; Why folk were queuing to buy trowels from Wilko and take cash out of Halifax ? and, Why a renowned pub blogger had driven 47 miles to to take photos of an unheralded Northamptonshire town with everything closed. I’m… Continue reading KETTERING’S FADED GLORIES
1985 – A TITANIC YEAR FOR THE VALE
Back to the programmes, and back to the Potteries. Why would you ever leave the Potteries ?, except to cycle to Burton-on-Trent. This 1-1 draw in a proper English ground was a grim finale to the 94-95 season but at least I got to stand for a tenner. You can’t do that anymore. The highlight… Continue reading 1985 – A TITANIC YEAR FOR THE VALE
DORTMUND DAWDLING
One last post from Germany 2015, and then I’ve got my entire photo collection on the internet where it will be safe FOREVER. We flew to and from Dortmund with Ryanair for £19.99. You can walk from the airport to the local railway station and travel anywhere in the region for about £30 for a… Continue reading DORTMUND DAWDLING
A DOUBLE IN DUSSELDORF
More German holiday pics from 2015 to make Dick and Dave jealous. Having found a little stash of photos from that German trip with James I might as well press on while I can still remember any of it. I was using the Good Beer Guide to Germany back then; in a BRAPA-style fit… Continue reading A DOUBLE IN DUSSELDORF
DREAMING OF DUISBURG
Waterbeach is back to its cosmopolitan best. We can have takeaways from the Italian run pub, the Chinese chippy, the English pub, the Turkish kebab van, the Bangladeshi curry house, and finally the Cantonese takeaway. And this morning Boswell (no relation to James) the Baker had apple strudel served by the delightful German lady who… Continue reading DREAMING OF DUISBURG
DOM KOLSCH
The only way to follow Oldham is, of course, Cologne. To assist those of you who didn’t get a “B” in Geography “O” Level, I’ve shown Cologne in relation to England. Well, Dover, anyway. You’re here because I’ve found my small stash of foreign programmes that Steve Earl used to sell 5 for a… Continue reading DOM KOLSCH
OLDHAM AND THE SHEWEE
No, it’s not a 1980s BBC drama starring Patricia Hodge set in a Lancashire mill town. It’s the answer to today’s crisis. How will we go for a wee when (if) the pubs re-open ? As always, Stafford Paul is on the money. Sit-down toilets are a health hazard; it’s urinals or nothing from now… Continue reading OLDHAM AND THE SHEWEE
retiredmartin 