I just read that the thing most appreciated by sodden UK blog readers is reports from exclusive European Ski resorts. Happy to oblige. Actually, there is some footage of my first and last ski lesson, taken by a 15 year old who will never reach 16 if it sees the light of day on his his Instagram.… Continue reading POLISH BOTTLED BEERS, SKIING TEARS
MY TOP 10 PUB PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
Enough of Poland for a while; I’m desperate to be back in England ticking GBG pubs again, and a few old favourites in Stockport over New Year. Talking of which, Stockport’s finest #PubMan has just published his own best of 2016 here. Pub Curmudgeon’s favourite shot, taken in the Hare & Hounds captures many of… Continue reading MY TOP 10 PUB PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
UNDERGROUND IN KATOWICE
Katowice is a big Polish city, perhaps the equivalent of Nottingham in influence, but Middlesbrough in looks. Sadly I didn’t get enough time to compare the emerging micropub scenes. In fact the only beer I saw in Katowice was in a couple of first-rate museums, an area where the city excels, along with modern architecture.… Continue reading UNDERGROUND IN KATOWICE
A NIGHT ON THE TOWN IN MIKOLOW
Our young Polish host had been reticent about a tour of the dumpy male pubs of Laviska Gorne, but jumped at the chance to take us round student Mikolow a couple of miles away. She’d last done the pubs while at college here in the late ’90s, and was keen to see an apparent transformation in… Continue reading A NIGHT ON THE TOWN IN MIKOLOW
IMPERSONATING BRAPA IN POLAND
Our first base in Poland was one of the more unremarkable small towns I’ve stayed in. My teenage son, who’d been before, was adamant* I wouldn’t find anything to write about, and it looked that way when we arrived. I’ve been to Farnworth on a wet Friday in February (the Britannia, Bombardier NBSS 1), and Laviska… Continue reading IMPERSONATING BRAPA IN POLAND
POLAND – GREAT PUB TOILETS
PARENTAL ADVISORY – CONTAINS TOILETS I’m told that Christmas Eve dinners in Poland take longer than Indian weddings, so I’m getting in today’s post early, just in case there’s no tomorrow. At this time of the year, other blogs bring you the “best beers”, “best blogs” and “best pub cats“. No doubt Simon will bring… Continue reading POLAND – GREAT PUB TOILETS
KRAKOW CRAFT INVASION
Krakow was always going to be the highlight of our Polish trip, unless I break my blogging hand skiing or discover the perfect black pudding. Actually, the second of those has happened in Gorne, a culinary voyage of discovery to match the curry and chips near the Etihad. Apart from Krakow’s reputation as an undiscovered Prague, I’d… Continue reading KRAKOW CRAFT INVASION
CRAFT LIFE IN A POLISH VILLAGE
Greetings from Laviska Gorne, centre of the WiFi free world. I knew you’d want to see my birthday presents, which look rather similar to Mrs RMs, oddly enough. Beer from the bottom of a Polish coal mine; report to follow. Possible craft tonight in the next town, but Laviska itself is a modern place of… Continue reading CRAFT LIFE IN A POLISH VILLAGE
GORLITZ
We’re in Poland with some friends from our Cambridgeshire village, staying at their flat near Katowice, which sounds very middle class. Other folk flew, missing out on tram/hat-Gate in Krakow, and a great border town in Gorlitz. Timing it just right, or wrong, we missed their Christmas markets by a day, but the old town… Continue reading GORLITZ
LEIPZIG – TOP ARCHITECTURE, HIDDEN BOOZERS
Once past Braunschweig the German roads became a bit bumpier, and service stations/McDonalds a lot less frequent. Combined with a loss of internet, this produced the sort of search for fuel fun that you really don’t want in freezing fog. Mrs RM and I had always wanted to visit Leipzig. A city with a league-topping… Continue reading LEIPZIG – TOP ARCHITECTURE, HIDDEN BOOZERS
