March 2026. Bonn. Germany. More highlights from our half day in Bonn, which seems to have stolen the Pied Piper from Hamelin for its pedestrian crossing. Apart from schnitzel and a beer, the essential activity in Bonn is a visit to Haus der Geschichte Bonn, 10 minutes south of the station by tram or underground… Continue reading Nicole in front of a washing machine, Bonn
Tag: europe
I❤️WuBÄRtal
March 2026. Wuppertal. Germany. Only three (3) nights in Cologne with the boys, but so much to explore in North Rhine-Westphalia, which kindly lets a group of five of you travel round the state all day for 59,80 euros. We’d had a big argument family planning meeting that first lunchtime in Gaffel and decided to… Continue reading I❤️WuBÄRtal
Brauhaus Gaffel am Dom
March 2026. Cologne. Germany. A short family holiday in Cologne, the first since New York in 2019, a year before Donald J Trump was unceremoniously booted out of office. And a year before the pandemic briefly made pubs insignificant. In 2022 we met up with a former Pub Man of the Year and her husband… Continue reading Brauhaus Gaffel am Dom
THURSDAY IS THE NEW FRIDAY
February 2026. London. From Charlton the train takes you back over the Thames, then stops abruptly at Cannon Street. It’s a quarter to six in the City of London; let’s have a look. Not many suits or bowler hats or folded copies of the Financial Times, but young workers pack the pubs. Plenty of pubs,… Continue reading THURSDAY IS THE NEW FRIDAY
RETIRED MARTIN MEETS ROCKIN’ RICH
February 2026. Sheffield. One of the best things about retirement, and goodness knows it’s been epic, has been getting to meet nice people over a pint in comfy pubs. And so it was that I finally met one of the many nice guys from Yorkshire, Rockin Rich(ard) Clark from Harrogate. He’d been trying to arrange… Continue reading RETIRED MARTIN MEETS ROCKIN’ RICH
LETCHWORTH’S FIRST PUB
February 2026. Letchworth Garden City. Not a great day to explore Letchworth on foot, and apart from pubs and “Marty Supreme” at the cinema there’s not a lot to do apart from loiter in pubs, but you can’t visit and not see the old underwear factory. It’s now offices where people sit at desks and… Continue reading LETCHWORTH’S FIRST PUB
MORE SHEFFIELD MICROS BY TRAM. THE PIG & WHISTLE, GLEADLESS
February 2026. Gleadless Townend. Sheffield. I suppose it’s best to accept the inevitable…in 2026 we’re just not going to get any new Victoria/Edwardian multi-room heritage pubs. But there’s an infinite number of one room shop conversion micros to be developed in otherwise underpubbed suburbs. No more so than in South Yorkshire, where recent years have… Continue reading MORE SHEFFIELD MICROS BY TRAM. THE PIG & WHISTLE, GLEADLESS
“McDonalds finally found us, and we’re folklore in Turin”
February 2026. Turin. We woke up on that first morning in Turin feeling a bit like this; I felt sorry (not sorry) for Mrs RM, who had gone pint, pint, half litre of white wine, pint of Leffe. Luckily I Reali Bed & (sort of) Breakfast had a coffee machine, but even after five espressos… Continue reading “McDonalds finally found us, and we’re folklore in Turin”
TURIN – SHROUDED IN MYSTERY
February 2026. Turin. In 1985 the New Musical Express gave a legendary review of The Jesus & Mary Chain, berating them for no longer having the energy to play the twenty minute sets, slipping into the “rockism” of hour long shows with encores. Similarly with blogging, it’s harder (for me, anyway) to write concise posts… Continue reading TURIN – SHROUDED IN MYSTERY
A PINT IN MONACO OLD TOWN
February 2026. Monaco. One night in Monaco, as Murray Head nearly sang; one day is plenty, but not more than enough. I really enjoyed the principality, but you can walk from shops to casinos to the Old Town in half an hour, though you’ll appreciate those evcr-present free elevators on the walk back. We left… Continue reading A PINT IN MONACO OLD TOWN
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