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: writing
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
PEAKS AND PIES AND PINTS
March 2026. Sheffield and the Peak. Last weekend we “hosted” (ugh) Meighan and Dave from Chicago during their whirlwind tour of Europe. I have never seen Mrs RM go into such a cleaning frenzy, which sadly extended to getting me to mow the lawn. What happened to the wild garden craze ? I knew nothing… Continue reading PEAKS AND PIES AND PINTS
AIN’T HULL LOVELY ?
February 2026. Hull. Mrs RM was away in Rome with mystery chum, leaving me to fend for myself in Sheffield. Middle age (59 to 99) is supposed to see you settle down to home comforts, isn’t it ? But by Sunday lunchtime I was itching to get out. Half an hour walk down to Sheffield… Continue reading AIN’T HULL LOVELY ?
TO BE FRANK, TIMPERLEY IS A CURATE’S EGG
February 2026. Timperley. Greater Manchester. On Saturday I dropped Mrs RM off at Manchester Airport after an exciting trip through Wynatt’s Pass and less absorbing trek along the A555, which let me tell you in no A57. Mrs RM was off on another planet-killing trip with a very famous pub blogger, but it wasn’t me… Continue reading TO BE FRANK, TIMPERLEY IS A CURATE’S EGG
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
A HOLT IN WEST DIDSBURY
February 2026. West Didsbury. I left Matt back at Piccadilly, no doubt to attend to housework, and added a rare Greater Manchester GBG newbie before City v Fulham. This year’s Manc ticking has been a bit of a slog, with brewery taps in Wigan and Timperley only opening weekends, craft bars not opening at all,… Continue reading A HOLT IN WEST DIDSBURY
JOINING THE DOTS IN TURIN
February 2026. Turin. And finally from Turin, a redemptive afternoon exploring the western half of the city, a half almost entirely ignored by the internet. ChatGPT had summarised the internet and listed ten (10) highlights, somehow omitting the indoor markets, both the historic fresh food hall visited by Pope John Paul, and a modern food… Continue reading JOINING THE DOTS IN TURIN
“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
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