Great Beer, Good Service, No Need To Tip ! Feeling Fine In Mornin...

Two pints and you will feel fine in the mornin… Here in the Uk a pint of beer is 20 U.S. ounces filled to top at a current exchange price of $3.75 with no expectation to tip. I stick to the Real Ales. Straight from a cask and hand pumped into a glass void of the excessive demon C02 which I am convinced is a major element in causing the dreaded hangover. Two pints of real ale and I experience no ill affect whatsoever. I've even experimented with drinking a pint for lunch and hiking 10 miles afterwords with no repercussions. Actually, I think a pint of real ale enhances hiking performance. Back in the states if I have one 12 ounce bottle of fizzy lager I’m well on my way to un-productivity. A couple of more and I’m a slug. More than 3 and I’ll feel like crap the next day. Three pints of real ale and I feel fine the following day. Not to mention that Real Ale tastes far better than just about anything your going to find in America. Notice I said America. That includes Central and South as well....

American beer is expensive. First of all a pint in the USA is closer to 14 ounces and there’s likely to be a layer of foam on top so your actually getting around 12 ounces. Last night I saw lady pour a beer like an American bar tender. There must have been a half inch of foam on top. She no sooner put it out in front of the customer that he commented, “Almost full”… She quickly took it back and filled it to the top. A decent American micro brew will run you a minimum of $4 for a poorly poured 12 ounce pint. To add insult to injury a $1 tip is pretty much the standard. So, it’s five or six dollars for a beer that will probably make you feel lousy the next morning if more than three are consumed…. What kind of value is that ????

One of the things I really like about the Pubs in the UK is that tipping is not expected. Your welcome to leave a little change at the bar if you want but it’s not necessary. If you order food from the bar you don’t have to tip. The only time you tip is if you sit down at a restaurant for dinner. That’s where a 10% gratuity is customary. Overall, service is good despite not having a tip custom. There won’t be anyone checking on you every five minutes to see if you need anything but you will be well taken care of most all of the time.
Imagine if the States had a pub that served Real Cask Ales along with good hearty food and tipping was not expected…. I wonder how that would go over ?.... Has it ever been done ? Just a thought……

On The Pembrokeshire Coast Path - Pub Vibe

It’s a brisk and windy morning in the Welsh fishing village of Fishguard. For the past eleven days I’ve been walking along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path of Wales. It weaves its way along 200 miles of spectacular coastline passing through beaches and villages along the way. Most of the trail is atop coastline cliffs with wide open views but it’s imperative that one watch each step closely. In many places just a step or two off the wrong direction will send a walker over the edge and into the sea….

For the first 9 days I had the good company of fellow Camino de Santiago walker Debs. We met on the way to Finistere, Spain last Fall. Since she lives in England it was convenient for her to join me. While walking with Deb we took advantage of favorable weather and utilized the enitirety of everyday to stop at a village pub and/or beach for a leisurely break. It wasn't uncommon to find us at a pub in the evening before walking up the path a bit, right before dark, to find somewhere to camp. Given the regularity of villages it would be easy to stay in B&B’s, Hostels, or Camping Barns every night but for a budget traveler camping is the way to go.

Aside of the beautiful scenery and friendly Welsh people, pubs are equally a highlight. Every village has at least one pub which is almost always the center of social activity. In a odd way every pub is different and every pub has a vibe. For the first night Deb and I camped near Tenby. It’s a fairly large place with several pubs. We visited all of them. Some are modern while others are old and what locals refer to as proper. The first pub we visited was old and proper with a good vibe. We then visited a couple of others but as soon as we walked in we walked out. Not the right vibe. We found one pub that boasted to be friendly and warm so we decided to give it a chance. After one drink we found it to be quite the contrary. Although we did have a beer we wished we hadn't. Bad pub vibe. After that we went back to the pub where we originally started our tour and had dinner. Often times when there is more than one Pub to choose from it’s best to go with your initial instinct…... All in all most pubs are good and the staff quite friendly but all pubs have their own unique character and characters….. One of the best Pubs Debs and I visited was the Point House at Angle Point. It’s around 400 years old and the fireplace has allegedly been lit for over 300 years. Warm, friendly, and proper with the best curry fish chowder I’ve ever had….

Well, today I’ll walk a relatively short 11 miles to the village of Newport. Yesterday I walked an honest 20 miles and at this point with only 27 miles to go I have no need to rush…

For my next post I’ll address the issue of just how crappy American Beer really is and how nice it is to not have to tip……

Greetings From Wales !

Greetings from Wales !... For the last 8 days I've been hiking along the lovely Pembrokeshire Coast Path. It's a national trail that follows the Pembrokeshire coast for almost 200 miles. For this walk I have the good company of my friend Debs. I met Debs at the end of my Camino walk in Spain last fall. She's British, lives in England, and likes to walk. Good Company. So far weather has been mostly good if not stunning. Enjoying beautiful scenery and great pubs along the way!... Stay tuned for more... Cheers !.

Philosophical Writing Experiment #243XZ417X

As a thinker I feel it’s my duty to make some kind of attempt to convey thoughts eloquently like classic philosophers of the past. For this post I have chosen to take a stab at commenting on contemporary culture and state of affairs pertaining to an individual in modern society. In a style consistent with a stream of consciousness approach I've combined my Evergreen State College background and conservative Texas upbringing to create a statement. I have never much cared for heady philosophical jargon but creating it is kind of interesting. The key is to not really think or over analyze what’s being written until it’s done. For this experiment I wrote quickly and didn’t really think while writing. The great thinker/songwriter, Bob Dylan, once commented that he had no idea where his writing came from…. So, Here it is……..

THE UNTITLED by TODDIUS GILBREATHIUS

Those who stretch beyond the bounds of mediocrity pray for the peace of success. Sheltered within a structured space an oppressive orb of distention reveals a longing for something more. A purpose with meaning and a way through it all.

Foreign worlds surround us all within the microcosms of which we live and breathe. To fear a revealing of our own repressed truth is to persuade others who we are not. A mask is pleasant place to hide but a dreadful place dwell.

The begotten is forgotten as I stare at portraits of the past. Ghosts of the future come and gone. Dreams lived, forgotten, and or discarded. A mere glimpse of a fraction of time.. The wind blows and where once there were many there are none. An open field at one time a city. A civilization buried with the passing of time. I am left with a ponderance of existentialism.. But for what reason?..

The world is awash with the hem and haw of ill repute longing for the clarity of morality… A civilization with no rules is full of fools…….

Post Word……

In a few days I will be writing about distant lands, colorful people, and Pubs. To pour myself into the over analyzation of life’s complexities would be certain monkey business.

"Texas Johnny Brown" - Texas Blues

Last weekend was filled with Social activity.. It all started Friday night when I had the opportunity to hear and meet another Texas Blues Legend, "Texas Johnny Brown". Johnny got his start while playing with Amos Milburn on Aladdin Records during the 1940's. He then moved on to work with Ruth Brown and Atlantic Records during her early recordings. After that he landed a job working for Don Robey and Peacock Records, in Houston, as a Studio musician. During the 1950's and 60's he toured with Junior Parker and Bobby "Blue" Bland. He's credited with writing the all time classic, "Two Steps From the Blues". Made famous by Bobby Bland....

What really impressed me about Johnny is how smooth and quick he is on the guitar for his age. He's got to be around 80 but at work with his '76 Gibson Les Paul Standard you would never know it. His style ocillates between a rootsy blues and a jazzy blues blended with an old chord melody style reminiscent of the 1940's. He plays an interesting set. During one song he has no problem riffing it up with a good amount of tension while bending notes. During the next song he'll smooth it out with a slow jazzy style indicative of time spent as a studio musician. Some songs you just want to sit, look, and listen while other songs make you want to get up an move around the Dance floor. It's all backed up by,"The Quality Blues Band", which lives up to its name.

The venue he played is a dive located on the westside of Houston called Shakespears which was originally opened by a couple of Brits. The place has since changed owners but the beer selection is good with proper 20 oz. pints and a nice variety on tap.

After Johnny's first set I had the opportunity to speak with him briefly and bought one of his Cd's. Included was a photo opportunity and an autograph. If you ever get a chance to see him I definitely recommend it. His next two gigs will be at the Houston International Festival and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.. Both this April...