London Pubs with Barry and Kev

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Friday 12th November 2004. The pub crawl that almost wasn't - having planned it for six weeks, most of the original supposed attendees pulled out at the last minute. Still, me, Kev and Barry soldiered on, and had a good time regardless.

14:59:14 Pub number 1, an unplanned stop at the little bar in Simpson's Tavern, which seems to be predominately a restaurant. This is just a short walk from Bank tube station, where we kicked off the days activities from.

15:04:52 Simpson's Tavern from the outside. Nice old exterior, and for bonus points, down a little alley. A good start!

15:11:55 Pub number 2, The Jamaica Wine House - again unplanned, although I'd had my eye on it since our list foray into London. Also pleasingly down a little alley.

15:12:28 A picture of the three of us taken by the pleasingly Irish barmaid.

15:21:33 Kev was really keen on getting a picture of this excessively worn down step.

15:21:50 The lantern bit outside the Jamaica Wine House, which I'm rather fond of. I heard a rumour this is filled with Bird's instant custard powder. OK, actually, I made that up.

15:28:33 Pub number 3, and the first one actually on the list: The Counting House. I'm sure if you worked hard enough you could come up with a pun about this being pub number 3, and it being called The Counting House. Errr, or maybe not. Lovely grand interior here, and the picture came out a bit better with a hint of daylight in the background.

15:51:36 Pub number 4, the Lamb Tavern in the rather attractive Leadenhall market. I think there is a bloke in the background pulling a bit of a face at the camera, just over Kev's right shoulder.

16:02:00 The Lamb Tavern again, just to be sure. I vaguely recall making a bit of a shitty pun in here about how this pub used to be full of market traders, and now it is full of stock market traders. OK, enough with the puns already. Note how forthrightly (is that a word?) Barry is standing here, hands on his hips, and all.

16:26:31 Pub number 5, the amusingly titled Cock and Woolpack. No need for puns here! Nice little boozer, perhaps a little too modern and clean on the inside for us... and we did seem to be waiting in here absolutely ages to get our beers (I think they had to change a barrel or something).

16:42:35 Me and Kev inside pub number 6, the rather bizarrely named Arbritrager. This was seemingly an Irish bar, and had the feeling of the sort of Irish bar you often find in continental Europe.

16:42:39 An artist's impression of our ability to see by this point. Either that or Barry being inept at using the camera.

16:45:13 Outside the Arbitrager. Rumours on the internet seemed to suggest it is imported directly from Ireland, and although this probably isn't actually true the Guinness was very good nonetheless.

16:56:05 Pub number 7, one of mine and Kev's favourites from the previous outing: The Old Dr Butler's Head.

16:57:18 Barry over in smoker's corner.

17:13:09 Outside the Old Dr. Butler's Head.

17:33:15 Pub number 8, the Golden Fleece. This was very busy! I guess this was mainly the "quick pint after work" crowd.

17:34:02 Barry and Kev, taken through the window of the Golden Fleece, just to be a bit unusual.

17:34:58 Outside the Golden Fleece.

17:55:39 In the Viaduct Tavern, pub number 9. An ambititous self-taken picture of me and Kev, which pleasingly fit in a couple of strangers in the background. It was pretty busy with after work drinkers in here as well.

17:57:42 Kev and Barry looking very contented outside the Viaduct.

17:57:54 Err, same again but with some random person in the way.

18:46:15 I think this is just after emerging from my club (the whisky society), which I'm going to count as pub number 10.

18:49:58 Pub number 11, the fabulous Ye Olde Mitre. Have never been in this room at the back before, and it is actually very nice - it re-enforces the feeling of being out in the countryside somewhere.

18:52:40 Kev hiding behind some foliage outside Ye Olde Mitre, whilst Barry looks skywards.

18:53:08 A picture of the three of us, kindly taken by the chap I assumed to be the proprietor.

18:53:41 ...and again.

19:15:55 A break for food was becoming essential, so in we popped to Pizza Express. They seemed to have a new vegetarian pizza on the menu, which was very pleasing.

19:46:27 Not sure why this was necessary, maybe to work out where we were...?

20:00:34 Pub number 12 was called something like the Printer's Devil. Here we made a couple of new friends temporarily, this being one of them between Barry and Kev.

20:01:20 Our new friends! Later they went on to sing karaoke, and we rather rudely slinked off without saying goodbye. Ho, hum.

20:03:46 The three of us, as taken by one of our new found friends.

20:04:49 There she is again.

20:20:34 Pub number 13, The Blue Anchor, which I don't remember particularly well. It seems to have some kind of nut machine.

20:22:34 Outside the Blue Anchor.

20:54:15 The entertaining "guess where I'm from" barmaid at pub number 14, The Seven Stars. After having named almost all the countries of eastern Europe we eventually got there (Bulgaria, if you're interested).

20:54:25 Barry looking like it's starting to wear a bit.

20:54:36 No idea why this picture was necessary! Possibly a self-portrait by Kev...?

20:58:38 Barry being a bit outrageous for the camera. Apparently Kev told him off for this afterwards.

21:00:07 Still in the Seven Stars, I guess this must have been taken by the barmaid. I appear to be whincing in pain slightly, as though I've just been kicked in the shin or something.

21:07:59 Outside the Seven Stars.

21:21:20 Now this is in the Edgar Wallace, pub number 15. Not sure what the purpose of this picture is, or why it is necessary.

21:22:42 A stupid facial expression from me there.

21:24:43 Kev looking very pleased with himself.

21:28:38 A sneaky glance through to the bar, and the "Hawkins and Co." sign.

21:30:53 Me with the Hawkins and Co sign.

21:37:45 I'm literally having to prop myself up here. I developed hiccups (yes I know that should be spelt hiccoughs but that always looks just wrong) just before entering this pub and had an entertaining time following a number of supposed remedies suggested by the barstaff. The chap who appeared to be the manager suggested some complicated set of breathing exercises, which didn't seem to do much good, prompting him to come up with the rather entertaining line "Well it works if you're sober, which you're obviously not.". Well said sir! In the end the barmaid's suggestion of leaning over and drinking a pint of water seemed to do the trick.

21:38:03 Just to make absolutely sure we got that sign in.

21:46:00 Pub number 16, just round the corner, The Devereux, which none of us can remember particularly. I have a dim recollection that we sat in the corner, or something, but that's about it.

22:26:18 Well, sadly all good things must come to and end, and we thought we ought to give it plenty of time to get back to Paddington. So here's Kev and Barry on the very slow bus which took us there. Nice lighting here.

22:39:44 Past Picadilly Circus, which I clearly thought, in a beer-fuelled uncharacteristic burst of touristiness, warranted a picture at the time.

23:19:35 Looks like we're on the train now then.

23:19:53 Me eating a pasty.

23:19:59 Pasty again.

23:20:41 More train pictures...

23:21:06 ...which are frankly tedious to have to write comments for...

23:21:27 Right, that's it, we're done then.