Had an excellent night in the squatters bar opposite the hotel.Did that thing of only popping in for one and staying nearly four hours…chatting to both the barmaid and a lad at the bar(I think they were an item ) just shooting the breeze.Got well and truly called out by the barmaid at one point when she served a half red wine half Sprite concoction and I naturally made a comment and she did an exaggerated English accent “ oh I used to work with wine!” And to be fair I was coming over as a pompous ass,got called on it and it made me laugh my arse off…they also found my attempt at saying “Tschüss “ very funny too( it’s not easy honest) anyway it was a good night with a lot of bollocks talked…don’t worry the piss taking wasn’t only one way,I gave my share back…the name of the bar is “Azadi” which is Kurdish and means freedom…
Last day in Leipzig and I must say because it’s a lot smaller than Berlin everything seems a lot more familiar.Maybe that’s why I feel pretty comfortable here despite less English being spoken(the young scamps I spoke with last night had excellent English) but once again it’s an agreeable place all round.The outskirts do look a bit rough around the edges but don’t let that deter you from a visit.Mostly that’s due to any investment being in the centre with the suburbs being left to their own devices.A common theme in East Germany I’m afraid…tomorrow I’m off to Düsseldorf which is always my last port of call on these trips as it’s a short ride to Cologne to get Eurostar back to Blighty,it’s a bit like putting on comfy slippers at home after a long day at work…
Mind you the Altstadt area of Düsseldorf does get pretty busy and there’s a lad from Nottingham called Gary who I always have a good natter to works in one of the bars.Last time I saw him he assured me if he wasn’t behind the bar next time I’m there then he’s probably dead.He’s a cheery soul…
Taken the plunge and gone back to Spizz for a Tomaten Suppe.My last for a while so might as well.Even bought extra tissues as this beard holds a lot!
There does seem to be a few more tourists around now than earlier in the week.Many of them Germans which would make sense as Leipzig is an historic city both with music & literature…have a lot of tours of elderly Germans especially around the passage & Bierkeller where Goethe hung around playing footsie with the Devil…
One thing I have noticed over these last two months is although I have had a drink or two( or more) every day apart from the horrendous French train day that is,I have slowed down to a pace where even the shuffling zombies on The Walking Dead would turn round saying “bloody hell get a wriggle on sunshine” the term “leisurely “ hardly covers it.I have never been the quickest drinker going but I’m badly out of practice for the upcoming football season.I may have to revise my strategy and stick to smaller bottles rather than pints…that probably seems to be the answer.
Talking of drink I’m having a nightcap or two in Azadi.My new friends aren’t in but I knew that anyway…I have found so many of these chilled little scruffy bars all over during my visit round various parts of Europe.All away from the centre of whichever city I am in an all seem content in serving the community rather than making an insane profit and all of them are supported by that community.This of course used to be commonplace in the UK but sadly is becoming more & more rare.The fault of both the breweries,landlords & communities equally in my view…another reason why I enjoy these trips more than just staying in Britain in what is becoming an increasingly rip off culture…
Anyway…
In a while crocodile…
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