Where would one go, if one would like to make an Irish Pub Tour? Ireland...??? Too obvious!!! So I went to Düsseldorf.
Pub #1 O'Reilly's
Downstairs all the people are watching football on TV. So we take the stairs up, we are greeted by a very nice young man, in English as it should be, and he shows us the way to the smoking room. And I can't wait to get my first Magners. Slainte! For some reason or another there's no music, the room is not that cosy and not very Irish, my pint of cider is bloody expensive (well, not as expensive as in Finland - if it makes it any easier - and it does for me), also for Kilkenny you've got to pay more than in other pubs (which we'll find out later), but at least the service is very nice. I give *** out of five "Virpi-stars".
Pub #2 Buck Mulligan's
Instead of an Irish Pub we find a Tapas Bar. No cider, no stars.
Pub #3 Tir Na Nog
It's Karaoke night. We stand by the door for a few minutes listening to a young woman singing. Even if they are serving free shots during the karaoke we decide to skip this one for now. Maybe, just maybe, some people shouldn't sing (and yes, I'm referring to myself too). Sorry. At this point * for the pub even for existing.
Pub #4 Fatty's
A pint of Magners is 50 cents cheaper than in the first pub! The ambiance is nice, you get very friendly service in English (or in German if that's what you wish) and always something to nibble with your drink. After this visit ****.
Pub #5 Sutton's
Just a few metres away from Fatty's. Same owner, same drinks, same nibbles, same prices. Quite loud and busy, but at least Joa can rest his eyes on those two firm, young waitresses, while trying to explain he's just checking out the girls for Stefan. Then we get a phone call from Joa's brother, leave the pub very hastily and give ***.
It's time to have a Moscow Mule in Bar Ellingtons:
And after an hour or two, and after a cocktail or two...
Pub #6 The Harps
Nothing there. No cider for me. No stars for this nonexistent pub. Or are we already too drunk to find it?
Pub #7 McLaughlins's
The sign is still there. But that's all. No lights. No open door. No nothing. I'm thirsty. I need a drink. A cider. Soon. Now!
Pub #3 Tir Na Nog
We return to number three. Thanks to the Catholic Church the karaoke is over by midnight. There's no music at all. It's Good Friday and listening to music is a sin. So we concentrate on drinking and smoking. The waitress tries but she can't speak English. 'Please' is all I get out of her. They don't even got Magners so I have a Bulmers. The English one. Not the Irish one that's called Magners outside of Ireland. Do you understand any of this anymore? Me neither, guess I'm getting drunk. Slowly. But surely. Just don't call me Shirley! Joa has been way past
getting drunk after his Moscow Mule. Or Moscow Mole as he keeps calling it. This pub is a bit boring. And you have to pay to get to the loo! I don't wanna pay for that, it's my civil right to pee without a fee, isn't it? We leave and all I left behind is my already earlier given *.
Pub #4 Fatty's
It's a sin to play music anywhere tonight, so it's funnily quiet here too, but we still have time for one more round. This is my - this is our - favourite Irish Pub in Düsseldorf Old Town. I would so much like to give all the five rating stars I have, but at the very last minute the owner/boss/chief/head of the pub comes in wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey #13!!!! As I leave, I keep singing "Mats Sundin är..." and have to stick to my ****.
The pub closes at 3:00 a.m. We leave at 3:10. We are hungry. We eat in Burger King at 3:20. Which is weird, 'cause it's also supposed to be open only till 3:00. Joa pay my burger. We go my room.
The next day after sauna and a lovely dinner (I had lamb and the best chocolate cake ever) we decide to have one more pint (which turns out to be two pints) in our favourite Irish Pub and end up witnessing a bar fight. "Like the good old days", as one of the regular guests says. And there's even music before midnight... even if it still is a sin!
