A Night Out in Taipei, Taiwan: Watching Rock Music in the Underworld

On my last weekend in Taiwan, I ended up in the capital city of Taipei. We had spent the full day sightseeing (and also went to the thermal spas) and returned to our hostel for the night out. Jenny had gone back home after the sightseeing, so there was just me and Neil for the Read more about A Night Out in Taipei, Taiwan: Watching Rock Music in the Underworld[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: The Beatles Bar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Its amazing you know where and how you find things. This one was random – I found a “Beatles Bar” slap bang in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! It was by chance. I mentioned before how English traveler Niki Whitley spent a day with Natalja and I and helped us firstly by loaning Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: The Beatles Bar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, Singapore

Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, Singapore

It had to be done. It was so obvious. There we were in Singapore, Asia and staying in a hostel just 25 minutes walk from the world famous Raffles Hotel. The Raffles Hotel is possibly the most famous hotel in Asia. It began life in 1887 and was founded by the Armenian Sarkies brothers. Monarchs Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, Singapore[…]

jonny blair in shinying taiwan

Friday Night in Shinying: Barbecue, KTV, Bowling…

  Friday nights in Shinying became “party nights”, where we would do something a bit different or special, all tied in with the Taiwanese culture and this gave us the opportunity to meet yet more local people. I’ll now comment on our first Friday night in Shinying, where we had a barbecue for dinner, went Read more about Friday Night in Shinying: Barbecue, KTV, Bowling…[…]

Where did you go when things went wrong for you? – The Bluetones live in Poole

One of the calm survivors of the “britpop era” happens to be the Bluetones. They are still going, having had their biggest hits in the 1995 – 1998 era, when British Guitar music and young bands were at the core of music popularity. Now the kids wouldn’t even have heard of Mark Morriss, or even Read more about Where did you go when things went wrong for you? – The Bluetones live in Poole[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: The Ice Bar, London, England

While working in PR in London, I often heard tell of new, trendy and different types of bars that were opening. There are so many cool and different bars in London, that we are spoilt for choice. During the year while I worked in London I enjoyed the night life there, some of my favourite Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: The Ice Bar, London, England[…]

Working Wednesdays: Gallery Events at North Down Heritage Centre, Bangor, Northern Ireland☘️🔴✋

The only time I’ve ever worked in any sort of “museum” or, actually “heritage centre” was back in September and October 2001. I was employed by McMillens Bar & Restaurant at the time and they also did special wine and beer nights at the local heritage centre in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Bangor doesn’t have its Read more about Working Wednesdays: Gallery Events at North Down Heritage Centre, Bangor, Northern Ireland☘️🔴✋[…]

The Windsor, Bangor, Northern Ireland (1997)

This is to date on my blog, the most nostalgic, inspiring and melancholic post yet and it warps your poisoned mind back to 1997 – when life was good, when “the smiles were genuine.” I’m not being deeply ironic, cynical, acting like an old man, I’m just appreciating that period of my life when everything Read more about The Windsor, Bangor, Northern Ireland (1997)[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: Visiting The Ponderosa, Ireland’s Highest Pub!

I’m always intrigued by pubs and drinking locations that are just that wee bit different, hence why brand name pubs such as Yateses and Wankabout (really called Walkabout) actually annoy me – they clone custom made pubs, and lack character. Pubs with history, facts or just something a bit extra ordinary are much more up Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Visiting The Ponderosa, Ireland’s Highest Pub![…]

The Big Reunion in Skegness, England, December 2006

I was walking past Fulham Broadway station in July 2006 trying to sort out my car parking permit, having just moved to London. Then my phone rang and it was John Johnson who was in Ibiza. John is one of my mates, I used to live with him for a while and I know him Read more about The Big Reunion in Skegness, England, December 2006[…]