Providing a service to the public is hard work.
Providing a service to members of the public who are intoxicated is very hard work.
Providing a service to drunken holiday-makers, many of whom assume everyone on the island is out to steal their money, is extremely hard work.
But such is the lot of many ex-pats who serve drinks (and food) to holiday-makers. For every nice couple this ex-barman met, there seemed to five others demanding more beer beside them.
Let's not get into a woe-was-me lament though - that wouldn't be nice and it would be boring to boot. Instead, I state these facts (opinion?) solely in order to give some context as to what being a bar-person is really like in Lanzarote.
You need to de-stress after work and the most popular way to do this is to go for a drink (or eight) and have a whinge about holiday-makers, fellow staff, family, friends, the pope and anyone else who's unfortunate enough to pop into your head.
Add to this the fact that Lanzarote is a small place. And the ex-pat community is smaller still. Hence, nearly everyone knows everyone else. This means you end up giving out about people you know, (for the most part anyway - there are some who rise above this pastime).
The very nature of the place implies rumours, stress and drinking to excess.
My advice? Rise above it, if you can at all. If you can't, then at least try to behave and don't give people too much to talk about.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Better Internet connection in Lanzarote
Seems there's going to be better broadband connectivity on the island early next year, with new cabling being laid between Cadiz and the Canaries:
http://www.totaltele.com/view.aspx?ID=455434
Hopefully, more stable Internet connections will lead to better quality Skype calls and the like to friends and family back in the UK and Ireland.
http://www.totaltele.com/view.aspx?ID=455434
Hopefully, more stable Internet connections will lead to better quality Skype calls and the like to friends and family back in the UK and Ireland.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Five pubs worth a visit in Puerto del Carmen
You can’t sunbathe at night. And you can’t sit in a restaurant for the night after you’ve finished your dinner. The weather and the food: that’s two of Lanzarote’s big attractions out of the way then. So, what to do in Lanzarote after 10.00pm of an evening?
Well, you can go back to your apartment for an early night. If you like. But more likely, you’ll head for a drink to round off the day. So, next question: Where to go? There are plenty of options. In reality, there are too many pubs, really. So, what to do? Sure, ask for a recommendation!
Here then is a list, in no particular order, of five watering holes that visitors to Lanzarote would enjoy.
Monday – The Bodhran
The Bodhran is one of the oldest and most genuine of the Irish bars in Lanzarote. Open nearly 15 years now, neither the bar nor its owners Kay, Willie and Linda have changed much in that time and their welcome is still as warm as ever.
The bar holds about 30-40 people when it’s full, but I think the record attendance was set at around 100-ish on a Sunday afternoon years ago when the Bodhran was one of the only places you could catch the GAA matches on the island.
No matter what time of day or night you wander in, there’s always someone to have a chat to.
Most likely to hear: “Cork for the All-Ireland!”
Least likely to hear: “I wish Aer Lingus would stop all their flights out of Cork.”
Where is it? 50 yards up from the main beach road in the New Town, on Calle Anzuelo. Stand outside the Dos Mil supermarket and look up the side-road there.
===
Tuesday - The Green Door
Perhaps a strange choice for a bar-worth-an-hour-of-your-holiday-time, but the Green Door is a must for anyone who wants to see a real Canarian bar. Populated by locals with the odd ex-pat thrown in for good measure, the Green Door is a hub of activity with Spanish football, dominos and cards discussed in the only way the Canarians know how: loudly and faux-angrily.
The bar might not actually be called the Green Door at all, but it’s this feature that has given the place its name.
Most likely to hear: “Lynx no es barrato, verdad.” (Deodorant is not cheap, I’m tellin’ ya.)
Least likely to hear: “Mucho parfumo caro esta noche” (There’s a wicked smell of expensive perfume here tonight.)
Where is it? 20 yards up from the crossroads in the Old Town, on the right-hand-side.
===
Wednesday - The Hawaiian Bar
The Hawaiian Bar is not always on the radar of UK and Irish holidaymakers, but if you’re after a chilled out atmosphere and a few drinks to watch the world go by, then this is a good spot.
Gently globed candles on the table and Bob Marley on the stereo set the tone in the Hawaiian. There’s also the small matter of the cocktails on offer and the elaborate decoration of the glasses they arrive in.
If you want something far removed from the stereotypical Irish and British bars in Puerto del Carmen, and you like candles, Marley and cocktails, then check out the Hawaiian some night.
Most likely to hear: “Chill mon”
Least likely to hear: “The Nasdaq closed up 3 percentage points today”.
Where is it? Walk from Centro Atlantico, down the main beach road, towards the San Antonio hotel. The bar is on the right-hand-side, just before a major road junction on the left.
===
Thursday - San Miguel Bar
Loud, fashionable and full of beautiful Spanish folk, the San Miguel in the harbour is where you go to strut your stuff on a night out in the Old Town. That’s if you feel like strutting your stuff, of course.
There’s a live DJ every night (a real one, not the barman-stroke-DJ you get in many places) and when he’s not watching every woman in the place he changes the music and turns it louder with each passing song.
Say it quietly, but the Heineken bar next door is similar to the San Miguel, but it just never has the same cool atmosphere.
Most likely to hear: Loud salsa music.
Least likely to hear: “This place is sooo relaxing.”
Where is it? Walk down to the harbour. Stand where the men play bowls and look up to the right.
===
Friday - The Brendan Behan
In the form of Eamonn behind the bar, the Brendan Behan has its very own lyrical Irishman. Indeed, he has also been known to take a drop of the hard stuff on occasion.
The Behan originally opened beside the Biosfera shopping centre, but relocated to the La Hoya a few years back. The extra space in the Behan’s new home meant owner Mick could finally get all his guitars out from under the bed and give them a new home.
There’s live music every night and the low drink prices means your pocket won’t feel too empty after a night out.
Most likely to hear: “Bloody hell, that’s cheap.”
Least likely to hear: “Bloody hell, that’s expensive.”
Where is it? Walk into the La Hoya centre at the crossroads in the Old Town, past the surf shop on the corner. Turn to the right at the corner just past the Blarney Stone.
===
Not quite Ronnie Drew’s seven drunken nights, but certainly heading in that direction…
Well, you can go back to your apartment for an early night. If you like. But more likely, you’ll head for a drink to round off the day. So, next question: Where to go? There are plenty of options. In reality, there are too many pubs, really. So, what to do? Sure, ask for a recommendation!
Here then is a list, in no particular order, of five watering holes that visitors to Lanzarote would enjoy.
Monday – The Bodhran
The Bodhran is one of the oldest and most genuine of the Irish bars in Lanzarote. Open nearly 15 years now, neither the bar nor its owners Kay, Willie and Linda have changed much in that time and their welcome is still as warm as ever.
The bar holds about 30-40 people when it’s full, but I think the record attendance was set at around 100-ish on a Sunday afternoon years ago when the Bodhran was one of the only places you could catch the GAA matches on the island.
No matter what time of day or night you wander in, there’s always someone to have a chat to.
Most likely to hear: “Cork for the All-Ireland!”
Least likely to hear: “I wish Aer Lingus would stop all their flights out of Cork.”
Where is it? 50 yards up from the main beach road in the New Town, on Calle Anzuelo. Stand outside the Dos Mil supermarket and look up the side-road there.
===
Tuesday - The Green Door
Perhaps a strange choice for a bar-worth-an-hour-of-your-holiday-time, but the Green Door is a must for anyone who wants to see a real Canarian bar. Populated by locals with the odd ex-pat thrown in for good measure, the Green Door is a hub of activity with Spanish football, dominos and cards discussed in the only way the Canarians know how: loudly and faux-angrily.
The bar might not actually be called the Green Door at all, but it’s this feature that has given the place its name.
Most likely to hear: “Lynx no es barrato, verdad.” (Deodorant is not cheap, I’m tellin’ ya.)
Least likely to hear: “Mucho parfumo caro esta noche” (There’s a wicked smell of expensive perfume here tonight.)
Where is it? 20 yards up from the crossroads in the Old Town, on the right-hand-side.
===
Wednesday - The Hawaiian Bar
The Hawaiian Bar is not always on the radar of UK and Irish holidaymakers, but if you’re after a chilled out atmosphere and a few drinks to watch the world go by, then this is a good spot.
Gently globed candles on the table and Bob Marley on the stereo set the tone in the Hawaiian. There’s also the small matter of the cocktails on offer and the elaborate decoration of the glasses they arrive in.
If you want something far removed from the stereotypical Irish and British bars in Puerto del Carmen, and you like candles, Marley and cocktails, then check out the Hawaiian some night.
Most likely to hear: “Chill mon”
Least likely to hear: “The Nasdaq closed up 3 percentage points today”.
Where is it? Walk from Centro Atlantico, down the main beach road, towards the San Antonio hotel. The bar is on the right-hand-side, just before a major road junction on the left.
===
Thursday - San Miguel Bar
Loud, fashionable and full of beautiful Spanish folk, the San Miguel in the harbour is where you go to strut your stuff on a night out in the Old Town. That’s if you feel like strutting your stuff, of course.
There’s a live DJ every night (a real one, not the barman-stroke-DJ you get in many places) and when he’s not watching every woman in the place he changes the music and turns it louder with each passing song.
Say it quietly, but the Heineken bar next door is similar to the San Miguel, but it just never has the same cool atmosphere.
Most likely to hear: Loud salsa music.
Least likely to hear: “This place is sooo relaxing.”
Where is it? Walk down to the harbour. Stand where the men play bowls and look up to the right.
===
Friday - The Brendan Behan
In the form of Eamonn behind the bar, the Brendan Behan has its very own lyrical Irishman. Indeed, he has also been known to take a drop of the hard stuff on occasion.
The Behan originally opened beside the Biosfera shopping centre, but relocated to the La Hoya a few years back. The extra space in the Behan’s new home meant owner Mick could finally get all his guitars out from under the bed and give them a new home.
There’s live music every night and the low drink prices means your pocket won’t feel too empty after a night out.
Most likely to hear: “Bloody hell, that’s cheap.”
Least likely to hear: “Bloody hell, that’s expensive.”
Where is it? Walk into the La Hoya centre at the crossroads in the Old Town, past the surf shop on the corner. Turn to the right at the corner just past the Blarney Stone.
===
Not quite Ronnie Drew’s seven drunken nights, but certainly heading in that direction…
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