Yep, nearly a week ago I mentioned that the sunshine is getting in the way of my blogging... and not just my blogging, but also my afternoon Gchat sessions with friends at home, my itinerary planning, and general room cleaning apparently as the Freund commented that my place is starting to look like his (he lives in a disaster zone).
Anyhow, the guilt is finally catching up with me, and here I am to tell you about the madness that was St. Patrick's Day. When I decided to give up drinking for Lent, I did not even consider the fact that St. Paddy's fell within the 40 day period. I immediately decided to make this holiday an exception. I know I am not Irish, but I have put in the hours at the Irish pub and you bet I was not going to miss celebrating this holiday properly.
Germany does not do St. Patrick's Day quite like the USA. No one will pinch you if you are not wearing green. Heck, we had people show up at the pub saying they just saw it packed and wanted to see what was going on, completely unaware what we might be celebrating. I actually had to work this evening, but it was one of those rare, all-hands-on-deck evenings, so we could enjoy ourselves while also making sure customers had drinks in their hands, too.
I did not have to work until 6, so I decided to hit Flynn's Inn, the Irish pub in my neighborhood, for their festivities, which involve teaming up with Scruffy's Irish Pub for a parade. The weather was simply perfect, as per the standard lately, and all the pub-goers decided to take their drinking to the street. I enjoyed myself the only Guinness of the day here, as I am normally a cider-drinker in the pub scene. I had to depart for work before the parade, but I hear it was fantastic.
Upon arrival at work, I enjoyed a quick bowl of seafood chowder before joining the madness. We opened the beer garden for the first time this season and it was as packed-as-ever in anticipation of Seán Treacy. Seán plays in an awesome cover band throughout Germany, but he brought his Irish roots right into his local hangout to celebrate the day. Seán also has some original songs, and I'd been encouraging him to sing "Search 'Till You're Blue" for sometime. He invited my coworker and I up to sing along, since we know every word from it being on the pub playlist, and it was incredible!
After Seán's show ended around 23:00, things began to chill out on the random-customer end as non-creatures-of-the-night like we pub-people had to work Tuesday morning, but the party certainly did not stop. The regular customers hung around, and the guys from the neighboring bars, whom we usually keep up after hours, kept us open extra late instead. The night ended at 6 am, with me somehow managing to close the pub. My bike ride home was slightly different from the average 3 am cruise, with people already out walking their dogs and buying warm bread at the bakery.
Oh, and how was drinking again you ask? It ruled. I enjoyed my fair share of free cider, Green Spot whisky, and Baby Guinness shots. The following day certainly made it easy to go back to not drinking for a bit though. I will write a whole post on being around drinking all the time and not drinking when this is all said and done, but not drinking, especially during certain occasions, sucks, so I'm glad I made this holiday the exception.
Did you celebrate St. Paddy's Day?
19 comments
You were definitely in a great spot to celebrate! And had I given up alcohol for Lent, I would have take St. Patrick's Day off too ;)
ReplyDeleteLooks like so much fun! No one here really celebrates at all. I was the only on dressed with some green!
ReplyDeletelooks like SO much fun... Your job is certainly convenient for times like this!
ReplyDeletethat man's body suit is amazing :)
ReplyDeletewell it looks like germany still has a roaring good time!!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a super fun night -- glad you broke your fast to get your party on!
ReplyDeleteOMG, that second photo. How?! Why?!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to Flynn's in about 5 years! I hear the parade is good, but I'm always working for it.
My friend who lived in Italy for a long time told me that all Italians know that you can make three exceptions during lent so you are totally fine. :) Glad you had a great time!
ReplyDeleteI never go, mainly because I'm always at the pub, but it is a shame since it's got a good crowd and I live right by it!
ReplyDeleteAll the Irish catholics told me St. Paddy's is a totally acceptable exception, so I'm not regretting it one bit :D
ReplyDeleteI tell ya, I may get paid minimally but free food and drink at our hangout is some kind of perk ;)
ReplyDeletethis is the first year in forever that i did not celebrate st. paddys :( :( I just felt like if I wasn't in NYC I didn't care to do anything!! But, when I travel Irish Pubs are my favorite (or when I'm not traveling too I guess) ... we went to one in Iceland last summer and it felt like I was back in Ireland so I bet that's what your pub is like too!! Glad you made the exception but I bet you were feeling it the next day!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't celebrate St Paddy's Day this year as I had to work, I was massively disappointed with this because they seemed to embrace it a lot here! :(
ReplyDeleteI felt like people were either 100% into it or had zero knowledge the holiday even existed - no in between!
ReplyDeleteStumbled out of a few bars during my, not inconsiderate, time on this planet, but never as late, or early, depending on one's perspective, 6 am, likely due to mandatory 2 am closing times in most of the conservative, provincial U.S.
ReplyDeleteBelieve I matched your accomplishment perhaps once or twice, perhaps in New Orleans or NY where some of the bars have no locks as they famously never close.
Glad you were able to lend a hand in driving the snakes out of Germany!
Miss, love, proud of, and for, you.
Always,
Daddio
HA! That body suit. Oh, gosh. Sounds like a great time.
ReplyDeleteThat looks so fun!! 6 am?! I have not made it that late (early?) in awhile, I feel lame!
ReplyDeleteDo not feel lame. The next day makes you immediately regret it. It wasn't even then hangover, it's just this total overcoming exhaustion. Definitely can't hang like I used to...
ReplyDeleteThe better of our two Irish pubs was so packed that I couldn't even walk around, let alone find a seat. Grr grr, I say!
ReplyDelete