We had a full day planned. First we walked down to the "Show Off" hair salon for a cut and style for Leslie. The styling was a bit poofy and she got to laughing so hard while the stylist was pumping in height and volume into her hair. Post styling we walked back a different route through Roker Park. We saw Lynn our AirBnB host on the walk back and chatted with her for some time. Lunch was consumed and we walked back to the metro station and rode it 10 stops to the Central Station in Newcastle. We shared the train with the entirety of humanity. Goth girls, mobs of prepubescent boys jostling each other, crossword junkies, multigenerational family units, farmers and two tourists, us. The blue dots on google maps led us from gin joint to gin joint, one after another. The first stop was just a block from the metro station and it was the Continental. This old insurance building was luxurious and large. Different levels of gin were available. First was the regular gins available to just anybody but there were special gins in the downstairs Gin Vault under lock and key. We were unable to break into the vault but we had two fine gins and received two souvenir swag guitar picks. Just the gin bling the Gin Book needs. The next spot was the Dacanter with another fine looking bar area. I ordered the Forrest Gin that was recommended and Lelsie found the Manchester Gon named Overboard. The name was a warning because it was 57% super strength. After this we stuck our heads into "Pleased to Meet You" but did not alight. We flittered over to the WC Gin Closet for the best scene in town. As we walked up we saw a couple leaving which is good because there would not be much room left if they had stayed. There were 8 chairs in this bar but I am not sure eight people could fit in it. It is the smallest Gin bar in the UK, and was previously a ladies restroom. Counting Lorenzo, the bartender, there were three people in the bar. We got the best service from Lorenzo. We talked travel and the peculiarities of planning ahead. After our two new gins to add tot he Gin book it was time to go to dinner. Lorenzo even kicked in a discount for us. We walked a bit further and got to our dinner spot. It was empty except for one other table. It always feels silly when you say you have a reservation and the place is empty. The crazy thing is that within a half hour the place was full! Great food and right next door tot the theater.
"Show Off" has a look
Pink Pony says "Gitty up!"
Hair style is "on trend"
Come fly with me
Greenfinch
A wonderful interlude of flowers
So many colors
Roker Lake in Roker Park
Our Metro station
Come on ride the trains...
New Castle
Hail Cesar
He who passes these steps shall have a drink
At first I thought it was the Dandy Rat. The tail looked a bit rat like
A very good gin blueberry gin
Runner up gin, better luck next time
Ready to assemble the goods
Nice bar area that we are the exclusive customers there of
Top Shelf Gin
I tip my hat to you all
The door was open by there were still bars and a chain
All locked up
But nicely displayed on the inside
\It is all done with mirrors
That was a good start
More nice buildings
Even Queen Victoria herself
The Dacanter also had charm
Gin on Special
Locked up Gin
From the cabinet with hints of ferret
Manchester Overboard Turbo Driven!
Experimental Batch Gin was the runner up
Getting into ye olden part of town
Narrow streets
Even more narrow bars
The Gin Closet
This, is the whole bar!
From Door County Wisconsin
Lorenzo!
Very Botanical for Leslie
The entrance hall is as big as the bar area
Back out into the sun
Don't be cross and hangry, just eat some dinner
At St Sushi
Our Booth
The empty restaurant, for the time being
Tempura
Enoki Mushrooms wrapped in beef slices
Fish roe for all
Old walled city remnants
Another classic
Oddly constructed wall
Time for the show
