Blog ≫ 2023 ≫ Not really a beer festival
Went to Dover on the train yesterday and enjoyed the Super Mario Bros film at the cinema. We all enjoyed it, lots of references back to all the different games. Think we made the right decision taking the train, as we started to hear reports of the brexit problems at the port causing all the roads to clog up again. It seems to be that when we were in the EU coaches would just be waved through with a glance at the manifest, but now we're not every passenger on the coach has to have their passport individually checked. This is causing confusion and delay! And then these delays have a knock on effect, the queues at the port cause queues on the roads, which cause people to try and take shortcuts down local roads and block those. Anyway the train was very busy, but fine.
On the way back I jumped off the train at Folkestone Central to go to the beer festival at Chambers. I met one friend in the Firkin Alehouse for a beer first, and then over to Chambers. Where is the beer festival then? It used to be the whole back room would be taken over by rows of barrels and the place would be heaving. This year it is scaled right back. They have six pumps at the bar, which is impressive enough I suppose, and then another three barrels on out the back. Didn't seem very festive though. There was to be a band on later, but we didn't stay long enough. Instead we headed to The Pullman for a change and that was great. Just one pint and some good food. I got a vegan "garden platter" sharer to myself, with sausage roll, olives, tempurah vegetables, hummus, dips, salad, bread and fries. It was too much, but I made a good go of it. The Pullman was very busy but it is a very good pub. Families and young people everywhere though. Not my family nor my young people.
Next we were heading back to Chambers to check out the music but got distracted by music coming from Elato Chocolate Cafe, so went in there. There's a proper performance stage in there and there was a bluesy covers band playing that were good. Again, all families in there, all the families of the band I think. It was a bit like crashing a wedding.
They have a feature wall like I would like made of old planks behind the stage. I would not paint a horse on mine though.
Got a lift home, later than I thought we might have, but not a late night. Good for Parkrun in the morning.