One Hell Of A Pub Crawl!

[Doc Vernon]

The Seamen's Bar

Sailors are a wanderin’ breed,
Who’s travels take them far,
No matter where his ship is moored,
He’s bound to find a bar.

The ”Straits Cabaret”, in Singapore,
You can taste ”San Mig”, or “Anchor”,
And the “business ladies” couldn’t care less,
If you’re a seaman or a banker.

Try the “Cabbage Patch”, or “Mama’s”,
In Hamburg’s Reeperbahn,
Or “Dannys” bar in Antwerp,
Where the “she’ is very much man.

“Mabels” in Port Harcourt, swigging African “Tombo” gin,
Cuba Libres in Havana, now there’s a place for sin,
The ”Spanish House” in Liverpool, sampling from a fine wine cask,
Cruising the “Gut” in Malta, a most enjoyable task.

They say, that in Mexico’s Vera Cruz.
Her pavements are made of marble,
I never noticed to tell the truth,
As my speech did tend to garble.

There’s the Texas bar in Lisbon,
Fine place to “pop the cork”,
Maybe ‘jump’ a big “Cunarder”,
To the “Market Diner” in New York.

“Delmonico’s” in Capetown,
Where they sell the fine “Cape Smoke”,
“Doris’s” bar in Kingston,
Buying rum, that’s cheaper than coke.

“Venus”, “O.K.”, and “Mosquito”,
Close to the wharf in Bangkok,
“Monkey” brand whisky at six bob a bott.,
And the ”ladies” perform round the clock

“ Simon Mcleods” in Aberdeen,
Filled wi’ trawlermen, bent on a spree,
Hard drinkers, their hands and faces raw,
Just in, from the bitter North Sea.

The “Spitfire” club in Fama-g, that’s situated handy,
Or “Pam’s bar drinkin’ “Keo”, a fiery Cyprus brandy,
Istanbul’s “Mogambo”. Sitting huddled in the dark,
Wonderin’ what’s inside your glass, it gives a decent “ spark.”

Three times I tried in “Nyhavn”,
Copenhagen’s world famous Street,
To have a “tincture” in every pub,
But got “let down”, by my feet.

“Red Lion’, and “Blue Peter”,
On a hot dry afternoon,
A Ben Line base, and meeting place,
In densely packed Kowloon.

Then off to the popular “Chantecleer”,
The “New” and “Happy World”,
Where they patiently sit, with cheong-sam’s split,
And beckon, with fingers curled.

Or “Charlie Browns”, the “Masons”,
A pint in the “Steps” or “Blue Posts”,
In London’s sprawling dockland,
You will find them, most genial hosts.

From the ‘Windmill’ in Casablanca
To “Joe Beefs” in Montreal,
Dockside pubs, are much the same,
See one, you’ve seen them all.

The lure of “Sailortown” will always be there,
‘Neath the shaded red lanterns swing,
Music, laughter, and love, at a price,
Where you sometimes feel, like a King.

But its always pleasant to reminisce,
Sweet memories, I fondly can dream,
Of my Global, pub crawling, younger days,
With good shipmates, held high in esteem.

Kindly sent to me by John the Strange one in Aus! LOL

[Captain Kong]

Been to all them and still have the Scars,
What a fantastic memory rouser.
thanks for that.
cheers

Brian

[cappy]

Been to all them and still have the Scars,
What a fantastic memory rouser.
thanks for that.
cheers

Brian

##off to canny shields......but no booze for cappy two young grandaughters in tow but loved the poem......cappy

[Keith Tindell]

Hazy memories from most of them Doc, but that was exactly as life was like then. Wait for your sub, then on with the Levis and flash tee shirt, down the gangway, where's the bars and where's the ladies, usually in that order, next morning, headache and broke. Love to do it all again, maybe in the next life?Kt

[John Arton]

Saints preserve us, anyone reading that would think that any seamen visiting a foreign port was only interested in heading to the nearest bar and drinking himself stupid when we all know we went ashore to view the local flowers and fauna, study the architecture, imbibe of the local culture, learn how to converse in simple terms with the local population in order to order coffee and a meal without having to point at pictures, buy exquisite souvenirs to take home to our families whilst all the time speaking slowly and loudly to johnny foreigner explaining to him how things were done back "home".
Didn't we?
rgds
JA

[Gulliver]

Here's a nice little souvenir for those of you who remember your Hong Kong bars,especially if you were with Blue Flue Blue Funnel.gif

The Suzie Wong Bar states (according to one of the three resident mamas ( " all girls has natural body,no have clorsets(!),no have false tops. The bar is very choosy about the girls and they are clean girls ".

Of course,I wouldn't expect anything less !

HONG KONG GIRLIE BARS

[Ivan Cloherty]

#6 I honestly cannot remember any of the names of the bars I went in both in Hong Kong and Kowloon,but I do remember the girls were very generous and lovely, well they were when I went with them at night, didn't look too close in the morning. but I do remember one girl shouting

ooh ah wa, oooh ah wa, ooh ha wa! all night and squirming like mad making me think I must be doing quite well, when I got back to the ship and consulted my English/Chinese dictionary found it translated into 'one hole higher'

If you are looking in Nigel, this is not for publication as it is protected by copyright

[happy daze john in oz]

Dear John #5 we do assume of course that you comments were tongue in cheek, and of course we all liked when ever possible to have the same. Tongue in cheek that is, satisfying the needs of the young, and sometimes innocent, maidens we met along the way.
Then there was the duty of us all to add to the economic benefits of the country we visited, buy purchasing such amounts of grog we assisted in keeping many bars viable. Without our assistance they may well have gone bust.
And that was another part of it the bust on many of the good ladies we encountered, partially exposed for our entertainment.

But sadly most have now gone, the bars as well. But we did our duty to one and all along the way.

[Keith at Tregenna]

A NEW ONE FROM CAPT JOE EARL: Seems appropriate ?


RIO DE JANEIRO

My mouth is as dry as a biscuit - my head a throbbing drum,
We’d been ashore in Rio and sampled local rum
We were the crew of the `Roscoe` - one of Lamport and Holts,
The booze was red and rusty with a kick of a thousand volts.

In the tropical evening, we had started our foray,
Attracted to a night club on this a Saturday;
We’d wandered out for a quiet night and a twirl around the floor,
With the ladies employed there and some that came in the door.

Quite happy we were while dancing and having a bit of a smooch,
Spending our hard earned money on girls and dynamite hooch,
All smart we were in our tee-shirts and freshly washed blue jeans,
When all of a sudden they entered - the United States Marines.

You’ve heard about the red rag, and what it did to the bull…
It seams we weren’t so welcome although the place was full,
We tolerant British sailors - well, we never turned a hair,
But it seems the Yankee `crew cuts` did not like us there.

It may have been just jealousy or dancing with their dames,
But when they’d had a drink or two they began to call us names
We had to stand our corner - we thought it only right,
To honour Merchant Seamen and stand up for a fight.

So with this altercation we had a bit of fun,
Everything went flying including lots of rum,
Chairs and tables over and a window there stove in,
Fists and knuckles bruising, connecting with a chin.

Everyone enjoyed it - we had the upper hand,
Even the marines did and most of them were canned;
But someone called the MPs they came roaring up in jeeps,
They weren’t entirely partial so we ducked into the streets.

In a bar of safety we counted up the cost,
A couple of broken nose bleeds an` a tin of baccy lost;
So Roscoe bound we made it, knowing valour prevailed,
We `turned-to` prompt next morning and later on we sailed.

The Captain’s log was open as he sat there with a grin,
Scribing down the truth of course - official now therein;
Before the book snapped shut, I saw he’d written down;
All the crew ashore last night - a quiet night on the town1

[happy daze john in oz]

On occasions the US navy would havea ship in port in Cape Town, think they had use of the Simonstown dock where Royal Navy ships also docked.

For some reason the Us sailors were not popular with the local ladies, you would see the sailors in their white suits around the town, and the ladies going the other way.
One story was that during WW2 some of the US sailors took advantage of the local ladies telling them they would come back after the war and take them to USD, of course that never happened. In the meantime a number found they had been well and truly potted ending up with fatherless children.