The Pub Scene in Europe

It is always interesting, when traveling, to see what people so for entertainment.

The corner London pubs around the city area are where people congregate at all times of the day and evening it seems. The meals are very good, we felt and there is no smoking, you could go along, with your family and friends and not come out smelling like an ash tray.

In St Petersburg, Russia, everybody smoked everywhere and while we did not visit any pubs while we were there, we noticed that when we sat in the bar/ reception area, our clothes stank of smoke. It was much worse on our last evening of our stay there, as we decided to eat in at the Restaurant. Unforutunately, there was a big party on as well. Everybody smoked and the noise and smoke spoilt our evening, which happened to be Christmas Day, as I recall. I am sure that the smoke brought on my cold, which lasted all through our visits to Sweden and London.

In Sweden people could not smoke inside pubs. At one English style pub we dropped into to warm up from the very cold, we noticed a parcel on a seat where we intended to sit. I was just about to pick it up and take it to the bar when there was a loud tapping on the window. The owners of the parcel were having a smoke outside in the cold and had left in on the seat to book it upon their return.

In Italy, in the pubs the emphasis is on food, not drinking and over indulging is not tolerated. As a result, we noticed very few pubs as we New Zealanders know them, but dairy and delicatassen like shops where you can purchase coffee, and all types of food and have a drink as well. In some cities, for example in Milano, at around about 6 or 7pm a free, or spend so much and it is free, buffet of hams cheeses breads and other finger foods are put out for clients in establishments which are a cross between a pub and a restaruant. At this time many people visit, often with family including young children and grand parents, as well as friends, to have a quick drink, which is often a cup of espresso coffee. They stay only for a short time, then move on. In Florence, the only pub we found, well Chris did when I was out in the cold walking around a huge park, was an English Style pub on the suburbs side of the bridge which has all the jewellery shops. It was run by a couple of young chinese people. But of course we were expected to order a slice of pizza or something to eat!!

In Madrid, Spain, we noticed that in most bars and cafes people smoked. However we did find a chain of restaruants which serve great breakfasts at a reasonable price where no one smoked, and also a pub with a restaurant called TGIF meaning Thanks God its Friday where no smoking was allowed.

In Havana, Cuba, everybody smokes everywhere but because everything is open, the smoke does not hover inside. I also believe that the smell of cigars and the cigarettes are much more tolerable than the cigarettes we have in New Zealand. There is music everywhere in the pubs which are also cafes or restaurants, and everyone is expected to eat. And tip.

Now we are in Santiago, Chile. It is our first afternoon and we spent a long lunch outside a cafe, where we noticed, that people smoked over their meal. But it is so hot here, that I doubt if we will eat inside at all!

It will be great to enjoy our local pub scene in Auckland, New Zealand, where smoking is tolerated outside only. This means of course that when one goes walking along the street, one must remember not to breath in when passing a pub....