Aug 252014
 
Drinking in the Park

Drinking in the Park

This is part 4 of 7.  A Moment in Valencia – The Next Day is part 3.

After the day, I am glowing with happiness.  I could not think of a better way to spend a day and, by this point, I am a bit exhausted and just ready for bed.  But, as I walk towards my room, two beautiful girls ask me out for drinks.  Damn.  So, I can go to bed or I can hang out with two seemingly fun girls and drink – hmmmm.

This really is the ‘problem’ with staying in a hostel.  There are always fun people around that want to go out and have a good time and it can be really difficult to say “No.”

It takes about a second for me to say “Yes” and I start to get ready for the night.  Before we go out to drink, we make a pit-stop at the local Pakistani run shop, since there they sell alcohol after the legally allowed time.  Once we acquire Gin for me and mixers for the girls, we head to a cool kind of river-park thing.  As we start to sip on the gin, we lay back and look up at the stars.  It is a crazy feeling to know that we are sitting at the bottom of what was a river for hundreds of years.

At this point, we are generally harassing each other for our differing English accents (American versus Kiwi) and having an all-around fun time.  A few hours pass this way and then we decide to head back to the hostel to see what’s up.

River Park at Night

River Park at Night

Arriving back at the hostel, we realize that it is Sunday, as a traveler you often do not know what day it is, and that the pub-crawl has failed to run because there was no one that wanted to go on it.  However, the people that were managing the pub-crawl that night decide to take my group and some other people who were sitting in the common room to one cool pub before they leave for the night.

And this is how the night really picked-up.

By this point I was quite tipsy, maybe more than that, and, apparently, on the way to the pub, I have the most amazing conversation with the female pub-crawl guide; at least that’s what I am told.  All I can think about is her amazing smile.

After about 15 minutes, we arrive at this small hole-in-the-wall local pub where no one speaks English.  The place is split into two levels and the second floor is about 5’5″ high and overlooks the bar below.  There is a giant paper mache dinosaur head on the wall and the atmosphere is a mix of cozy and crazy.

Wine Jug

Wine Jug

Once we sit down, the guides introduce us to the best part about this place, a special wine jug drink that is really cheap and has a fun teapot type spout.  The goal is to pour the wine into your mouth without touching the spout.

The tour guides start the drinking and show us how to make a good pour without spilling anything.  Now, it’s our turn.  Everyone seems to be doing a decent job but they are definitely holding something back.  When you are afraid of being embarrassed you never go full-throttle.

I, however, do not have that problem by this point in the evening.  As I start to pour the wine, I immediately extend my arm all the way out; here is my childhood dinner table shenanigans paying off – told you so mom!  But, just as I get my arm fully extended, the female tour guide blows on the stream, covering me in white wine.  At least no one will mistake me for sober now that I smell of wine.

But the fun was just getting started…

A Moment in Valencia – Stories – Part 5 of 7

 

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