Getting Dizzy on the Circle Line
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| So many pubs... so little time. An imperial half pint at every stop on the Circle Line equals one 10-ounce beer every 27 minutes for 12 hours. |
In Rick Steves' London guidebook, Rick challenges thirsty readers to tackle an ambitious pub crawl. One reader takes on the challenge and stays coherent enough to write Rick a letter afterward:
Dear Mr. Steves,
We used your book on our first trip to London and absolutely loved it. In your book, you mentioned the Circle Line Pub Crawl: riding the Circle Line and stopping for a beer in a pub at each of its 26 stops in one day. We decided to try it. My brother Dan, who lives in London, I, and my husband Chris, finished the tour. You mentioned that if anyone ever did this, they should write you, so here I am!
We did all 26 stops in old pubs between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. At each pub, we drank a half-pint (any more and you can't find your next train). My brother made a list of every stop and at each, we had to write the name of the pub and the kind of beer we drank. It is impossible to drink a different beer at every stop, as there isn't much selection in half-pints, even in London. Now we look back at our lists and laugh as we see our handwriting deteriorate. We also took pictures at every Tube stop and pub, and videotaped the whole adventure.
If you're serious about trying this feat, remember these tips: Pubs in the heart of London (Moorgate to Temple) are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Eat while you're riding the Tube. And run to catch the train because you never know when the next one will come.
— Kris Hattel
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