Ever wondered about what stood a century ago where you sit today? Ever imagined if any incident of great historical significance took place where your house stands now? My grandfather tells us that a stable was located where our house is today, and many known freedom fighters would hide in the hay to escape the Britishers during the war.
What’s easier than visiting my old house, and probably more fun, would be to go around the world and make your mark in bars that have been watering holes of the most important people in history. Here are five that you need to know about:
1. McSorley’s Old Ale House – New York, USA
A pub that once served drinks to John Lennnon, Woody Guthrie, Teddy Roosevelt and the beloved president Abraham Lincoln should definitely be on your list whether you are a self-proclaimed historian or not. Feel like an old-time gentleman or a lady as you go through the black and white photos, old newspaper clippings and historical documents covering the walls end-to-end.
Be prepared to wait for a long time if you visit on a weekend, the waiting queue starts from the door and goes all the way to the end of the street.
2. The Union Oyster House – Boston, USA
If three timelines were to exist at the same time, you would be drinking colonial ale while President John F. Kennedy would be drinking or dining and the French king Louis Philippe would be sleeping (as he stayed here after his exile). Famous for seafood, locals visit to drink and dine while tourists visit to click pictures in front of the former President’s favourite booth.
Check out the murals of colonial Boston and old newspaper clippings from the then-famous The Massachusetts Spy on your visit.
3. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese – London, UK
You might be able to write a novel with a high-functioning sociopath as your protagonist too if you visit this pub. Having Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as its very-regular customers, literature-lovers make it a point to sit down at the bar and absorb in the old ambience which consists of a stuffed parrot, open coal fires and antique grandfather clocks along with other vintage items.
4. Patiala Peg – Polo Bar, The Imperial – New Delhi, India
There’s no better city in India to experience a trip back in time than New Delhi, so it’s no surprise that it also houses Patiala Peg, a bar well-loved by its influential patrons. Not only has it been frequently visited by politicians since time immemorial, but even Edwin Lutyens, the Viceroys of India and literary figures also seemed to fall in love with this old-timey yet classy bar. It is also said that Jinnah, Nehru, Lord Mountbatten and Gandhi all sat here to make the final decision about the partition.
So what are you waiting for? Go experience a slice in time at The Imperial tonight!
5. Griechenbeisl – Vienna, Austria
Visited by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Johnny Cash and Mark Twain, this bar boasts of rich history within its walls. You can find their signatures on one of the walls as you enjoy live music over delicious Viennese cuisine and drinks during your visit.
Feel blessed if you get to visit their centuries-old wine cellar. Some walls standing there today are from the Roman times!
