It’s funny how the mind goes backwards to the past at times, and you remember people and places that meant something to you.

I was just talking to some people from home and listening to them telling me that the craic is gone from the pubs at home, which we all know it is, and why. Then I started thinking about a man by the name of “Pa Joe” who ran (and I hope is still running) a session at The Huntsman bar in Tower every Wednesday night for 25 or 30 years. I had a great time going to these sessions for a couple of years and then, unfortunately, I couldn’t go anymore due to the fact that I played a gig here one Saturday night with a friend of mine. The owner treated my friend in a way that wouldn’t agree with me, and even though I got on well with the owner
myself, I wouldn’t go back into the pub on principle – not because of whatever problem he may have had with my friend in the past, but because of the way he handled it.

I really enjoyed those sessions with Pa Joe and the rest on Wednesday nights. They were so relaxing, easy going, and you never knew who would turn up on any night you went there. Pa Joe himself ran the sessions with great skill from experience, and always encouraged new lads joining in as long as they weren’t a**holes, regardless of their ability. There would be the bit of chat between tunes in the right proportion, again down to the man himself, and we often stayed back for a quiet pint after the sessions, making sure that the world was balanced before we slipped away home to get some lumber, for which I should thank the owner (even if that seems a contradiction, which it isn’t for me!).

Anyway,if anyone reads this that knows Pa Joe, please send him my regards. The last time I met him he was due to go for a hip operation and I hope all went well. One of life´s true gentlemen, and great company always. You know where to find me, Pa Joe, if you´re up for a holiday in the sun. I’ll look after the accomadation and it would be great to meet up with you again over a few pints of the Black.

Cheers, and thanks for the great times and the memories.

Seriously, they are flying 3 times a week, which means you can enjoy anything from 2 to 7 nights in Lanzarote. Contact our website for accommodation. We can pick up apartments for around 250 Euros per week, which means that you end up with a very cheap holiday. If you’re fast!!!

Cheers.
Murphy

Hi Folks,

I would just like to recommend two fun loving scoundrel friends of mine, for any of you who want to plan sightseeing or activity trips while you are here in Lanzarote.

They are Lisa and Jackie and their website is ask4genie.com

There are a lot of tours and activities organisers on the island, but what I like about these two “crackpots” is their personal touch, and they will tailor whatever you want to do to suit you and not try to sell you something that you don’t want to buy. They do a lot more listening than talking!

Ok, the price of fuel is more expensive in Ireland, but that’s where the comparison ends. The taxi that took me home from Charlie´s last night at 04.29 am charged me €2.70. The drive is approx. 7 minutes or 3 km. If I got the same taxi in Ireland, it would cost me at least €8.

The Irish taxi drivers tell you that the Canarian taxi drivers are picking up €3 every 10 minutes, but that’s simply not correct. Any night that you want to look out the window of Charlie´s you will see at least twenty taxis waiting for a fare, and if you watch the last one to join the queue, they are waiting at least 40 minutes before moving, and most of the time even longer.

This is a crazy situation where the Irish taxi is way overpriced and the Canarian taxi is way underpriced. If a person sits for a minimum of 45 minutes on a rank at 4am to get a €2.70 fare, there is something seriously wrong! It’s an embarassment to hand a man €2.70 at this hour of the morning, when he drives you home in a spotless Mercedez Benz. I’m not encouraging inflation or ripping people off, but every man is entitled to make a living, and especially those who are working at 4 am in the morning. Why can’t both the Irish taxi driver and the Canarian charge €5 for the fare, with some little adjustment for the price of fuel up or down as appropriate?

There was a time when the Canarian taxi driver was picking up fares every second minute, but that´s history now. The reasons are either because they issued more taxi licences, or there are less tourists around. They may have issued more licences to cover peak times, but I still got a taxi on the last day of July (peak season) at 4 am for €2.70.

This is simply not right. Can someone fix this, please? I have Charlie´s Bar here in Lanzarote and I don’t want to see prices going up on anything for tourists, but I also don’t want to see people’s souls being broken while trying to make a living to support their families.

Charlie´s is the best live music venue on all the Canarian islands and we don´t rip people off with the price of drink. ENJOY!

Someone wake up fast please, both in Ireland and the Canaries….