Chces pivo?

I've been using the meetup website to try news things and meet new people so it's no surprise that I've used it to meet up with some Czech and Slovaks, or rather some people who like to talk in Czech and Slovak.

An added attraction was that the venue for their monthly drinks night is The Falcon next to Clapham Junction. Not only is this on the way home but, because of its convenient location, I've been there a few times before and liked the place.

The Falcon has, apparently, the longest continuous bar in England and it curves its way through a mix of areas that in olden days would have been public bars, lounge bars, a snug and a jug and bottle. There is space for every mood and everybody.

But what I like most about the place is the beer. It has the best selection is real ales that I can recall outside of a beer festival. Choosing one was very hard but in the end I went for the RCH Pitchfork and the Purity Pure Ubu. Both proved to be good choice but I do wish I had time to try some of the others too. Maybe next time.

And there is likely to be a next time as the meetup went well. There was one person that I knew there, which helped a little with the ice-breaking but the other half dozen or so people that I got to speak to were all new to me. As with the BCSA socials, there is no agenda, no plan and no rules; just a group of people with at least one common interest being in the same place at the same time. And it works.

As with most low-key socials, we spoke about nothing in particular and nothing of great import, though I do remember a discussion on family planning in West Africa.

All too soon the two hours that I allowed myself passed and it time to take the steps up to the station and the train home. But I think that I will be back there for more of the same next month.