The circuit

Last night, we welcomed Dr Manhattan back from his brief holiday.   After eight days in Thailand, he was even more sensitive than usual to the chill of the Beijing winter.  And with those bitter winds driving down from the north-west, I too - Arctic Gnome though I am (a disparaging nickname from my college days, suggested by my propensity to continue going about in my shirtsleeves even in the depths of an Oxford winter; well, the depths of autumn, anyway) - was finding myself reluctant to expose myself to the outdoor environment for more than a few minutes at a time.   So.... we found ourselves improvising a classic Nanluoguxiang bar crawl, ducking inside for a quick 'warmer' every few hundred yards.  Setting out from 12 Square Metres, we were wilting badly by the time we got to Salud and had to pop in for one of their flavoured rums.  Then we looked in at Reef for a quick whiskey (their pours seem to have got a bit stingy; but at least this occasioned a lively conversation on the merits of free pouring over the use of a measure).  And then likewise at the Pool Bar.  From there, but a short stagger to Amigo for some hearty comfort food.  (The food at our neighbourhood Mexican joint seems to have improved somewhat over my last visit: the rice on this occasion was moist and fluffy, rather than desiccated by multiple reheating, as in the past.  One of my companions was aggrieved that his refried beans had been omitted from his plate, but this oversight was eventually rectified after introducing the staff to the menu.  And my chimichangas were over-fried, and contained precious little chicken.  The rest of the meal, though - and we had a lot - was mostly pretty good; the jalapeno poppers especially so.  The margaritas, alas, are less sour, more sweet than before, though still impressively strong.  I imagine they have given up using real lime juice and - like everyone else - are now making do with the much-easier-to-source lime cordial.)  From there, an even shorter stagger to the cosy environs of Amilal (and a chance to boost depleted endorphin levels by playing with the kittens for a while).  After all that - and with the wind now at our backs - we were sufficiently proofed against the weather to brave the rather longer walk down to Jianghu (where the brewed-on-site Gleckes is a prime attraction these days: I'm not usually a fan of the weissbier style, but this is a very tasty beer, and quite a bargain at only 20 or 25rmb for a half-litre glass).  And thence back to 12 Square Metres, completing the circle.   A very fine peregrination indeed.  I'm not sure that I've ever done ALL of my favourite bars in one evening before.   The walk back home afterwards must have been absolutely freezing, but I remember almost nothing of it.