Best-of lists

Over the next few days and week, we'll catch up on a number of blog posts we worked on while in China and Vietnam, and while we sailed across the Pacific.

We made a couple of best-of lists, here's the first, the best bars and taverns along the way.

In no particular order:

Metropolitan Hotel Bar, London: interesting concoctions some served in tea cups
Grand Hotel Lobby Bar, Oslo: wood paneled old school place where the theater people hang out
Bishop Arms Pub, Sundsvall, Sweden: yes it's a chain, but great burgers and beer
Pelikan Bar, Stockholm: as old school as it gets as in this place has been slinging beer for 500 years
Guaja Bar, Riga: converted living room with 2 turntables and rare unpasteurized beer
our room at Anna's, Zaube, Latvia: no fridge, so we used the snowy windowsill to chill the beer
Russian dining car, Trans-Siberian train: great place to hang out and try to talk over the blaring music
Malty Dog Brewery, Beijing: they nailed the high hop content ales, plus serve ceci and fave!
Kitty hutong bar, Beijing: no English name, but a quiet place to drink beer and visit the owners cats
Max Bar, Hong Kong: top floor of the Upper House, great views and great cocktails
Bamboo Bar, Hanoi: poolside at the Metropole Hotel, quiet and breezy respite from the city

Each of these places has a reason to say it was the best of the trip, so it is really difficult to pick the best.

But, if you want to spin your own records, play cards, talk with the locals, and drink an unusual beer and black balsam liquor, Guaja Bar is where you should head.  Best of the best.