Despite a claim by Paddy's pub in Cuzco in Peru,it remains that the world's highest Irish pub is the Wild Rover in La Paz, Bolivia. I visited there to relax away from the madness of La Paz!
The Wild Rover sits in the lofty high altitude of La Paz - its also a hostel so you can stay there and although I knew this beforehand, I didn't stay there but in nearby Loki Hostel. On the first floor of the hostel sits the world's highest Irish Pub. It was an amazing place to relax
You can also book your tours all over Bolivia from the Wild Rover - I sorted some of my buses and Salar tour from there. But I missed a few things out in order to squeeze in my visits to the world's highest football stadium and the world's highest Irish Pub! A travelling Northern Irishman has priorities you know!
As a Northern Irishman it was nice to see a few Northern Irish mentions in the pub, Geordie Best made it onto the wall here in the world's highest Irish Bar. Amazing to see him feature there and it made me feel at home for a while!
Even-ing things up I guess. Most Irish pubs only have the Irish Tricolour, and politics aside, I always carry my Northern Ireland flag! The proudness of being Northern Irish exists on the island as well you know. This was a very happy moment, but not the best moment in the pub...
Then as I sat down at the bar, I recognised the accent of the guy serving me! It was a strong Northern Irish accent! The first other Northern Irish person I had met in South America. Serving me an ice cold Pacena beer was Grant McParland, all the way from Carryduff in County Down, Norn Iron!!!
Grant serves me then comes to this side of the bar to join me for a beer and a chat.It's all a bit surreal! We talk about Tayto, Milky Ways, Gaelic football and Glentoran FC. Grant even puts on his County Down gaelic top!
The football was also on, with Liverpool playing live. The match was live as this was mid afternoon when I had popped in, and the UK would have been a few hours ahead. It was a European game against Utrecht, and I met a girl from Dublin also in there who was wearing a Liverpool shirt and supporting the reds.
Grant and I posed for photos by the Irish Tricolour flag while I was holding my Northern Ireland flag.
Grant even controlled the music while I was drinking there as he put his iPod as the dukebox! I also chatted away to Jack the manager about the possibility of working there in the future and really wanted it as an option. I've worked in Irish pubs in three different continents so would love to do a fourth!
At night the Wild Rover really does get wild!! It's a party pub and all sorts of things go on - fancy dress, necking drinks, cocktails and nudity. Forget how high an altitude you are - enjoy the party!
Cheers and Slainte with Grant, the sublime experience of having a Bolivian beer at some 3,660 metres above sea level. Amazing. It wasn't a Guinness - a Pacena would have to do...
!
The pub itself may appear hidden at first and please note it is open to the public - you can head straight in and don't need to be staying there.
Situated on a random street and sinking deep into Bolivian mountains is where you find the Wild Rover and I have been to an Irish pub in 6 out of the 7 continents (didn't find on eon my trip to Antarctica).
In short my trip to the Wild Rover - the world's highest Irish Pub was amazing. Would love to go back - thanks to Grant for serving me and having a chat and just the sheer madness of it all! Don't Stop Living.
In Ireland the phrase "Top o the morning to you" is used. Here in La Paz it was more like "top of the world to you!"
The Wild Rover sits in the lofty high altitude of La Paz - its also a hostel so you can stay there and although I knew this beforehand, I didn't stay there but in nearby Loki Hostel. On the first floor of the hostel sits the world's highest Irish Pub. It was an amazing place to relax
You can also book your tours all over Bolivia from the Wild Rover - I sorted some of my buses and Salar tour from there. But I missed a few things out in order to squeeze in my visits to the world's highest football stadium and the world's highest Irish Pub! A travelling Northern Irishman has priorities you know!
As a Northern Irishman it was nice to see a few Northern Irish mentions in the pub, Geordie Best made it onto the wall here in the world's highest Irish Bar. Amazing to see him feature there and it made me feel at home for a while!
Even-ing things up I guess. Most Irish pubs only have the Irish Tricolour, and politics aside, I always carry my Northern Ireland flag! The proudness of being Northern Irish exists on the island as well you know. This was a very happy moment, but not the best moment in the pub...
Then as I sat down at the bar, I recognised the accent of the guy serving me! It was a strong Northern Irish accent! The first other Northern Irish person I had met in South America. Serving me an ice cold Pacena beer was Grant McParland, all the way from Carryduff in County Down, Norn Iron!!!
Grant serves me then comes to this side of the bar to join me for a beer and a chat.It's all a bit surreal! We talk about Tayto, Milky Ways, Gaelic football and Glentoran FC. Grant even puts on his County Down gaelic top!
The football was also on, with Liverpool playing live. The match was live as this was mid afternoon when I had popped in, and the UK would have been a few hours ahead. It was a European game against Utrecht, and I met a girl from Dublin also in there who was wearing a Liverpool shirt and supporting the reds.
Grant and I posed for photos by the Irish Tricolour flag while I was holding my Northern Ireland flag.
Grant even controlled the music while I was drinking there as he put his iPod as the dukebox! I also chatted away to Jack the manager about the possibility of working there in the future and really wanted it as an option. I've worked in Irish pubs in three different continents so would love to do a fourth!
At night the Wild Rover really does get wild!! It's a party pub and all sorts of things go on - fancy dress, necking drinks, cocktails and nudity. Forget how high an altitude you are - enjoy the party!
Cheers and Slainte with Grant, the sublime experience of having a Bolivian beer at some 3,660 metres above sea level. Amazing. It wasn't a Guinness - a Pacena would have to do...
!
The pub itself may appear hidden at first and please note it is open to the public - you can head straight in and don't need to be staying there.
Situated on a random street and sinking deep into Bolivian mountains is where you find the Wild Rover and I have been to an Irish pub in 6 out of the 7 continents (didn't find on eon my trip to Antarctica).
In short my trip to the Wild Rover - the world's highest Irish Pub was amazing. Would love to go back - thanks to Grant for serving me and having a chat and just the sheer madness of it all! Don't Stop Living.
In Ireland the phrase "Top o the morning to you" is used. Here in La Paz it was more like "top of the world to you!"
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