The Europa Hotel

The Europa has, unsurprisingly, changed hands many times, and even names briefly, becoming the `Forum Hotel' at some point in the 1980s. Of course, everyone still called it the Europa and it still got blown up lots. Then one day, we all got up to find that the name had been changed back to the Europa and that on an ad hoarding opposite, there was a big message, to whomever it may concern, that the place had been bought by a Dublin-based consortium, get the message? I suspect they may have found that business is business.

I suppose I should put the place in its proper geographical context. It's in Great Victoria Street. On its left is a big ugly shiny building with lots of shops in it, but also an Ulsterbus station and a railway station. If I add a few trains to places, which is bound to happen sooner or later, I'll let you in.

Up Great Victoria Street takes you south towards Queen's, down takes you into town, past the Grand Opera House (which is almost certainly Europe's most...). Or else you could turn left into Glengall Street, though why you should want to is beyond me, unless you're David Trimble or a bus.

However, you should not leave the Europa without crossing the road to check out some of Belfast's most famous boozers...

I could, of course, tell you about the time we all got up to find Robinson's and the Beaten Docket in various states of fire damage and the Crown Bar mysteriously unafflicted, but far be it from me to speculate about such a worthy institution as the UK's only National Trust pub.

I haven't been in the Crown in ages. I suppose it's quite touristy now. That's a novel concept for me: touristy bits of Belfast. It takes some getting used to.

Oh yeah... A word of advice about beer. Don't drink Guinness except in Ireland. When in Ireland, don't drink anything else.