After Hours... China: West Street, Quanzhou!

Quanzhou ended up being my 'After Hours' location, I had worked up a certain thirst after exploring Anxi before the first night. Of course, those technical issues experienced on the first night led me to give 'West Sreet' a second chance before I went back to Ningbo. Sightseeing can be tough, I needed those beverages to process those days out in Fujian! Vedett, she better don't! 

Yes, I tried to do those nights out dirty because a condensed paragraph in the previous 'Quanzhou post' really sold those nights short! I had stayed sober in Xiamen, I had things to do and needed to be awake early on the second day for my hotel pick up! As soon as the programme had finished for the day, I kissed goodbye to the tranquility of Anxi with those tea leaves brewing up some drinking shenanigans of another kind! Leaving my hotel room early on, I had clocked on my lifestyle app that 'West Street' served many beer bars and Livehouses. I didn't fancy a Livehouse from the beginning, a beer bar sounded like a much better idea. Please don't ask me for the name of that bar, I did not pay any attention because that super narrow road had been taken hostage by tourists and hoards of mopeds and e-bikes, I needed a beer quick-time! With my trip to Beligium upcoming, I chose the 'Vedett Extra Rosé' but that pink Belgian wheat beer was enjoyed like it was 'Vimto!' Q, I was getting started but you all know that I had skipped tea! 

I was in my element, those drinks were going down well but all of a sudden my proxy shut down and I really didn't want to go without my phone during that bar visit. I hadn't travelled within the Mainland for a while before that Fujian trip, relying on that device for 'social media' left me feeling disconnected. To be honest, I had a whole day of sightseeing planned for the next day in Quanzhou! I thanked myself for that hasty exit because I was able to make it through the day remarkable clear headed. Now, I walked all the way from the touristy side of West Street to find that I had been on the opposite side the previous night. Done with Quanzhou for the day, I wanted to grab something local before trying those nightspots out again! I found a serving of '蚵仔煎/Oyster Omelette', to be honest I no idea what the oysters would taste like? I definitely didn't regret that stomach liner because it didn't taste bad, I found something local to eat at least! Righting the wrongs of the previous evening was a sensible choice. 泉州市, really though?

I thought I was clever after my tea, I was going to embark on a 'mindful' bar crawl along West Street. With tea in my stomach, what really was the worst that could happen? I was kidding myself for certain! The sun was starting to set and with more people making their way home early before the end of the holiday, the street seemed a little but quieter than the previous evening. West Street seemed like it had one thousand small bars, I was quite literally spoiled for choice. I needed to choose my first post-meal drink because being sober wasn't a mood during that final night of my Fujian trip! I settled for a small beer bar, it was quiet and I thought having a beer would keep me on the right track? Little did I know that I would soon be making the cardinal sin that is 'mixing drinks!' West Street had me chilled, I only needed to think about the train the next day, better still it was not an early departure! With night officially on the cards, I kissed the evening goodbye with a stronger drink in the next venue! Not a 'demure' choice at all! 

During the first evening out I didn't explore the other bars that were along that nighttime friendly side of 'West Street', that was about the change during the second and final night. I clocked a vintage shop that served its own full service bar area, I wanted to sip on something stronger than the previous night! Please don't ask me the name of the drink captured above because I can't remember, all I know is that it was a hard spirit! That was a whole choice but the trip had been a success, I deserved to make a toast regardless of the consequences! Was it Whisky? I'm sure it was because that was the theme of the bar, it was a whole vibe in there! I moved along to another venue because I fancied another drink. This was before things went 'Pete Tong' with a familiar beer drink, I would never learn and I didn't want to in that moment! West Street took me to aside, that street told me that my apps would be working and that I just needed to drink! I wanted another bottle of that Pink beer, I headed back to the beer bar! Yes!

I made myself comfortable at the bar with my first 'Vedett Extra Rosé' on that second night, from there on in, I had no restraint! Getting settling into that perch, I most certainly well enjoyed being back in that bar under more positive circumstances because I was able to keep in touch with 'the world' once again. I saw that there was another seating area with an open style roof, I didn't feel the need to leave the comfort of that climate controlled bar for nothing! I am sure the guy behind the bar was sick of my antics because I had one bottle opened after the other, I was on something different once again! I caught a vibe, it was a feeling that wasn't negative because I was sure the bar guy and another guy who brought him cake were a couple? Now, that was a bit of hope for me to see such a sign of 'unapologetic love' shown in the face of a rather unspoken environment. The guy who was singing live sounded amazing and he looked just as delicious also! The night pressed on, I had not intention to call it a night yet! Oh, Q'Zhou! 

As the night continued on, I found myself making friends and toasting drinks as closing neared. My Fujian trip had been chaotic in parts but also gorgeous at the same time, it felt correct to sink those finale drinks in that West Street establishment with a brighter outlook. I exited that bar at the right time because before I knew it, the barman and his friends suddenly left their posts without any indication. I headed down West Street towards where the tourists had made things look crazy, I was stopped in my tracks by another open and functioning bar. I found a bottle of 'Brothers' Toffee flavour Cider, it was heaven in a bottle but I knew that would be my final drink of the night. Now, that is when those side alleys became a regrettable feature, to cut a long story short I ended getting a taxi to my hotel from the nearest main road. I was sozzled and just wanted some KFC but this small city didn't seem to have one, only Chinese food was available! Let's just say it was safe that the hotel staff thought I was an alien, now that was a choice! Bed!

Another One, Quanzhou? 

Desperately Seeking Adventure