Travel Blog

Yesterday I picked up my friend Don in Boca and drove to Delray, where we had reservations to watch the England vs. Croatia match at the Blue Anchor Pub. (I had called Monday, repeatedly, and failed to get through, but somehow Hania had had success.) I found a parking spot on Atlantic Avenue and discovered that you now have to pay for parking in the city. I put my credit card in the machine and got time till 4:13.

The pub was packed. It took a while for the hostess to greet us; when she did, she told me my name was nowhere on the list. I told her my wife had reserved a table for two and, begrudgingly, she led us to a table/booth in the darkened back of the pub, in front of a regular size TV. The people in the bright front room had a large screen.

I ordered a shandy and a Ploughman’s lunch, asking if the baguette was fresh. “Sir, I’m too busy,” the harried waitress said, before adding perfunctorily “Yes, it’s fresh.”

Music blared from speakers, despite the fact that the TV was showing the pre-match program. Don put in earplugs. It surprised me that the English were louder than the Brazilians had been.

Our lunch arrived; Don’s fish and chips looked a lot better than my Ploughman’s lunch. The baguette was more of a hoagie roll.

Someone turned off the music shortly before both teams walked onto the field. Halfway through “God Save the Queen,” the picture froze and the sound went off. The singing of the anthem was taken up by patrons at the bar.

As if inspired by this, the English scored early on a free kick.   

I asked a waiter what the Wifi password was. He told me the restroom was in the corner. I repeated that I wanted the PASSWORD and he gruffly told me he was too busy.  

In the second half I went to use the men’s room – I now knew where it was – and squeezed my way past crowds at the bar. While inside, I heard a loud groan, and when I emerged I learned that Croatia had scored their first goal.   

The match went into overtime. After the first 15 minutes, I went out to add more parking time and found that I had a parking ticket. Apparently, there is a three-hour limit, despite the fact that the machines sell tickets for more than three hours.

 When I returned to the pub, I learned that Croatia had gone ahead.