I'm surprised it's taken me this long to actually write about my trip to the Wild Rover in La Paz, Bolivia, also known as the world's highest Irish Pub. And it's official. I have also been to Paddy Flaherty's in Cuzco which claims to be the highest (and many others in Peru and Bolivia do), but for now the limelight is on the Wild Rover and the madness within.
The pub is at 1476 Comercio Street and doubles up as a backpackers but I didnt stay there. I stayed nearby and popped in for a beer. The First floor of the backpackers includes a friendly, vibrant Irish Pub - The Wild Rover and it is here some 3,000 metres above sea level that you can relax knowing you are indeed in the world's highest Irish Pub.
The Wild Rover is a decent place not just for the pub - you can organise tours from it - to all over Bolivia and indeed they helped book my Salar tour and a few of my buses. I didn't have time to do everything I wanted in La Paz but I found time for a relaxing beer in the world's highest Irish Pub and I stood on the pitch at the world's highest football stadium.
I glanced at the walls of the pub and was pleased to see a picture of Geordie Best on there. He's a Northern Irish hero of mine and he made it up on the wall of the world's highest Irish Pub - I reckon he'd have been proud of that!
I got a must have photo with my Northern Ireland flag - people always forget about us and always think of Ireland as one country. I love levelling things up.
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!!!
Straight away on hearing that I was a fellow County Down man, Grant gives up working behind the bar and comes and joins me for a beer! Imagine that in the highest Irish Pub in the world, drinking with a guy from literally just down the road. At the time, Down had just reached the All Ireland (Gaelic Football Final) and we spoke about that amongst other things, so Grant dashes out and grabs his County Down top! Red and Black with "An Dun" written on it. Behind the bar a range of UK and Irish products including Milky Way and the Southern Irish Tayto. Much prefer the Northern Irish ones, myself!
I also met a girl from Dublin in there - a Liverpool fan and we were sat watching a live European match between Liverpool and Utrecht!
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!
Not only is it the highest Irish Pub on the planet, but it's a pretty lively, crazy Irish Pub too. Dancing on the tables and bar, mild nudity, fancy dress, pouring bottles down your neck. This is a place to forget how high up you are, forget the outside world and leave your inhibitions at home. Party hard!
Grant and I said a Slainte and Cheers - it was fabulous to have a beer so high up away from the crazy city of La Paz outside and with a fellow Northern Irishman - they had no Guinness so we had to make do with Pacena!
!
The pub is on a side street but you will notice it first and foremost as a backpackers hostel, once inside head up the stairs to the world's highest Irish Pub!
Nestled on a street somewhere in this built up city high into the mountains is the Wild Rover! Incidentally I make a habit of visiting Irish Pubs. I've been in at least one Irish Pub per continent by now, worked in an Irish Pub in 3 continents, been to Ireland's Highest Pub (The Ponderosa) and been the the world's most southern Irish Pub (in Ushuaia).
A lifestyle of travel indeed and I loved every minute of my trip to The Wild Rover - the highest Irish Pub on the planet. Definitely a great place to relax and thanks to Grant the barman for serving me, chatting away, posing for flag photos and providing such awesome music and a fabulous travel experience!
Top of the world to ye!
The pub is at 1476 Comercio Street and doubles up as a backpackers but I didnt stay there. I stayed nearby and popped in for a beer. The First floor of the backpackers includes a friendly, vibrant Irish Pub - The Wild Rover and it is here some 3,000 metres above sea level that you can relax knowing you are indeed in the world's highest Irish Pub.
The Wild Rover is a decent place not just for the pub - you can organise tours from it - to all over Bolivia and indeed they helped book my Salar tour and a few of my buses. I didn't have time to do everything I wanted in La Paz but I found time for a relaxing beer in the world's highest Irish Pub and I stood on the pitch at the world's highest football stadium.
I glanced at the walls of the pub and was pleased to see a picture of Geordie Best on there. He's a Northern Irish hero of mine and he made it up on the wall of the world's highest Irish Pub - I reckon he'd have been proud of that!
I got a must have photo with my Northern Ireland flag - people always forget about us and always think of Ireland as one country. I love levelling things up.
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!!!
Straight away on hearing that I was a fellow County Down man, Grant gives up working behind the bar and comes and joins me for a beer! Imagine that in the highest Irish Pub in the world, drinking with a guy from literally just down the road. At the time, Down had just reached the All Ireland (Gaelic Football Final) and we spoke about that amongst other things, so Grant dashes out and grabs his County Down top! Red and Black with "An Dun" written on it. Behind the bar a range of UK and Irish products including Milky Way and the Southern Irish Tayto. Much prefer the Northern Irish ones, myself!
I also met a girl from Dublin in there - a Liverpool fan and we were sat watching a live European match between Liverpool and Utrecht!
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!
Not only is it the highest Irish Pub on the planet, but it's a pretty lively, crazy Irish Pub too. Dancing on the tables and bar, mild nudity, fancy dress, pouring bottles down your neck. This is a place to forget how high up you are, forget the outside world and leave your inhibitions at home. Party hard!
Grant and I said a Slainte and Cheers - it was fabulous to have a beer so high up away from the crazy city of La Paz outside and with a fellow Northern Irishman - they had no Guinness so we had to make do with Pacena!
!
The pub is on a side street but you will notice it first and foremost as a backpackers hostel, once inside head up the stairs to the world's highest Irish Pub!
Nestled on a street somewhere in this built up city high into the mountains is the Wild Rover! Incidentally I make a habit of visiting Irish Pubs. I've been in at least one Irish Pub per continent by now, worked in an Irish Pub in 3 continents, been to Ireland's Highest Pub (The Ponderosa) and been the the world's most southern Irish Pub (in Ushuaia).
A lifestyle of travel indeed and I loved every minute of my trip to The Wild Rover - the highest Irish Pub on the planet. Definitely a great place to relax and thanks to Grant the barman for serving me, chatting away, posing for flag photos and providing such awesome music and a fabulous travel experience!
Top of the world to ye!
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To read more stuff like the highest Irish Pub on the planet head to Jonny Blair's excellent website about a lifestyle of travel for more travel stories and tips.
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