analogconvert13

By analogconvert13

An Sibin. Lumix M4/3 20mm

A couple of weeks ago, my Editor and I felt a need to go out in search of a salt-an'-grease dinner, the consequence of having too many cucumber and lettuce salads...  M's research led us to a little Irish pub not far from where we work in Cambridge.  They have tons of gluten-free items on their menu, including sweet potato fries....  There was nothing further to think about, and we went, and had a slap-up, totally unhealthy feast. 
As we were walking towards the place, I noticed the name.  Now, back in South Africa, a shebeen was a place, usually run by African women, where people could go and have an illicit, home-brewed African beer.  The American equivalent from the Prohibition period, I suppose, would be a Speakeasy.  So imagine my surprise to find that sibin is a Gaelic word used to describe exactly what a shebeen is - an illicit booze house.  I'd always imagined that shebeen was a vernacular South African word derived from an African language.  Etymology is surprising like that.
Today, of course, is St. Patrick's Day, and what more appropriate Blip could there be than An Sibin?  I swung by after work to grab a few shots.  But how could there not be anything emerald-colored on this day?  I remembered that the color scheme of the pub, surprisingly, did not include a drop of green.  So, before I left work, I cast my eye around and noticed a suitable emerald green lock on somebody's locker.  Here it is in the Extra, green content requirement met.

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