Emerging from under the bridge and reaching the top of
the slope beyond, I was startled by a sign that came into view.
It was a shamrock! What on earth was it doing there? And
what was it for? Near the sign I came to a store and gasped
in astonishment ? The Shamrock Irish Pub, Novosibirsk.
Draft Guinness on tap right in the middle of Siberia. This
was truly a miracle.
All I could think was that a reward for my having cycled
this far had miraculously floated down to earth from heaven.
I was saved. (It is believed that the closer you are to the
Guinness brewery in Dublin, the fresher and hence more
delicious the Guinness is. This is a fact. Novosibirsk was
about half way between Osaka and Dublin and I can confirm
the Novosibirsk Guinness is about twice as delicious as the
Guinness in Osaka. I cycled there so I should know.)
(from "Against the Wind" - Poolbeg Press)