When traveling through the misty countryside of Ireland, we decided that we were a bit parched.  So a pint sounded good.  Luckily we were near the town of Kilkenny.  Upon arriving in the town, the rain started to come down so it seemed like an even better idea to stop in the pub for a pint.  We found an interesting church that just happened to have a pub next to it so it seemed like a good idea to stop there and wait for the rain to stop. 

Upon arriving my travel companion, Aaron, struggled to get his wet, pull-over wind jacket since I had successfully retracted myself from mine, I asked what he wanted to drink. 

As I walked up to the bar, I noticed that the pub was full of very crotchety old men who looked as though they had been living there for years.  Now at this point I was used to locals looking at us as if we were aliens coming to attack their village.  The place reeked of regulars so they knew when there was a stranger amongst them.  As I walked up to the bar to order, there were several small TVs hung above the bar with the latest or at least to them, Montel Williams. 

I must step back to when I left Aaron wrestling his jacket.  He had heard one of the older gentleman make the comment, "what is the world coming to when the ladies start ordering and buying the drink".  I didn't hear this comment only Aaron did.

Meanwhile back at the bar, I have been standing there for awhile waiting to order our drinks.  Clearly, the bartender has seen me many times but has not proceeded to take my order.  As I wait, I finally catch his eye which he cannot deny serving me.  He comes over and I tell him our order.  As he pours our drinks, an older man sitting at the bar gets up in a huff and grumbles out the door.  Not really thinking this is a big deal, I ignore the man.  As the bartender comes back with my drinks, he leans over and says to me.  "You know that this is is a gentleman's bar".  You have not only broken the code by coming into to the bar instead of the ladies lounge on the side there but you also order the drinks for you  and your gentlemen friend but you also bought them. 

Wow, I didn't even think about that.  Its no big deal for the ladies to buy a round back home.  As I looked around the bar again, I did notice the heavily populated male bar room and noticed a sign to the left that said Ladies Lounge.  I went to the lounge and felt like a shunned leper.

Hurriedly I drank up my drink and got out of there. Not because I was scared or uncomfortable but the fact that I was ignorant not knowing I was not allowed in the bar.  I hate to be the tourist that sticks out but that day I stuck out like a sore thumb.

Moral of the story is to pay attention to the culture of the country you travel to and what might be okay in the big cities will not be okay in the smaller villages you might visit.