Some of you reading this may not be familiar with ‘Movember’ and wonder why, during the month of November, men suddenly start to grow hairy top lips. (Apparently the rumours are not true that some women also do the same.)
Well, Movember was started in Melbourne, Australia in 2003 with the aim of highlighting men’s health issues, particularly prostate and testicular cancer as well as mental health. Along with the moustaches, this independent charity has grown and is now a global charity raising funds in twenty-one countries.
With this background, four “mouskateers”, or Mo Bros as they’re officially known, from Competa decided to give it a go. So clean shaven on 1st November, Stevie T, Napster, Andy and me packed away the razors and shaving foam for the month and the challenge was on.
What style of Mo would we go for? Stevie T and I decided we’d try the droopy style of the trucker Mo whilst Andy and Napster for the Tom Selleck Magnum PI look. Let the growing commence.
Whilst the Mo’s started to grow we decided it would be a good idea to try and draw attention to the cause with a local event. As we were becoming proper men for a month with our manly Mo’s, (some more manly than others, I hasten to add), what better way to show our macho credentials than a bar crawl around the bars of Competa. Bring it on – hic!
So starting at mid-day on a Saturday in November, the route was to take in a total of 20 bars – Venta de Palma, Bar David, Bar Chicos, Vendimia, Eloy’s Bar, Las Gemelas, La Casona, Pericos, La Cantina, Oscars, Bar Fernan, Museo del Vino, Alicat, Teteria, Esquina de Miguel, Alfonsos, Bar Lorena, Bar Estrella, Hotel Balcon and Siddhartha for much needed food. So we didn’t forget where we were going as the day/night wore on, Napster had the route printed on his t-shirt for good measure.
The rules were simple, we had to have a tubo in every bar, no more no less. As we started out at Venta de Palma we looked like something from a YMCA reunion drink and were joined by Dave, Ron, Pat and Billy. As we went on our merry way we were joined at various points by the odd supporter to share a couple of beers in a few of the bars, such as Isidro from Las Gemelas. Naturally, as the day rolled on, so did we and we lost a few on route as Pat and Ron fell off the wagon, so to speak, at Esquina de Miguels. Billy also did his fair share of random falling over, down the steps to Alicat as well as on route from Miguels to Bar Lorena. It’s fair to say by that time we were all fairly merry men, but you could see in Billy’s eyes he was done. He was like a boxer on the ropes whose legs were gone, eyes glazed but somehow he hung on in there. Like a small sapling gently blowing in the wind.
Bar Estrella was officially the last bar and the challenge was completed with a final tubo giving a total beer consumption of 10 litres each in as many hours. What better way to celebrate than with, erm, a drink, of course. A bottle of Alhambra Verde at 6.4% proof was the order of the day and the challenge was complete. A final celebratory pizza at Siddhartha and just one for the road and that was it. Stevie T decided to make his “one for the road” a swig of limoncello from the bottle.
I’m pleased to say that as well as having sore heads for the cause we also raised over £600 through the Movember website as well as the odd donation made locally. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to our Mo efforts and to all the bars we frequented for their understanding and much needed sustenance on route. The Mo’s have now gone as have the sore heads but they may return again next November. Washtch thish shpashe – hic!
