In a few months the city of Reykjavik will be the recipient of that most cherished of EVE activities, the Hot Drop. This March thousands of eager EVE faithful will gather to meet and mingle with friends of foes alike, talk serious spaceships, and most importantly, drink themselves silly. The pub crawl is a great chance to get to know both your fellow players and the DEVs and should not be missed. I caught up with CCP Ruffige who is a PR Specialist for CCP and a native Icelander. He was kind enough to share some information about this most magical event.
The pub crawl will begin around 8:00 PM and continue as long as there are pilots with the fortitude to left to raise another glass. There are fifteen different bars involved with the event. Pilots will be divided into several groups with each group being given a route which include four to six locations. The ancient legends speak of a grand hero who will one-day sample all fifteen bars in a single night. Perhaps this will be the year the legendary hero will reveal him or herself. CCP Guard is said to be the best drinker among the DEVs so those pilots who fancy themselves to be stalwart partiers should put his metal to the test.
It is important when traveling to show respect for the local culture and traditions of the host nation. The national drink of Iceland is a schnapps known as Brennivín, also called “Black Death.” It is made from fermented grain or potato mash and flavored with caraway and cumin. Failing to sample this delicious treat while in Iceland is like going to Scotland and not sampling some single malt. You may never forgive yourself. If you are looking for local dishes to pair with your Brennivín, may I suggest some Hákarl or Svið. Should you over-do the evening’s drinking here is a handy phrase to remember. “Mér þykir þetta mjög leitt með skóna þína, ég vona að þú náir þessu af””
If the morning finds you suffering the agonies of a hangover, the traditional Icelandic cure for this is “Ein með öllu” at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. This will see you served up with a hot dog with everything. You can also ask for a “Clinton” which gets you hot dog in a bun, with mustard only. The dish is named after President Bill Clinton who, to Icelanders dismay, refused to go for the traditional “One with everything” when he visited this Reykjavik landmark a few years back. Apparently, Icelanders freakin’ love hotdogs! I guess when option B is fermented shark meat or a sheep’s head some tubular mystery meat buried in condiments might not be such a bad choice. Remember, that which does not kill you, makes you stronger and pain is just weakness leaving the body.
Fanfest is certainly a bucket list item for all true EVE loyalists and the pub crawl should be a significant part of every pilot’s Fanfest experience. Sadly, I will not be able to attend this year’s as my tendency to run a personal pub crawl on a nightly basis keeps my wallet empty. I look forward to hearing and watching the goings on and I am certain my fellow pilots will represent us all with honor.
Your drinking buddy,
Rupert
