When I first came to this country I was amazed that you could walk into a deserted bar on a Friday or Saturday night, which is a time when bars in Scotland are always packed, even the crap ones. In fact we often struggled to find somewhere to sit - it was always "standing room only". Here you can walk into a bar in California at 7pm on a Friday night and it looks like this. I've seen more atmosphere in the inside of a refrigerator.
This is the San Jose Dive Bar, also known as the San Jose empty bar. I can't believe this place makes money. I doubt if the Wednesday Karaoke makes any difference. Maybe it fills up on a Friday just as I leave.
At one level, I'm glad Americans drink less than Scottish people. I think maybe alcohol is the curse of the Celtic nations, it's caused us a lot of trouble. But to see a bar like this on a Friday night, in a city of almost a million, when the downtown only has around 4 bars. Surely some mistake?
I thought the city looked nice tonight though. I like these "half in sunlight" shots. I must find out what that old tower like building is.
I like the "Knight Ridder" building too. It always reminds me of that '70's cop show - "Knight Rider". But Knight Ridder were, I believe, two guys who bought that local paper, the "San Jose Mercury" and made a ton of money and thus have their name up on a big building here.
The "San Jose Bar and Grill" was marginally more exciting, a relative term. But it was full of people shouting and randomly clapping their hands at this strange sport on the huge tellys that seem to fill American bars. I'm very noise sensitive so I find this behaviour very annoying.
This bar is near the light rail line, you can see a train outside through the window in this shot.
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