Virgin Pina Colada, Every New City (VPC ENC) Nearly 4 Decades - IMRAN™ The first ever Virgin Pina Colada I had was in Frankfurt, in then-called West Germany. It was during my first ever visit abroad from Pakistan. I was 24 years old. I was a guest of the West German government as a young but influential journalist and business manager at The Jang Media Group. I’m grateful that my friend & mentor, and also then-boss, media tycoon Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman helped make that happen. The city of Frankfurt was basically asleep with all shops and stores apparently closed by 6 pm. I was too excited to wait for the next day to be chaperoned around town. I set off exploring the city with the typical basic one-sheet overview map from the hotel lobby. I walked around for hours and miles. Or kilometers to be more metric-ally correct. It was a surprisingly hopping dance club that I stumbled upon on a dark street late at night. I was savoring the high-energy music and people-watching. The bartender, who by coincidence was a young Pakistani-German, asked me what I wanted to drink. I replied that I didn’t drink alcohol. We got into a conversation as did his work too. Later he insisted on making me a virgin pina colada on the house. Appearing to be a solo tourist in a new city, in a new country, even a new continent to me, I was also wary of the risks of being drugged and robbed. So I was very careful in watching every movement around me. Interestingly the bartender also didn’t drink. He even showed me how the drink was made to adjust for the alcohol not added to it. He then served it to me in a large beautiful glass with all the fixings. Pineapple slices, cherry, beautiful & colorful paper umbrella, and a long-burning sparkler. The drink was almost too beautiful to want to drink and finish. But I did. And it was absolutely delicious. Since then, I have tried to have a virgin pina colada in every new city I have been to. I have done that for the last nearly four decades. This was the one I ordered poolside at the Marriott Beachside Resort in my first ever visit to Key West in the Florida Keys last weekend. It was decent, even above average. But I can’t complain as it complimentary. More importantly, it continued the tradition I’ve been blessed to have in my life…. VPC ENC. Virgin Pina Colada, Every New City. Thanks to my once-met bartender friend from Frankfurt who got me hooked on the beverage in 1987…. Cheers! © 1987-2024 IMRAN™ #KeyWest #WestGermany #Florida #FloridaKeys #IMRAN #VirginPinaColada #travelogue #autobiography #travel #foodie #beverages #drinks #traditions #seaside #beachVirgin Pina Colada, Every New City (VPC ENC) Nearly 4 Decades - IMRAN™ The first ever Virgin Pina Colada I had was in Frankfurt, in then-called West Germany. It was during my first ever visit abroad from Pakistan. I was 24 years old. I was a guest of the West German government as a young but influential journalist and business manager at The Jang Media Group. I’m grateful that my friend & mentor, and also then-boss, media tycoon Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman helped make that happen. The city of Frankfurt was basically asleep with all shops and stores apparently closed by 6 pm. I was too excited to wait for the next day to be chaperoned around town. I set off exploring the city with the typical basic one-sheet overview map from the hotel lobby. I walked around for hours and miles. Or kilometers to be more metric-ally correct. It was a surprisingly hopping dance club that I stumbled upon on a dark street late at night. I was savoring the high-energy music and people-watching. The bartender, who by coincidence was a young Pakistani-German, asked me what I wanted to drink. I replied that I didn’t drink alcohol. We got into a conversation as did his work too. Later he insisted on making me a virgin pina colada on the house. Appearing to be a solo tourist in a new city, in a new country, even a new continent to me, I was also wary of the risks of being drugged and robbed. So I was very careful in watching every movement around me. Interestingly the bartender also didn’t drink. He even showed me how the drink was made to adjust for the alcohol not added to it. He then served it to me in a large beautiful glass with all the fixings. Pineapple slices, cherry, beautiful & colorful paper umbrella, and a long-burning sparkler. The drink was almost too beautiful to want to drink and finish. But I did. And it was absolutely delicious. Since then, I have tried to have a virgin pina colada in every new city I have been to. I have done that for the last nearly four decades. This was the one I ordered poolside at the Marriott Beachside Resort in my first ever visit to Key West in the Florida Keys last weekend. It was decent, even above average. But I can’t complain as it complimentary. More importantly, it continued the tradition I’ve been blessed to have in my life…. VPC ENC. Virgin Pina Colada, Every New City. Thanks to my once-met bartender friend from Frankfurt who got me hooked on the beverage in 1987…. Cheers! © 1987-2024 IMRAN™ #KeyWest #WestGermany #Florida #FloridaKeys #IMRAN #VirginPinaColada #travelogue #autobiography #travel #foodie #beverages #drinks #traditions #seaside #beach

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