Pubs and bars are always a feature of travel books. Many are dreary and functional (the worst I've come across were in Norway and the outports of Newfoundland). But some stand out.
In Heidelberg, the old 16th century student pubs often have a pianist and a sing-song; at the Shire River Hotel (Malawi), the bar was invaded every night by hippos; meanwhile, there are a couple of places in Havana, Cuba, that mix drinks just as they did in Hemingway's day (although without the punch-up).
But this bar is one of the most endearing of all. It's called the Dakota Bar, and can be found deep in the grasslands of the Rupununi (Guyana) at Rockview near Annai.
It's not only the place to meet cowboys and adventurers, it's also the waiting room for passing planes. What's more, it sells all you need for a life in the long grass; rum, bras, single cigarettes, cutlasses and ‘Anglo’ spam.
