Skip to main content

Trailing the Beatles around Liverpool

It is no secret that I am a huge Beatles fan.  I fell under their spell when I first laid eyes on them on the Ed Sullivan show on February 9, 1964 and that feeling will be with me until I shuffle off this mortal coil.   So it was no surprise that my travels would take me back to Liverpool..I say back as this is my fourth or fifth trip to the 'Pool.  The last trip was a long time ago in 1994....When my family invited me up to Yorkshire for the weekend of Martch 6th I thought it would be the perfect place to go in between that and Cornwall the previous week. 

I had been wanting to do the 10km Beatles walk for years so on Tuesday March 3rd I set off from my digs in Birkenhead where I was staying with my airbnb hosts Anne and Steve. 

I set off from Liverpool Lime Street station and no sooner had I walked two minutes then a huge gust of wind snatched my instruction sheets out of my hand and they flew across two lands of traffic and into the grounds of Great George Hall...I managed to get across to get it and finally set off...clutching those papers very tightly! 


First stop was 6 Stanley Street, birthplace of Brian Epstein, mgr of the Beatles without whom....I said "Thank you Brian" and a fellow standing paying his respects as well heard me and told me about some other places to go such as the St James gardens outside of the Anglican cathedral and we chatted about music, etc.  An interesting encounter. 


Anglican cathedral - Paul tried out for their choir as a child but failed the audition but he has worked with them since

Suitcases Sculpture just down the road from LIPA  



Paul and George attended this school and now it is the Liverpool Performing Arts school co-founded by Paul
 
Flat where John and Cynthia Lennon lived after they married

Replica of the Cavern Club at the Beatles Story

John's Imagine piano at the Beatles Story
 
I had visited the Beatles story over 20 years ago so thought I'd give it another try.  It was interesting enough but I wouldn't bother going again.  I saw one glaring mistake so I am sure there were others...
 
The Albert Dock area has really come a long way since I was there and I enjoyed my time there.  A couple of days later I went back to the area and visited the Museum of Liverpool (dark bldg on left below) and it was outstanding. 
 

 



It was time to head over to the cavern but on the way I walked by the Royal Liver Building and the beautiful Town Hall...so first let's say hi to some Super lambananas.  The idea came from a Japanese artist who combined a lamb and banana - both prevalent items in the Liverpool docks at one time.  In 2008 many more were created to celebrate Liverpool as a city of culture.  They were dotted all over the city and then auctioned off.  You can still see a few around.  Reading the background online they were deemed as controversial and I can only imagine the reaction in Liverpool where no holds are barred and they say what they think.  Truth be told I could not warm up to them but dutifully took pictures anyway....


With the Liver building and Cunard bldg behind...


The Royal Liver Building - symbol of Liverpool.  Built in 1911 and the tallest building in Europe at the time

Liverpool's Town Hall dates from 1749
I soon found myself on Matthew Street - home of the Cavern where the Beatles played in the early 60's.....and that is where my walk of the Beatles haunts ended.  For that day anyway....more to come!







Eleanor Rigby sculpture at the end of Mathew St

 
 
 





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Peeing on fish or a fish out of water

Well this morning we headed off by boat to Siem Reap.  Due to the low water on the Tonie Sap Lake (more like a river until near the end of the trip when it widened considerably) the trip would be an 8 hour one... It was supposed to be boring but ended up as anything but...in no certain order...let's see.... We had a rest stop (turned out to be the only one) along the way and the loo was just a hole over the lake and there were fish circling around underneath.  Yes it was just a hole in the floor...you definitely had someone watch your stuff while you went in or one false move and your camera/purse or whatever would be in the lake.  The fish either like the warm pee coming in or they are pervs and like to see ladies parts.  We were just a few minutes out when all of a sudden there was something flying over me and jumping all over the floor - a little fish!  Guess he wanted to join the tour.  Roger reached down and scooped him up while I hooted and hollered.  Okay it wasn&#
Post a Comment
Read more

A walk along the coffin trail (and a couple of lakes) in the Lake District

While in the Lake District I wanted to do some light walking but not heavy duty hiking where I could easily get lost and my body not found for days partially eaten by hungry...sheep?  Anyway, you get the drift...not too grueling and safe for a solo walker.  I get a bit nervous when I am too far from civilization. There are lots of books about walking in the Lake District but they seem to be all about walking the fells in remote places...neither Thelma nor I fancied that.  While browsing in the post office/shop in Ambleside one day (if you are ever in Ambleside you must go there - a treasure!) I found a stand of walk descriptions on post cards.  And there I found my walk.  After all who could resist a stroll on the "coffin trail" in William Wordsworth country... I took a look and thought hmm...cafe along the route...that works for me. (with at least the security of knowing there was an available "loo" along the way.)  Okay, I may not have totally followed the
Post a Comment
Read more

The highlights of my Fall 2023 trip

I'm back home after a great six weeks away. This was a "short" trip for me.  So here we go with an overview of my trip.   London London for me is always a good idea.  I fell in love with it back in the mid 70's and it's been calling me back ever since. Some of the best things in my life have happened in London.  When I learned my two Oz friends Loraine and Linda were going to be in London in the fall I knew I had to be there.  And what fun we had!!  Of course, I did loads of other things as well.  I spent two weeks there from mid September until very early October and then back again for four nights at the end of October before flying home.   After over five years (delayed for two and a half years thanks to Covid) of walking, I finally finished the 126 km Capital Ring.  The picture above is taken at the end of my walk and where I started in May of 2018 at the main door of Streatham Common station just steps from my B and B.  What a walk!  I got to see so much more
Post a Comment
Read more