Posts

Our last day in Liverpool (and England) has arrived.

To end out trip on a high note, we went on a tour of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s childhood homes in Liverpool.  Our group split up into two groups, with my group going to John’s home, known as Mendips, first.

John lived with his Aunt Mimi at 251 Menlove Ave. in Woolton, South Liverpool.  While John’s mother was still alive, she was not in the best position to care for John, so he moved in with Aunt Mimi when he was just five years old.

As soon as we arrived at Mendips, it was apparent that Mendips was a nice house, especially for 60’s Liverpool.  While not very big, our tour guide informed us that Aunt Mimi took great pride in Mendips, which was very apparent as we walked through the house.

We learned all about John’s life at Mendips, where he would write his first songs, meet up with Paul (whom Aunt Mimi was wary of at first), and more.  It was so fascinating to see how John Lennon lived growing up and be able to stand in the home that he spent so much time in.

Mendips – John Lennon’s childhood home

After John’s house, we moved on to Paul’s house.  Paul’s home, which he moved to after the death of his mother, was located at 20 Forthlin Rd.  It was much smaller and in a poorer area of Liverpool compared to John’s house.  This was why Aunt Mimi was wary of John hanging out with Paul at first; she wasn’t sure if he would be a good influence on her nephew.  But Paul and his gentlemanly ways was quickly able to win Aunt Mimi over, and Paul and John quickly became close friends, riding their bikes to and from each others’ homes.

It was at Paul’s childhood home that the Beatles got their true start.  You would often find them here meeting and working on songs together, and Paul wrote all of his first songs on his piano in the living room.  It was really cool to be able to see where Paul grew up, especially in comparison to John, and walk through a home that had so much to do with the early days of the Beatles.

Paul McCartney’s childhood home

We then went on the Mona Best’s Casbah Coffee Club.  Mona Best, the mother of Pete Best, the Beatles original drummer, created the Casbah Club in the basement of their home so that her sons would have a place to meet with friends and listen to music.  Thus it was that the Beatles played here a lot in their early days.  They even helped Mona paint the ceiling in the club.

Mona Best’s Casbah Coffee Club

Ceiling at the Casbah Club painted by the Beatles

After the tour, we went back to the hotel to regroup before our last group dinner of the trip.  We went to a local Mediterranean restaurant in Liverpool, and then finished the night off (once again) at the Cavern Club.  This was a really bittersweet moment, as we were all dancing and singing along to the great music at the club, but knew that this was our last night together in England.  It was such a memorable night!

Last night at the Cavern Club

Tomorrow we will fly back the States.  This trip was such an amazing experience for me.  I have now officially been oversees, and I learned so much about England, the British Invasion, music, the Beatles, and so much more.  I will never forget my time spent here in England!

Today we went on a Magical Mystery tour bus of the different sites important to the Beatles around Liverpool.

We drove around Liverpool for two hours, stopping at sites such as Penny Lane, Strawberry fields, and St. Peter’s Church where Paul first met John, who was performing at the church’s annual Garden Fete.  Near the church was the grave of Elinor Rigby (though not the actual Elinor Rigby from the song, but still pretty cool.) It was really cool to get to see in person all of the sites that placed such a big role in the Beatles’ lives, and stand in the same spots that they did when these events were originally unfolding.

Penny Lane street sign

Picture at Strawberry Fields

The grave of Elinor Rigby

Normally the Magical Mystery Bus tour lasts for two hours, but Dave Jones extended the tour specifically for our group, which was awesome.  As a part of our extended tour, we went to the Quarry Bank School.  John Lennon attended this school as a teenager, and here he formed a skiffle group called the “Quarrymen” that would eventually become the Beatles.  It was with the Quarry Men that John was performing when he first met Paul, so this school really set things in motion for the Beatles.

At Quarry Bank, we were able to see yearbooks and pictures of John, and hear stories about his troublesome ways from Alum who knew him. It was so cool to be able to hear personal accounts of what John was like in his school days. We even got to see the uniforms that the students would have worn during the 60’s; some in our group even tried them on, which was pretty funny to see.  We also were given a special musical performance by a student at the school, which was so much fun!

John Lennon’s class at Quarry Bank High School for Boys

The Quarrymen – performing at the Garden Fete at St. Peter’s Church

After the extended Magical Mystery Tour was over, we all went back to the Cavern Club for another talk from Dave Jones.  He told us all about the business side of running the Cavern Club and the tourism industry associated with it.  He gave us some invaluable advice about following your passions and never giving up, as people originally thought he was crazy trying to start a tourism industry focused on the Beatles and the Cavern Club.  Through his persistence, he was able to make the Cavern and its associated tourism ventures (like the Magical Mystery Tour and the Hard Days Night Hotel) a success, and we all could learn a lot from his principles as a businessman.

Back room of the Cavern where we had our lecture with Dave Jones

Once again, we finished off the day listening to some group music at the Cavern club.  So far, I have learned a lot about the Beatles while here in Liverpool than I ever thought I would!  It has been a great experience so far!

Today was our first full day in Liverpool.

We started out the day with Tim and the manager of the Cavern Club, Dave Jones, giving us a talk about all that goes on behind the scenes in running a music venue.  It was really interesting to hear Dave’s first hand experience in running the Cavern Club and making it into the successful business it is today.

After the lecture, we visited three different museums around Liverpool.  The first was the Liverpool Museum, where we got to learn about all the important aspects to Liverpool’s culture, including the half lamb half banana sculptures that can be seen around the city, and their extremely loyal football alliances.

View of the Royal Liver Building from the Liverpool Museum

Super Lambanana statue in the Liverpool Museum

The second museum we visited was the International Slavery Museum.  I had no idea how key of a role Liverpool played in the international slave trade. It was very powerful to view the different artifacts and stories of the people who were subjected to the horrors of the slave trade.  The lower level of the Maritime museum, where the National Slavery Museum is located, had a Titanic exhibit.  Once again, I had no idea the important role Liverpool had in the Titanic’s doomed voyage, since Liverpool was once a very important sea port to America.

Maritime Museum – location of the International Slavery Museum

The third and final museum we visited was The Beatles’ Story.  This museum was dedicated solely to the life of the Beatles.  It took us through the stages of their career as a band in chronological order, incorporating their music into interactive exhibits.  It was a really fun museum, and I really enjoyed the audio and music that went along with each part of the exhibit and the interesting perspective that it added.

We finished the day at the Cavern Club, where we got to listen to a variety of musicians perform live music.  It was a lot of fun!

Today was the day we left London for Liverpool!  While many people were looking forward to this part of the trip the most, as this is the Beatles heavy portion of the trip, I absolutely love London and was sorry to leave the vibrant city behind.  But more adventures await in Liverpool!

We took a bus to Liverpool, and on our way there, we made a stop at Oxford University.  Oxford University is the oldest English speaking university in existence, and the second-oldest surviving university.  There is so much history associated with the University, and I have always wanted to visit!

When we first arrived at Oxford, we stopped at the Eagle and Child pub, where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to meet and share ideas.  I, being a huge Lord of the Rings fan, may have geeked out over this way more than I should have.

Eagle and Child Pub

Anyways, Philippa’s alma mater is Oxford, so she was able to show us around the university and give us a lot of insight into the everyday life of the students there! It was very interesting to hear how different Oxford is from colleges in America.  I think it would be so amazing to be able to go to school there, where so many influential people have gone before!

The buildings and grounds were so beautiful, even on such a gloomy day.  It almost added to the “Oxford experience” while we were there, as we were able to experience the typical weather of Oxford.  Philipa led us around the grounds of the university, showing us the Camera, the cloisters and medieval garden in New College, and even a dining hall typical of the college of Oxford.  Every one of these sites were amazing to see!

The Radcliffe Camera

New College Cloisters

Medieval gardens in New College

Typical Oxford dining hall

After our tour of Oxford, it was time for us to part ways with Philippa, since she wasn’t going on with us to Liverpool.  Everyone was really sad to see her go, as we really grew to love her and admire her wealth of knowledge.  She really added so much value to out time in London, and I will never forget all that she did for us!

Group photo at Oxford with our tour guide, Philippa Owens

When we finally arrived in Liverpool, we checked in to the Hard Days Night Hotel, a Beatles themed hotel right around the corner from the famous Cavern Club.

My bedroom at the Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool – featuring John Lennon and George Harrison

Once we were all settled in at the hotel, we headed around the block to the Cavern Club.  The Beatles played at the Cavern 292 times during their time in Liverpool, and even though the current Cavern is not the original, it was rebuilt using many of its original bricks, and using the exact design as the original building.  So when we entered the Cavern that night, it was exactly like it would have been when the Beatles were playing there.

It just so happened that our first night at the Cavern Club featured the Mersey Beatles, the Beatles cover band, so it really was as if we were at the Cavern back in the 60’s when the Beatles were there.

The Cavern Club

The Mersey Beatles – Beatles cover band

We listened to a lot of great Beatles music for a few hours, and then turned in back at the hotel.  Today was a great but busy day, so we wanted to rest up for our first full day in Liverpool tomorrow!

Today was our last day in London before we head off to Liverpool!

Our first activity of the day was a tour of Parliament.  This way really interesting, as I have always seen the Parliament building and Big Ben on TV, but I never actually knew what it was or what goes on inside.

During our tour, we got to see both the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and learn how their government process works.  It was interesting to see the differences between our own government, especially since we have nothing like the House of Lords (or nobility for that matter.)

Parliament, with the British Flag flying

Parliament’s Westminster Hall

View of Big Ben from Parliament

After our tour of Parliament, we went to the Borough Market to get lunch.  Borough Market is a huge food market in London.  It is actually one of the oldest and largest food markets in London!  It was really fun to walk around and look at the different food stands.  There was so much variety, including food from different countries, as well as other unique foods you wouldn’t normally come across.  I tried my first pork pie while I was there, which was definitely an experience!

Borough Market

After lunch, we walked to St. Paul’s Cathedral, passing the globe theater and crossing Millenni Bridge. St. Paul’s Cathedral, one of the most recognizable buildings in London’s skyline, is an Anglican Cathedral built by Sir Christopher Wren.  It is currently a working church, and prayers are said every hour, which we got to take part in.

Globe Theater

View of St. Paul’s Cathedral from Millennium Bridge

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Philippa strongly encouraged us to climb the stairs to the top of St. Paul’s in order to see the view of London.  Trusting Philippa’s judgment, which had been flawless so far, I decided to go for it, even though climbing 528 steps to the top seemed pretty daunting.

One thing Philippa mentioned when we were about halfway up was that those afraid of heights may not want to climb all the way to the top.  I am absolutely terrified of heights, but since Philippa said the view was so spectacular at the top, I was resolved to go all the way to the top.

It must be mentioned that until this point, the stairs were regular stone stairs, solid and enclosed by walls.  But as soon as we entered the door to go up the stairs to the very top, I quickly realized why Philippa said it might be hard for those afraid of heights.  The stairs were metal lattice stairs, winging up to the very top – and you could see right through them.  But once you start walked up the stairs, you can’t turn back because they are so narrow, so I had to keep going.  I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack and/or pass out, and I was crawling up those stairs at a snail’s pace, eyes glued to the railing lest I start bawling my eyes out from sheer terror.  This sounds like an exaggeration, but I assure you, this is exactly what happened.  Ask anyone in my group; more than one of my friends gave me a very concerned “are you okay?” as were were walking up.

But I was able to make it to the top, despite my (nearly crippling) fear of heights!  How’s that for conquering your fears? (Though I will admit, despite surviving the climb to the top, I remain just as fearful of heights as I was before. *Sigh.*)  I really was glad that I decided to go all the way to the top, because as Philippa said, the view from the dome of St. Paul’s was absolutely breathtaking.  You could see London stretching out in all directions, which was really spectacular to see.

Despite being terrified, I was still able to take a picture!

London Skyline – view from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral

To end the day, everyone in my group went dancing at O’Neil’s, a popular bar chain in London. It was a really fun way to end our time in London!

Our seventh day in London was the first truly rainy day we had on our trip; the fair weather until this day was very unusual for London weather!  We didn’t let the rain stop us from our plans for the day though, and we headed over to the Royal Albert Hall for our first stop of the morning.

Once we arrived at the Royal Albert Hall, we were taken on a tour of the building, and we even got to go into the balcony of the empty theater.  It was really cool to get to see the theater like that!

Royal Albert Hall, opened during the reign of Queen Victoria and named after her husband Prince Albert, is a coliseum style theater, with a stage in the center (in the round) and seating surrounding the stage on all sides.  The theater has held many famous musicians throughout the years, and is well known for its annual Proms concert.  The Beatles themselves played at Royal Albert hall twice in 1963, but performed separate solo shows many times since.  Both of their performances at the Royal Albert Hall were huge moments in their career as a band.

Royal Albert Hall

Once our tour of the Royal Albert Hall was complete, we walked over to Buckingham Palace, as we had not yet seen this famous London site.  It was originally our intention to watch the changing of the guards, but unfortunately it was canceled because of the rain.  We were still able to get some great pictures in front of the gates though!

Outside the gates of Buckingham Palace

After we got lunch, we headed to Westminster Abbey for a tour from our guide Philippa.  This was my favorite site from this day.  The abbey itself is gorgeous, but what amazed me so much was all of the history behind its walls (both figuratively and literally, because many famous British people are buried within the abbey.) Philippa was so knowledgeable  about the abbey and all of its history and inhabitants, and I learned so much from her this day.  It was very powerful to stand over the graves of such important people in history, such as Sir Isaac Newton, which left me especially awestruck since I am an engineering major.  I’m not going to lie, I was also excited to stand in the same place that Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in.

Westminster Abbey

Courtyard garden at Westminster Abbey

Cloisters at Westminster Abbey

After our tour of Westminster Abbey we went to St. Martin in the field to watch a classical music concert.  This was a very nice break from the British Invasion 60’s music we had been focusing so heavily on, and showed us a totally different side to the British music scene.  The talent of the musicians was incredible, and they even played a tribute to us at the end of the concert after they found out we were there, which was really incredible!  It was a great way to end our seventh day in London!

St. Martin in the Fields Church

Today we visited Windsor Castle, the  official home of the Queen.  We took the train to Slough, the closest station to Windsor and Eaton College, the high school that Prince William and Prince Harry (and Eddie Redmayne) attended.

Once we arrived, we walked through the charming town surrounding Windsor to pick up our tickets, and Philippa then took us into the grounds of Windsor.

We parted ways with Philippa after seeing St. George’s Chapel, since tour guides with large groups aren’t allowed in certain places in order to keep the flow of people moving.

We continued on throughout Windsor Castle on our own, guided by an audio tour.  It was really very informative, and we got to see many cool rooms like the room dedicated to the Order of the Garter, the State Apartments, Queen Mary’s Doll House, and more.

Windsor Castle is the oldest castle still occupied in the world, and the history was so tangible throughout each of the rooms.  You could even see personal design touches that each monarch added to the rooms when they were in power.

After the tour of Windsor was over, we walked around the grounds a little more, looking at the beautiful gardens surrounding the castle.

Gardens at Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

After lunch, we met back up with Philippa, and took a brief trip down to Eaton.  We couldn’t see much of it, but Philippa told us all about the history of the college, which was very interesting.  One thing that stood out to me was that Eaton, which would be considered a really prestigious private school in America, is actually called a public school in England.  Likewise, public schools in England are known as State schools.  I always think it is so cool learning about the little differences between us and England.  Many things are so similar, and yet there are so many differences as well.

Eaton College

Once we took the train back from Windsor and Eaton, a group of us went to a Fish and Chips place that Philippa recommended, called the Rock and Sole Plaice.   As Philippa told us, you need to buy fish and chips from an actual fish and chips restaurant, preferably one that you can take away your food.  A pub just won’t cut it.  After eating at Rock and Sole Plaice, I can tell you that Philippa was absolutely correct – the fish and chips were fantastic!

After dinner, we went to see our second show in London, Memphis.  I had actually seen Memphis a few years ago in New York City, but I was really looking forward to seeing it again and with a different cast.

Memphis is a great musical.  It tells the story of the rise of “race music” among young audiences, led by a fictional radio DJ and his soul-singing girlfriend.  The music was so energetic, and the whole audience was moved by the incredible emotion throughout the show.

Memphis

Today was the day we got to see the Queen!

By some incredible luck, the week we were in London just happened to be the week that the Queen opened Parliament!  When the Queen opens Parliament, it is a huge affair.  The streets are closed, and hundreds of people line them to watch the Queen and her entourage process down the road.

We got there pretty early to get front row views, and got to watch all of the activity proceeding the Queen’s arrival.  The iconic soldiers in their red uniforms and big black hats marched down the streets while a band played, and other important officials marched by on horses.  Member of Parliament drove by in their cars.  We even got to see Ambassadors from different countries and judges in their huge white wigs!

All lined up to see the Queen!

About fifteen minutes before the Queen arrived, her crown actually arrived first, which is tradition for such events.  It was transported in its own carriage to Parliament, which was really cool to see.  We had just seen the crown at the Tower of London, so to see it outside, in its own carriage nonetheless, was really amazing.  You could see in sparkling all the way down the street!

Finally, the carriages carrying the royals started to arrive.  First came Prince Charles and Camilla, and then finally the Queen herself.  Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip rode by in an ornate carriage drawn by six horses, waving to the people as they passed.  They were so lovely together!

I still can’t believe that I got to see the Queen of England, it was something that I never thought I would do!

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip

After the parade was over we were invited to Philippa’s house for lunch.  Philippa was so amazing and welcoming to make lunch for us after seeing the Queen, and it was so nice to spend some time with her at her home.

My favorite part had to be Philippa’s garden!  After grabbing my lunch, I walked through the back door, only to find the most amazing English garden tucked away behind her house.  It was absolutely beautiful, and Philippa told us that she did it all herself!

As I mentioned before, gardens are my happy place, and I certainly felt like I would die of happiness relaxing in Philippa’s garden, enjoying a nice lunch and afternoon.  I was really so grateful for Philippa, for inviting us into her wonderful home!

Philippa’s beautiful garden

Rose bushes at Philippa’s

After lunch, we went to the Royal Opera house.  I was really excited for this, since I am a huge fan of the Royal Opera, and the Royal Ballet in particular.

It was so cool to see behind the scenes at the Opera House.  Learning all about how they transported their sets and moved them on and off stage was so interesting to me, especially since my major deals so much with process efficiency.  The Royal Opera certainly has their efficiency perfected, as they must to put on such elaborate shows!

My favorite part had to be seeing the dancers lounge and studios.  I absolutely love ballet, and the Royal Ballet is an amazing ballet company, so I was so excited to see their gorgeous studios and their behind the scenes life.  We even saw dancers walking around and preparing for their rehearsal, and I am not ashamed to admit that I kind of geeked out over them.

I kind of wish we got to see more on the tour of the Royal Opera House, but considering all of the rehearsals taking place, I was happy with what we were able to see (and of course, the dancers!!) Overall, I had a great time seeing the Royal Opera house.

Royal Opera House

This concluded our activities for the day, so we got dinner at Nando’s and then turned in early for the night.  What an amazing day!

We started out today by visiting the National Gallery, the art museum in London.  Being an avid art enthusiast and art history lover, I was really excited to get to visit the National Gallery.

Unfortunately, upon arrival we learned that most of the museum was closed (and would remain closed for the next ten days) due to a strike.  I was pretty bummed out, but luckily we still got to see some exhibits that were still open, including the impressionist exhibit, which is always one of my favorites in any art museum.

They even had a version of Da Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks.  I did not realize until than that Da Vinci had actually created a second version of the famous painting, the first of which hangs in the Louvre in Paris.  Da Vinci didn’t quite finish the second painting himself, but it was still incredible to see.  Pictures of the painting do not do it justice.  In person, you could really see the contrast of the dark and light, and the luminous faces of the figures depicted glowing out from the canvas.  It was really very beautiful.

National Gallery

The Japanese Bridge, Claude Monet 1899

After we were done exploring the National Gallery, we met to have lunch in the crypt of St. Martin in the Fields, a beautiful church located near the National Gallery.  We will actually be seeing a classical music concert in the church later on this week, which I am really looking forward to.

The crypts of St. Martin in the Fields

After lunch, we went on….to Abbey Road!  This was the site of the famous picture on the cover of the Abbey Road album, where John, Paul, George, and Ringo crossed the street in single file, strides perfectly matched up, with the road extending on in the background.

We spent at least an hour running back and forth across the road, through heavy traffic, to get to perfect recreations of this famous picture.

Once we were all satisfied with our attempts (and tired of almost being run over by the oncoming traffic), we stopped by the nearby Abbey Road studios, where we signed our names, and Paul McCartney’s home in London.  Paul wasn’t there, of course, but it was still cool to see!

Abbey Road

After Abbey Road, we had some free time, so we went to King’s Cross to take our pictures at Platform 9 and 3/4.  Harry Potter was a huge part of my childhood, so I was so excited to take at the iconic location.  When it was my turn, I donned by Ravenclaw house scarf, and enthusiastically pretended to push the cart through the wall, just like Harry did in the movie.  It was definitely my nerd moment of the day 🙂

Platform 9 and 3/4

After King’s Cross, a few of us ran all around London in search of an elusive shop, and spent nearly two hours trying to navigate the streets of London with only our map.  How did people manage before gps and google?! Despite the struggle, this experience was actually very fun, and I would highly recommend getting lost in London yourself, if you are ever there!

Exhausted and feet aching, we took the bus to the theater where we were to see out first show of the trip, The Commitments.  This was a fun and lively musical focusing on a soul music band form Ireland.  The songs were all familiar since they were technically covers, and the audience had a great time singing and dancing along.

After the show, a few of us went with Tim and Kelcie to listen to some live Blues music at a nearby pub.  The performers were all fantastic, and it was a great way to end the night!

The Commitments Musical

Today we had a morning off, so a group of us decided to go explore London.  Tim suggested that we check out the Soho area, where many of the theaters are located, so off we went!

In addition to the theaters, there were also many cool music stores to see, as well as some other cute little shops and restaurants.  We stopped in one particularly cute coffee shop, where I ordered a Chai tea.  They even brought out a whole pot of tea just for me!

Tea in the Soho area

After we were done exploring, the afternoon was spent at the Tower of London.  We got to see the Crown Jewels here, though unfortunately you can’t take any pictures of them.  They were very beautiful, and the royal scepter had a diamond placed at the top that was as big as an egg! I have never seen a diamond so big in my life!

After seeing the crown jewels, we explored the Tower, spending a lot of time in the White Tower, where there is a vast display of armor.

It was very cool to be able to visit a place with so much history!

Tower of London

Armor in the White Tower

At night, the group met up to go to Fortnum and Mason, where we would have a traditional English tea.  Fortnum and Mason is a beautiful store, and the tea was amazing.  The staff brought out platter after platter of finger sandwiches, scones, and deserts, and the tea was never ending.  By the end of the night, we were all stuffed to the brink of explosion!

After tea, I went down to the first floor of Fortnum and Mason to buy some gifts for my family members.  When I told my Grandmother that I was going to London, the first thing she said was, “Oh, I still have my empty tin of tea that I got from Fortnum and Mason!  You have to go there!” So of course I thought a new tin of tea would be a lovely gift for her, as well as my other grandmother and mother.  I even splurged on a teapot for myself because I had always wanted one from London, and the teapots at Fortnum and Mason were gorgeous!

I had a great time having tea, and I would highly recommend the experience to anyone visiting London!

Tea at Fortnum and Mason

At Fortnum and Mason!

We ended the night by visiting Carnaby Street again, and then turned in for the night.  So far, London has been amazing!

Carnaby Street lights