After spending three months in Mexico, we weren't planning another major trip this year. But then one of our granddaughters, Luciya, expressed interest on going on a trip with us before she graduated high school. Where? Well, she really wanted to visit Greece and Italy because she's fascinated for years by the history and the mythology. The problem was that she couldn't leave until July or August, probably the two worst months to travel in Europe.
Nonetheless, as good grandparents, we agreed to accompany her, and her parents agreed to finance her big adventure.
As luck would have it, just as we were quickly planning the trip, she found that she could leave at the end of May instead. What a relief!
We decided that O and I would start in the first part of May by visiting the D-Day invasion beaches in northern France, a trip we have long wanted to make, then meet Luciya in Paris and fly together to Greece. Researching flights, we realized that it would be cheaper for us to fly into London rather than Paris, which gave O the idea to visit the Beatles sites in London and Liverpool that she had dreamed of visiting since she was 14.
And so, on May 10, we found ourselves at a hotel overlooking the Thames, about 20 minutes by underground from downtown London.
First stop: Abbey Road!
The mandatory Abbey Road crosswalk crossing.
It's been many years since either of us have visited London. It has changed considerably. The food is better. The vibe is better. Even the weather was better.
We queued up for the London Eye, the huge Ferris wheel on the Thames.
What a view! Luckily the day was clear and sunny.
We toured the city, gawking at the historical monuments and the new architectural landmarks. I was especially struck by the Fenchurch building (locally known as the Walkie Talkie) and the London Egg (known as the Gherkin) in close proximity to the old Tower of London. Not so towering by comparison.
And dominating the skyline south of the river, London Bridge Tower, called the Shard.
Then we caught the train to Liverpool.
The weather turned gray on us, befitting the dour industrial port that birthed a sound that changed the world. There are still many remnants of Britain's imperial past when Liverpool was one of the world's most important ports. But Tory austerity has bitten deep here. With the exception of the recently redeveloped harbor area, the city is gritty and a bit depressed. The locals we talked to were vocal in their disapproval of the Conservative government.
The Beatles are still a big draw here. The Cavern Club where they got their start was demolished years ago, but a new version has been built where the original used to stand, and the whole area nearby is filled with souvenir stores, museums, memorabilia shops, and more.
A lot of the stuff is just junk, but the Beatles Story museum has an excellent collection of memorabilia, including this poster advertising Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal.
And then there was this superb psychedelic Rolls.
And then, though the suburban skies were not at all blue, we had Penny Lane in our ears and in our eyes.
The barber was not in, nor were there any photographs of heads. No fireman or banker, either.
There was a large old cemetery with a rather Eleanor Rigby vibe, though.
Just down the street from our hotel and directly across the street from the Liverpool Philharmonic Concert Hall was this wonderful old pub, said to have been a favorite of John Lennon's. We had a pint and a pie and said goodbye (not hello) to Liverpool.
P.
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