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Saturday, October 10, 2009

DAY FIVE: Liverpool and Derbyshire


“There are only four people who knew what the Beatles were about anyway.” –Paul McCartney


This post is specifically for Rachel and Lindsey. Let’s start with the pictures this time, shall we?



The Beatles Story Museum. It’s unfair to start there, because the real reason we went to Liverpool was to see the docks where thousands of British converts to the church left the UK for Louisiana, up the Mississippi, across on the Missouri and then across the West to Utah.



The Albert Docks were peaceful and it was interesting to stand where so many people had stood before—preparing to cross the Atlantic. The Albert Docks are only a fraction of the size they used to be, but they’re still pretty impressive.

Now, Rachel—the Beatles Museum. You’d love this place—the Museum took you through their entire story, with the beginning of Lennon as a member of The Quarrymen, when Paul and George first met, and included a lot of the very same instruments that they used as teenagers. I have pictures for you later, but they’re not great pictures because of glass casings. None-the-less, you’ll want to see them. Then it brought you through to the first time the group (without Ringo—he comes later) went to Germany—their name changed several times before they finally decided on The Beatles. I took a picture of ‘the Cavern’ they recreated where the Beatles played often before their record labels and traveling began. Of course it takes you through Ringo’s joining of the band, their first visit to America—footage was playing of them getting off the plane, and going into their Hotel, they were so young and they looked terrified, which was interesting to see—through their ‘glory years,’ their ‘weird years’ and their breakup.



At the end of the exhibit were these:




I took this picture for you, Rachel. His “specs” are worth ONE MILLION POUNDS. At the moment, that’s the equivalent of almost 1.6 million dollars! And the only thing between me and the specs was a lousy piece of plexi-glass.

It was so fun. They did a great job of bringing you through the life of the band and a lot of the different things the different members were going through.

If I could chose to go back to one place I went in the North for an extended amount of time, I’d chose Liverpool. There was a weird and intriguing vibe about the city that I just wanted to explore.

Back on the bus for several hours—we watched the BBC Miniseries “North & South” which was incredible. I want it. The end. We stopped one last time during our trip up north: In Derbyshire. Lindsey, this one’s for you. (I have no clue if you’ve been, so if you haven’t—then enjoy!)






Yes, Pemberley. Except the house is really called Chatsworth. We got to go inside and see some of the rooms, then walk around in the garden. My favorite part was the sculptures room—seeing the sculptures in real life was just incredible after seeing them on the film. Absolutely beautiful.





Finally finished with the trip up North!  We can look forward to more of LONDON!

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