I Want to Hold Your Hand

Monday in Liverpool and I was "on a mission from God" (to borrow Dan Aykroyd's phrase from "The Blues Brothers") . .  . .absorb as much of the Beatles as I can before departing for Dublin, Ireland via the ferry across the Irish Sea tomorrow a.m.  So, after the usual sumptuous breakfast at The Hampton Inn, albeit in Liverpool, England, we set off in a variety of directions.   Cheryl and Connie went shopping in the upscale mall down the street.   Aaron, Melissa, and Chloe took off to visit museums (e.g., the Tate museum) and be entertained.  Jeff and Leigh went walking about the Albert Dock area, and I - I headed straight toward "The Beatles Story" at Albert Dock.

It was incredibly well done, and led viewers on a year-to-year odyssey of who they were, how they came together, who their influences were, and their own eight-year recording career.  Of course I could've stayed for hours, but I had to see "Part 2" of the museum down the Mersey River - a tribute to their hero Elvis and some photos by a young photographer who accompanied them (and whose work wasn't displayed, allegedly, anywhere else in the world) - The Beatles Hidden Gallery.   Part 1 was terrific and I emerged feeling cleansed in the fountain of Beatles, both happy and sad that it ended so soon.  And, of course I pondered what might have been had not John been ridiculously assassinated in 1980 and George later died of cancer.  Paul and Ringo, though, are more than holding their own and maintaining the sacred mantel.

Part 2, the museum extension down the Mersey River, was a C grade at best.   After enduring a 3D cartoon built around Beatles music (and better suited for those under age 10), all that was really left was the gift shop and the aforementioned photos.   The latter were very interesting, and I found one that I just had to have a reprint of from the gift shop . . . . .Paul hunched over his Hofner bass guitar, singing "Twist and Shout" with a fury, hair shaking, and you could just feel the rock and roll joy pouring out of it.   Although I have so little space left in my large collection of rock and roll posters and artwork, somehow I think I can find room for this one even if someone else has to come down off the wall!

After this, I started walking back toward where the
"Magical Mystery Tour" bus was set to pick us all up at 1:45 p.m., and first ran into Aaron, Melissa, Chloe, Jeff, and Leigh who were gathered in a coffee shop along the way.   It was fun chatting with them but my eyes were clearly on the clock as I simply couldn't miss all the attractions to be seen on the tour.  Right on time, it rolled up and the driver was amused at "all the Yanks" queued up and ready to roll.  And, the tour?  It was fantastic.

Paul McCartney's boyhood home where many of the early
Beatles hits were written with pal John Lennon

We saw the boyhood homes of all four Beatles, the church where Paul first met John who was playing there with the Quarrymen, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, and so many more wonderful sites.   We ended up at the Cavern Club which is a replica built across a small street from the original.   In a fit of bad planning, the original was below grade of a large building that was toppled in the 70's for a ventilation shaft into the expanding subway system.   The original Cavern Club wasn't destroyed, but filled with rubble, and the ventilation shaft was never built.   So, it was later excavated and most of the bricks from it were used to build the replica across the street where the tour ended.

Down the four flights of steps we bounded and then we were there - rock and roll Mecca - and a great acoustic guitarist was banging out Beatles tunes loud and clear, and the crowd gathered (and sweating in the cramped quarters like oh so many years ago) was singing at the top of their voices.  

Ray bought me a very nice ale, and Connie and I added our lovely voices to the fray. Frankly I could've stayed for hours and listened to live music (the Beatles) and drank cold ale, but nothing good lasts forever.  Having imagined it "in the day" with the Beatles on stage, and crowds of sweaty bodies dancing and having a great time will be forever etched in my mind, and that vision will spring forth every time I hear them do "Twist and Shout" or "Roll over Beethoven".  Roll over, indeed!

The super-large Ferris Wheel at the Albert Dock,
ridden without fear by four-year-old Chloe the Wonder Girl
earlier in the day

Then, too soon, it was time to leave so we all walked back toward the hotel and, again, the group splintered.   Jeff and Leigh headed for China Town, Cheryl and Connie went to the shops at Albert Dock, Aaron, Melissa, and Chloe headed off somewhere, and Ray and I ambled back to the hotel.   We hope to all reconnect in the lobby for a nice dinner about 6:30 or 7:00 p.m., very likely at the Albert Dock. 

We reconvened for dinner at an upscale pizza place and had a terrific evening dinner, cementing friendships going forward.   We called it a night relatively early with a nightcap in the hotel lobby, toasting Connie who leaves in the morning for her return flight to the USA while the rest of us soldier on - it is  such a hard task after all! We need to be ready to rock by 11:00 a.m. for our two hour journey to Holyhead where we catch the ferry across the Irish Sea for Dublin. 

Perhaps you'll hear from me on the ferry tossing on the waves of the Irish Sea (and here's to hoping that the only thing that gets tossed is the boat!).   Or, perhaps the next input will be from Dublin tomorrow (Tuesday) night!  Either way, thanks for reading (and thanks, Donna C., for your positive comments)