14th of September, 2015.
Rain, I don't mind...
Yes, the third day brought the typical British rainy weather but I really didn't mind. There was still not a place I'd rather be than in my dream city, Liverpool. Better rainy day in Liverpool, than a sunny day anywhere else!
The first one was A Hard Day's Night Hotel. I read about that building a lot and was excited to see it. I mean, how cool is it to see your idols as statues on a building? You feel so proud.
Such a fab, fab fab place! Beautiful architecture, statues and also a Hard Day's Night shop at the corner where I and my brother spent so much time that the shop assistants probably thought we were pretty crazy.
Just around the corner, there is a place that in my opinion could be called the heaven for Beatlemaniacs. Yes, Cavern Club! Place where our boys played 291 concerts during 2 years. Place that was basically their second home and that felt like my second home for me, too!
Going down by the stairs, I heard sounds of Beatles music and I knew I'm coming home! I imagined they all went through these stairs daily. How cool.
 |
| Here we are! |
I know it sounds as a cliché, but I really couldn't believe I was there! When I realise it's where it all started, where rock n' roll was playing more than anywhere else, and where people were dancing to the sounds of this best music daily. The amazing 60s!
The atmosphere was unbelievable. If you've ever felt the beautiful feeling when some of your dreams come true... Well, that was it! Beatles music was playing loudly and people were taking pictures and seemed so happy. For some time, I felt like I went back in time at least for some minutes.
As you may know, there's a fab statue of John outside the Cavern that was built based on John's photo taken there. Of course I had to have pictures with the statue if I can't have a picture with the real John!
 |
| I've always wanted to have a picture like this! |
Next place I really wanted to visit was something that people who go to Liverpool are usually not interested in but I thought it would be pretty cool to go there. It was Maternity Hospital in Oxford Street where John was born.
It was so so hard to find it. I was in Oxford Street but had no idea where exactly to go. It even isn't hospital these days so some young people I asked had no idea where was it. Then I thought it's probably older people who would know it, so I asked a man who could be around 80 years old. He barely heard me, but was so nice. He went to the place with me to show it to me even it was probably not at his way. I know I've said it like 100 times, but people in Liverpool are the nicest ever.
Imagine the genius was born in this building! Crazy!
We went for a lunch and then ran to a place where we were supposed to be as we booked tickets to go inside John and Paul's houses via National Trust. Me and my brother, we were so excited about that! Being inside the house where our heroes lived! Places where parts of their lives are written forever!
The driver of the minibus that took us to the houses was one of the nicest people I've ever met. He reminded me of Paul way too much. The way he talked, his moves, his kindness, everything!
We were the youngest members of the minibus but we didn't mind. Everyone kept asking us where are we from, if we understand everything they say and if we really came to Liverpool from such a distance place just because of The Beatles. It was so funny and cool.
I remember when the driver asked us what kind of music we want to listen to and the woman sitting before me said Rolling Stones. Then he really played Satisfaction and we all laughed. Of course, she then explained she was joking and he put Help CD on. The journey could start!
First, we went to Paul's house. A good looking elderly woman came to open the gate for us. There we were, really standing in Paul's garden! We all took pictures and went inside.
Well, what can I say... I think you all understand me well. It is an unexplainable thing to enter Paul McCartney's house where he actually lived, wrote songs and experienced sad and happy moments.
In the first room, we listened to record of Paul saying some basic info about the house. Hearing him in his house almost felt like he was there with us. The living room we were standing in looked identically as it looked in the times Paul lived there. Old furniture, carpet, walls, piano... Not all the things were identical, but they looked just the same. On the walls, there were photos that Mike, Paul's brother took. I'm so thankful to him for doing that. For example, there was a picture of Paul and John playing guitars, sitting in the exact place below the picture. I couldn't even handle everything the woman was saying. It was all about: John and Paul used to sit in this room and write songs. Paul sat there when he wrote When I'm Sixty Four. John and Paul sat there when they wrote I saw her standing there. Paul and John used to be here when they were supposed to be at school, smoking Paul's father's cigarettes. It was all too much for me! Too many feelings and emotions.
All the rooms were interesting, filled with beautiful furniture and things, photos etc. The woman had so many interesting things to say to us that I didn't know about. We even went to his back-garden and she showed us pipeline which Paul used to climb when he came home later than he was supposed to and his father locked the front door. We saw a photo of Paul climbing it. It was hilarious. She let us take rosemary from his garden that his father loved to plant. I still have it!
Being in Paul's house touched me a lot. One of my dreams came true.
The woman made it all interesting with her kindness, interesting facts and stories and positive energy.
Then we went to John's house at Mendips. On our way, the driver showed us the way which John used to take to go to Paul. I kept imagining how could it all look in those times.
I was full of expectations.
When we came there, an elderly man was waiting for us. He was husband to the woman that showed us Paul's house (they both have dream jobs!). He was a journalist who grew up in this part of city and who interviewed Paul several times and talked to members of John's family. I was so happy to talk to him.
The man had so many interesting things to share and I asked him what I wanted to know. His answers were long, full of facts and wise opinions.
John's house looked richer and bigger than Paul's. You could see Mimi was probably a higher class than Paul's parents. This time, our guide told us interesting facts and then he let us go to the rooms on our own to have some time for ouselves to think and feel the air of this piece of history. I really liked that.
The house was really beautiful. I've seen it before in Nowhere Boy movie but to be there is totally different. I appreciated it a lot and wished it would never end.
But sadly, it did.
The driver took us to the city centre and we decided to go to Cavern again!
When we came, from upstairs I could hear someone playing the guitar and singing music of The Fab Four. I started to be so excited. Then I saw him. It was a man who sang Beatles songs, but only Paul's ones and also Paul's songs from his solo career. His voice was really similar to Paul's one and the atmosphere was perfect. We couldn't even find a place to sit because it was full of people. We just stood there singing and feeling great. It was incredible to see that people still appreciate their boys and live with this music.
 |
| Rainy, but happy selfie |
Then we spent another long time in the Hard Day's Night shop around the corner and the cashier had to told us they were about to close it soon so we should have left. We must have looked like crazy fans.
I was falling in love with this city more and more with each day. Totally tired after walking many miles and experiencing too many dreams in one day I fell asleep to my last night in Liverpool.
No comments:
Post a Comment