Just as Stratford-on-Avon was all about Shakespeare,
Liverpool is all about The Beatles
So why Liverpool? We love the Fab Four, but that’s not it. And it’s not because Liverpool is home to our son’s favorite football (soccer) team. Sara’s best friend Luci, along with her husband Matt and her brother Chris, met us for a few days in Liverpool. Luci grew up in England, so now she and Matt had come from Florida for a family gathering in England. And Chris still lives here. Back in 2014 the five of us had walked Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast, a 200-mile hike across northern England together. So this was a great reunion for us all, and we loved our time visiting with Luci, Matt, and Chris.
Historically, Liverpool has been a major port. In the 19th Century many Irish came here to find their passage to America. Although Liverpool sits along the north side of the Mersey River, which opens up to the Irish Sea, we never did “Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey” (Remember the song by Gerry and the Pacemakers?). But we did spend time along the river where there are statues (Yes, the Beatles, but others too), monuments, and museums.
The Albert Docks along the Mersey Riverside offer tourist sites that are both fun and entertaining: shops, cafes, eateries, monuments, and museums. We enjoyed visiting the Merseyside Maritime Museum, as well as a fascinating International Slavery Museum.
BeatleMania in Liverpool: Also in Merseyside, there are statues of the Fab Four, and The Beatles’ Story, a great museum that tells their story from the early 1960’s through their break-up at the end of the decade, and then follows their busy individual careers.
Just outside The Beatles’ Story, we also took a bus tour: The Magical Mystery Tour. With a very entertaining host and lots of Beatles’ tunes along the way. We rode all around Liverpool. We saw the family homes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and sites made famous in their music, such as Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane. Later we strolled Matthew Street, a central “nightlife” area, and home to the famous Liverpool club where the Beatles first made their reputation, The Cavern. Yes, Liverpool is certainly fun for any true Beatles fan.
Other Highlights of Liverpool:
We watched the USA vs. Sweden in the Women’s World Cup Game: The USA was eliminated in a penalty shot closing. But we enjoyed watching the match while eating breakfast at The Slaughterhouse, a local pub.
A Tale of Two Cathedrals: Luci and Matt stayed two nights in Liverpool and we stayed three. So we are on our own for our last day in Liverpool. Sara and I took a long walk on a lovely bright day, in search of a specific Tea Shop. Then we made our way up to Hope Street, which features the two cathedrals in Liverpool, about a half mile apart. First we found the Anglican Cathedral, a lovely modern version of a large Gothic structure, built between 1904 and 1978. Like many other visitors, we snacked at the cathedral’s cafe with a cup of “spouse”— a beef stew with potatoes and carrots, topped with some sour red cabbage. Good, a local favorite.
From there we walked along Hope Street to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, a Roman Catholic Cathedral that’s even more modern than the Anglican church. Liverpool is an English working-class, protestant city with a significant Irish, hence Roman Catholic, population. So given its unusual design, the locals call it “Paddy’s Wigwam.” The interior is quite beautiful, with a circular design for the sanctuary, surrounded by “chapels” that feature stunning artwork.
