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 The Magical Mystery Tour Bus begins its two and a half Beatle Tour in downtown Liverpool. Courtesy: FreeFoto.com The Magical Mystery
Tour is In My Life
These facts and many more intriguing Beatles tidbits are proudly shared on the Magical Mystery Tour of Liverpool. This is the ultimate Beatles experience for the ultimate Beatles fanatic, and if you fit that description, it is well worth the journey. The tour introduces you to over thirty places directly associated with The Beatles and those people who were close to them. The tour begins at the renovated Albert Dock, on the River Mersey at The Beatles Story Museum. The museum offers a great introduction from the lads' beginnings to their rise to stardom and eventual departure from Liverpool. It's also a great place to explore Albert Dock's other sites such as the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
TICKET TO RIDE Participants board one of the company's fleet of three yellow psychedelic Magical Mystery Tour coaches identical to the bus used in the 1967 BBC film "Magical Mystery Tour." (The original vehicle is now at the Hard Rock Café, Miami). A team of professional tour guides who are all expert Beatles historians conducts the two and a half-hour journey. And each of them seems to have their own personal story and relationships with the lads. THERE ARE PLACES I REMEMBER The tour begins in downtown Liverpool from the department stores where George Harrison was a trainee electrician and Paul McCartney a van driver. There's the Jacaranda club where the lads would hang out during their student days, strumming guitars and eating the Jac's famous bacon butties. John was even known to scribble a few illustrations on the walls. The Liverpool College of Art was where John would meet Stuart Sutcliffe in 1957. Stu sold a painting and John persuaded him to buy a bass guitar and join his band. Stu never really could play, but John insisted that he be in the band because he was just so cool looking. Stu was to die of a brain hemorrhage in Hamburg a few years later. John would also meet the former Cynthia Powell at the school, who later became his first wife.
Another important landmark is The Beatles manager Brian
Epstein's NEMS Record Store. Legend has it that a youth walked into
the store in 1961 asking for anything by The Beatles. Epstein, who prided
himself on finding any record a customer requested, became obsessed
with locating a recording by this strangely named group of musicians.
As additional fans asked about The Beatles, Brian became curious to
find out more about this new sensation. To his surprise, he found they
were making one of their regular lunchtime appearances just around the
corner from his office. The place was called the Cavern, a catacombed
basement club below a row of grimy old warehouses on Mathew Street.
The next day he spent his lunch hour at the Cavern and the rest, as
they say, is history. Epstein's upstairs office soon became the center
place for the ever-expanding Beatles enterprises. The office also became
a hangout for the lads, as once the store closed they would play all
the newest records. Liverpool was the big port of England and the city
would be the first to get all the latest rock recordings from the States.
This helped The Beatles song repertoire at the clubs when it came to
doing cover versions of rock songs --- which there were few of in 1961. THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD The bus departs the city center for the Dingle, a rough and tumble district of row houses where Richard Starkey (Ringo) was born. He was a sickly child, and spent most of his childhood in hospitals with very little formal schooling. However, he possessed a sarcastic Liverpudlian wit which helped him survive the mean streets of the Dingle, despite ill health and short stature. The coach wisely does not stop in front of his non-descript row house, but does swing by The Empress Public House, which fans will recognize on the cover of Ringo's first solo album, "Sentimental Journey." BENEATH THE BLUE SUBURBAN SKIES Truth be told, John, Paul and George were children of the suburbs. Despite the leather coats and Teddy Bear stances, they were not unlike the millions of rock 'n' posers of today.
John was raised by his Aunt Mimi in an upper middle- class home on Menlove Avenue, in Woolton, south Liverpool, after his free-spirited mother Julia dropped him off there to 'stay for awhile.' It is the "Julia" he sings of on "The Beatles" double album (aka "The White Album"). John spent more of his life at this residence than at any other place in his life. It is where he first heard Elvis sing "Hearbreak Hotel" on the radio and where he learned to play the guitar. He wrote The Beatles' first number one hit, "Please Please Me" in the upstairs bedroom. The property was purchased by Yoko Ono, who then donated it to the National Trust. The bus stops in the front of the house where Julia, who had returned to live when he was teenager, was hit and killed by a drunk driver while crossing the street. John himself answered the door to the notifying official and even had to go to the morgue to identify her body. He later said that he had lost his mother twice, once when he was a child and again when he was seventeen.
Paul McCartney, too, was no stranger to tragedy. As the group pauses reflectively outside his small childhood family home, we are informed that his mother died of breast cancer when he was just fourteen. She would later come back to soothe him in his dreams as 'Mother Mary' in his haunting ballad, "Let It Be." Paul and John wrote over 100 songs in the front room of the house. Paul's father, James, complained that the 'yeah, yeah, yeah' in "She Loves You" sounded too informal, and should be changed to 'yes, yes, yes.' John replied, "When'd you ever hear anyone from Liverpool say 'yes'?" The property also belongs to the National Trust. We pass the school where John still holds the record for the lowest report card in his class, and eventually stop at St. Peter's Church Hall. This is perhaps the most historic meeting place in rock history. A friend of John's took Paul to see John and his Quarry Men skiffle group play a summer show at the church. After their set, John asked Paul, "What did ya think of me band?" Paul replied that John's guitar was out of tune and that he didn't know all the song's lyrics. (Lennon had a secret; he had to pay a neighbor to tune his guitar.) Paul played a word-perfect cover of "Be Bop a Lula" for him, and John was so impressed that he asked him to join the band. Paul requested that his younger friend, George, be allowed to join too, but John was concerned that he was too young and would not attract the birds. Eventually John relented after George began to idolize him, following him everywhere he went. The tour is so detailed that it even stops at the bus stop where Paul and George first met. Paul climbed the stairs to the top of the 'double-decker' and found the young George, with guitar case, sitting in the back. A friendship began. George Harrison was born in a modest "two-up and two-down" home on a small cul-de-sac. The most low key of the lads (his moniker was 'the quiet Beatle') his father, Harry, continued his career as a public bus driver even after the mop tops hit fame, often driving a bus load of fans trying to find where George lived. Harry never said a word. GET BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED The bus meanders back to the city center and stops at Mathew Street, the sight of the Cavern club. The area is no longer the delinquent warehouse district that it was when the lads played there 292 times from Feb '61 to Aug 1963. It has now been developed into the Cavern Walks shops and offices. Across from the Cavern is the Grapes Pub (dubbed The Beatles Club), where The Beatles would take refuge from their sets at the club. There's also The Beatles Shop, which claims to have the largest selection of Beatles merchandise in the world. Believe it or not, the Cavern was demolished in 1973 to provide a construction site for Liverpool's new underground railway system. It was rebuilt in the exact location as close to the original as possible in the 90s, using bricks saved from the old building. While it may never completely recapture the magic of the original, it's as close to the real Cavern that you will ever experience. HOW TO GET THERE Liverpool is a scenic three-hour train journey from London. Coined 'De Pool' by locals or 'the second capital of Ireland' by others (due to its large population of Irish who'd originally come to flee the famine), it also serves as a convenient gateway to Ireland and other northern destinations. WHERE TO STAY Faded glory best describes the Britannia Adelphi, a well-appointed hotel, just a two minutes' walk from the Lime Street railway station. Considered as much a part of Liverpool's heritage as the River Mersey, the Adelphi offers the ideal location to enjoy the various Beatles tours, as well as Liverpool's other attractions. And, yes, The Beatles once played here, too. |
Let Ed know what you think about his traveling adventure.
Feedback for "Spokane, Pullman and the Palouse" Loved the Spokane article – my mom was born there and my grandparents are interred there. Haven't been back in decades. --- Nancy, Hawaii * * * * Feedback for "Norway's Fjords" Hi Ed. I was just reading your great story about traveling through the Norwegian countryside and the voyage along the coast - sounds amazing. I’ve been to Oslo, but definitely would like to return to Norway one day to explore exactly what you wrote about. Cheers, --- Sasha H. * * * * Feedback for "In Search of Movie Locations In the Land of Aloha" Mahalo for your article on Hawaii film locations. You should check out our new "The Hawaii Movie and Television Book" at: http://hawaiimtvbook.weebly.com/ --- Ed Rampell (Co-Author), Los Angeles, CA * * * * Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a wonderful job! --- Christian Louboutin, U.K. * * * * Cool site. --- Donna Namaste', San Francisco, CA * * * * Great work as always. --- S. Wyatt, Seattle, WA * * * * Hr. (Danish for sir) Ed, Thanks so much for your article on Copenhagen, DK...loved it! Very well done actually I used to live in Christianshavn (just next to Christania) and Danish is my second language. You really did a quite grand job and pulled me ALL of the way into your analogy and experience from my other home. Just one detail that I thought might have been included.....the bakeries & cheese shops in the mornings in nearly every 5 or so blocks as they waft the incredible hypnotizing aromas of those amazing Danish specialties. I most especially and absolutely love the fact that you included the "hyggeligt" element...wonderful!! Another aspect of the Danish language that I have found interesting is that we only cuss to devil rather than the more typically religious icons and that love (elsker) is only very rarely used. All-in-all you have me totally on your team and I will always look forward to your future writing. Med venlig hilsen...(with kind regards). --- Breeze * * * * Hi Ed, Thank you for your article on the Cherokee Nation. I really appreciate the historical perspective and recognition of their contribution to American culture. --- Nora Weber, British Columbia * * * * Another cool issue. You da' man. One question: Is that Mark Lindsay on the front page? --- Brent, Seattle, WA * * * * This would be a fascinating place to visit. There is so much history within our reach that we don't often acknowledge in more than a token way. I am wondering if any individual or group has ever gone on a vision quest, or perhaps a memorial march, by retracing the path of the Trail of Tears? This would be a painful journey, for most, I imagine. --- Sandra, Seattle, WA
Osiyo! From Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism: What a great description of Kauai! The pictures are awesome and I loved reading your travel report! Keep pushin' on! --- Lisa Long, Tulsa, OK * * * * I'm getting hungry again just reading your article! It's hot today and I could really use a shave ice right now. Hope you're having a great day! --- Melissa, Honolulu, HI * * * * Thanks so much for sharing! Wow. The beauty even from the few pictures here and your descriptions is breathtaking... I can't even imagine being there for real! The food looks and sounds exquisite, I'm not sure my kind of exquisite, but I do like to be adventurous on occasion :).Quite the story there. --- Emily, Boise, ID
Great pictures! --- Anna Harrison, Palmdale, CA * * * * Tough job, Ed! Thanks for sharing. --- Brenda Hughes, Richland, WA
Ed, Tim from the team of Jack and Tim - Star Clipper. Great trip. Always enjoy your postings. --- Tim & Jack, Washington DC * * * * Hi Ed, I really enjoyed your story on the Empress of the North. I was an Assistant Cruise Director aboard her in 2004, and you gave me a treasured walk down memory lane with her.You might know this, but if not .... you can cruise the Columbia again late this summer and early fall. The Empress' sister boat, the Queen of the West, was purchased by American Cruise lines and will offer a Columbia River itinerary which almost mirrors the one my Empress used to travel. Just thought you'd like to know. --- Paul Penta, 2004 Assistant Cruise Director, Empress of the North, Copperas Cove, TX
Ed, you are by far the most interesting of all the Boitanos. Your coverage is extensive and captivating. It's a real treat to read your blogs. Your article on the Baltic Sea Nations is no exception. But don't get me wrong, the other Boitanos have their own charm and perspective. Thanks for all your articles. I can see it's a work of art. I just now noticed your Dog Quotes --- what a great collection! Keep up the good work. Keep on sharing your travels! This is better than the more popular travelogues. --- Peter Paul, South Pasadena, CA
Hi Ed, How's life? Hope all's well in sunny Cal. Having just received the latest issue of the Traveling Boy newsletter I popped back over to your site to take a look around and came across this article which I had not previously read: www.travelingboy.com/archive-travel-ed-baltic.html Loved it! First of all, this is a part of the world that I absolutely adore so reading about it is always a pleasure. Secondly, I'm happy to see you crossing things off your Buck with such gusto! Myself, I have already been to Stockholm, Helsinki and Copenhagen, and Tallinn, St. Petersburg and Moscow are all on my Buck. After reading through the article I reminded once again why! One of my favourite lines in the piece is: "Granted, eight to twenty-fours in world-class cities like Helsinki and Tallinn hardly does them justice, but a sketch is always better than a blank canvas." So very true. I'll take a sketch over a blank canvas any day! Besides, sketches often lead to full-blown paintings anyway. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed this story. Hope there are many more fun adventures awaiting you soon! Cheers, --- Ashley, Toronto
Thanks for a great trip, Ed - such a comfortable way to travel, particularly to several cities i knew very little about. I've had only one sea voyage - crossed to G.B. on the United States in the early 60s - no balconies, etc. on that ship, as she was prepared to be stripped down to carry troops in event of WWIII, but still luxurious in her own way. Bumped into a documentary recently on PBS re the old lady who is now docked in Philadelphia, I believe with peeling paint on her sides and funnels and of course the interior stripped and auctioned off of everything...periodic moves to rehabilitate her, but so costly people back off. She was the largest and fastest - still is. Her record was 3 days crossing - we did it in a little over 5 (cruise speed I guess!). They showed regular passengers like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor who happened to be on board when I was, as well as gazillions of stars who traveled on her. Charles Boyer was the only one on my crossing - we were alone in the library one time, but I didn't say anything. He looked immersed in his pursuit of a book. The Windsors were tiny little people, as was M. Boyer (and this comment from a 5'2" observer!). How's that for an ancient history lesson? Anyhow seeing the ship like she is now made me almost teary - surprised myself somehow. --- Brenda Hughes, Richland, WA * * * * I loved this article!! Kept me in rapt attention, felt like I explored part of the world myself ;) nice way to start my day, sounds altogether amazing and unforgettable! --- Emily, Boise, ID * * * * Great writing!! Reading, education and fabulous locations! All around WOWS! --- E Dava, Burbank, CA
What a wonderful assortment of travel destinations. I have always been drawn to islands, and as a Pacific Northwesterner, dream from time to time about settling in the San Juans someday (like a lot of us here visualize for ourselves). Hopefully, travel will occur before this particular dream comes to pass. I enjoy reading about the connections you have with the places you write about. I will visit that fishing village in Norway, someday, just because of the photograph. Who wouldn't, after seeing it. Thanks, Ed --- Sandee, Seattle, WA * * * * Another great edition! --- CG, Central California Coast * * * * Hi Ed, I sailed into Sooke on my way to port Ludlow from Portland, Oregon in my sailboat few years back. It was interesting port. The entry is snake like channel with local fisherman's local markers only to guide you into the port. --- Larry, Portland, OR
Wow. I want to go to Vietnam! It's beautiful! Those are amazing pictures! --- Archie, Pasadena, CA * * * * Kudos to Mark Twain. He knows how to honor a dog, and kudos to Cedric for all he was and still is and kudos to you for another edition of www.traveling boy.com. Peace and Love, --- Joel, Pasadena, CA * * * * Ed, I really enjoy your traveling adventures. Your stories are so well written and the photographs are amazing. Thank you for letting us in on your adventures. You bring the adventure to those of us who aren't able to go. Thank you. --- Cheryl, Pismo Beach, CA
Amazing story and pictures. To think that 40 years ago we were all terrified at the prospect of going there... what a difference a few decades makes. Fantastic article! --- Roger, Puyallup, WA
Thanks for your expert insight, Jeremy. Have you ever lived in New York? Don't tell me you are one of those tourists or former transplants. It's a very different experience when one lives here. Unlike Los Angeles, there really is a sense of community. New Yorkers love and care about their city... and, yes, their neighbors too. --- Lisa - New York, NY * * * * NY sucks. It's now nothing more than a Disneyland version of its former glory. It city filled with tourists and transplants, and no longer the center of the universe. The WEST is the best. Everyone is moivng to the Coast. Even NY fashion designers check out the LA street scene before launching their new designs. Plus no one in NY knows real pizza. Take a trip to Naples sometime and try the real thing. --- Jeremy - Los Angeles, CA * * * * The economic boom is what drove all the changes in New York. The mayors were in the right place at the right time, and to their credit, handled things well. It's easier to clean up the city and cut crime when you have more money to spend. The economic outlook for New York is bleak now with unemployment going up. Bloomberg already is short money and will be cutting services across the board. If things don't turn around, people may not be as friendly in a few years.The idea that New Yorkers are not nice is just a myth; people in L.A. are much more distant and shut-off. --- Michael, Native New Yorker * * * * I think that overall, Manhattan has become friendlier in the last few years, not sure why but don't think Giuliani or Dinkins can take credit. There was definitely a surge of NYC solidarity following 9/11, and Giuliani was extremely popular during that period. When he supported Bush so strongly in the election that followed, his popularity plummeted, though. Bloomberg has definitely done a good job with making a lot of bike lanes, blocking off large areas of what was previously street and putting tables and chairs for pedestrian use. Not sure how this economic downturn will affect local attitudes, though.... --- Sue, New York * * * * This is the best. Keep them coming.--- Paul Ash * * * * Ed, thanks for putting the Holland button on your site. By the way, your images really work! I opened the newsletter and was immediately tempted to click on an article. Love it. And also love the fact I can click on images in the articles to enlarge them. The short headline on the image makes me curious. Well done. --- Bianca Helderman * * * * Thanks Ed, for this delightful view of this wondrous city! The first time I traveled with a husband to NYC years ago, it was for an Orchestral Conductor's conference. We lived in Newfoundland at that time, so you can imagine my shock of coming from isolation to the big apple!My heart began beating as I looked out of my hotel window at the figures of humans below, scurrying like ants, I was up so high. It wasn't the height, rather, the invisible buzz, that urgently beckoned me to go outside! But when I reached the sidewalk, the rush of pedestrians made me wonder "where's the party?" Friendly? Yes! I lived in NYC for 5 years with a later husband and loved every minute! Being an artist, I could not relax enough to paint, so I took up acting and worked with "Children In Need" a charity, instead and partook of everything NY had to offer from opera and Off Broadway plays and such to ballet and wholistic healings....a city full of everything one could imagine! I truly love NYC and years later am grateful to live in a quieter area of California so I may relax and paint and do my healing work...going back only to visit my delightful haunts. There is nothing like NYC!. --- Yoka, Westlake Village, CA
Ed, Great issue. Well done. They keep getting better! --- Grace Conlee Micetich, San Diego, CA * * * * I loved all of the traveling news! It’s good to know you are still out there in the world. --- Judy Vincent
Ed, Thanks for getting me back on the Traveling Boy newsletter mailing list- I have missed it! I do believe we need contributions of the ‘road less traveled’ in the US for those of us whose feet never leave the ground… Ahhhh… the Badlands... Two Medicine in Glacier… the Lava tubes in central Oregon… my next destination wish: Monument Valley. --- Lorrie Sjoquist * * * * The photos and descriptions of this trip are wonderful. I love the idea of the slowed down pace of the train. Kind of a throwback to the "good old days." --- Larry Lombard, Puyallup, WA
I think you outdid yourself with the "Two Cities" article. I'm ashamed to admit that I knew so little about these two cities. I learned so much. Your article was jampacked with very interesting trivia. Surprised the Jazz greats and Walt Disney came from practically the same area. And those pictures --- especially the WWI museum --- what an incredible shot --- almost like out of somebody's Satyricon dream. Bravo! --- Rod, Glendale, CA
What a great article! --- Michelle, Torrance, California
Ed, The photos are spectacular. I can envision many a romantic novel
inspired by these majestic sceneries. Makes me want to do a little more research
on Norway. John Lenon must have been one of the converts when he wrote "Norwegian
Woods." * * * * Peter, Thanks for the kind words and taking the time to write. Indeed, Norway was paradise on earth, and I dream of returning again and again. You had a funny line about John Lennon being so inspired by the beauty of Norway that he composed the song, "Norwegian Wood." If I'm not mistaken, his reference to "Norwegian Wood" is just that: an inexpensive pine wood from Norway that was becoming popular in the UK. I did read somewhere, though, that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was inspired by Norwegian fjord trek. Thanks again… and please keep writing. Ed
Ed, Reading Peter's implication that "Norwegian Wood" was based on a trip that John Lennon took to Norway led me to do some research. According to Paul McCartney at a press conference in Los Angeles: 'Peter Asher [brother of McCartney's then-girlfriend Jane Asher] had just done his room out in wood, and a lot of people were decorating their places in wood. Norwegian wood. It was pine, really, just cheap pine. But it's not as good a title, is it, "Cheap Pine"? It was a little parody, really, on those kind of girls who, when you'd get back to their flat, there would be a lot of Norwegian wood. It was completely imaginary from my point of view, but not from John's. It was based on an affair he had. She made him sleep in the bath and then, finally, in the last verse, I had this idea to set the Norwegian wood on fire as a revenge. She led him on and said, "You'd better sleep in the bath." And in our world, that meant the guy having some sort of revenge, so it meant burning the place down....' Of course, just cause it's on the 'net doesn't mean it's true. --- Jeff M, Tacoma, WA
Weird piece on Copenhagen (Cosy in Copenhaggen). Do you think now that Keefer’s in the slammer in Glendale for DWI he’s experiencing any hygge? I bet some of those jailbirds would like to see how touch he is. --- Adam S., Glendale CA
I loved your intro and the way you set up the article. It immediately set the tone of an action-paced adventure. I imagined Annette as a spy in a trenchcoat feeding you top secret information. I'm surprised you didn't get lost. Do they speak English over there? Are the street signs in English? Does a GPS work over there? I never heard of "hygge" but, like you, I think I've felt that sensation everytime the cold wind blows here in South Pasadena, CA. When I sit beside a warm fire, sipping my hot chocolate, I will remember this article. Thanks! --- Peter Paul, South Pasadena, CA
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