Liverpool: It's much more than the Beatles! See our notes below!

Liverpool was an unexpected delight! We were pleased not to have the schlepp of tenders and shuttles; we basically walked off of the ship and were pretty much at the beautiful Royal Albert Dock -- amidst the "Three Graces," the Beatles statues and the city at hand. Some think that the city is named after the Liver bird, but that's just myth. "Liverpool" comes from Old English, meaning "pool of muddy or thick water." A 13th century royal seal featured an eagle -- the symbol of the patron saint St. John. Over hundreds of years, it was forgotten to be an eagle and thought to be a cormorant. Artists drew the bird holding a piece of seaweed called "laver" in its beak as a joke (laver-pool)! and this rather invented a creature which eventually became known as the liver bird (with a long 'i'). Bella and Bertie watch the harbour for returning beloved and the city for the pubs to open from atop the Liver Building, one of the "Three Graces." We started our day with a "Beatles Experience" tour. We travelled by coach to the Penny Lane area. The bus stop that you see in our vlog was where Paul McCartney waited for the bus to school. The song "Penny Lane" is about all the comings and goings and observations of the people in that neighborhood day after day. We stopped along Penny Lane to see the street sign that is now painted on the stone wall because time after time, the street signs were stolen by fan(atics). Our guide, David, told us many great stories of the advent of the Beatles, including how John Lennon lived with his Aunt Mimi Smith, whose home bordered the property of the children's home named "Strawberry Field." John regularly hopped the fence to play with the residents of the home and his ponderings make up the famed song. [NOTE: Leslie and her sisters owned the 45 with Penny Lane on one side and Strawberry Field on the other -- and played it until it was nearly worn-out. If only she knew where that wee record was today!] We enjoyed our walk around the gardens at Strawberry Field and the museum offering that was there. We might have purchased a souvenir or two whilst there ... We drove around that area of Liverpool, where Paul's childhood home was located, past Aunt Mimi's house, and the neighborhood where Ringo was born. The facade for the betting den in the TV show "Peaky Blinders" was filmed just a couple streets away from Ringo's house! After that we visited the "Beatles Story" in the basement of the Royal Albert Dock. It was ok. We might have found a few souvenirs there, as well. The highlight of our day in Liverpool was spending the afternoon and evening with our friends Ron (a central Virginian turned "Scouse Spouse") and Val, his lovely wife and Liverpool native. They took us to visit the amazing Anglican Cathedral of Liverpool, in which we climbed to the top of the bell tower for a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and past St. Luke's Bombed-Out Church which features the "All Together Now" statue, designed by Andy Edwards. It depicts the World War I Christmas Football Truce. After that we had a Mediterranean dinner at one of their favorite restaurants and ended our evening at the Cavern Club -- the legendary underground music venue where the Beatles performed 292 times between 1961 and 1963. They made their debut on February 9 when they were discovered by their future manager, Brian Epstein. The club's original cellar was demolished in the 70's for an underground railway loop, but a precise reconstruction was built in 1984, using the original bricks on the exact site. The club wasn't as busy as expected and we were able to get in easily and even found a table! After parting from Ron and Val around 9:00 pm, we got back onto the ship an hour ahead of all-aboard time, yet found ourselves the next to last couple to get back. It was still early, so we enjoyed more music at the TorsHavn lounge before bed. What a fantastic day! Viking British Isles Explorer on the Mira September 20, 2026