Liverpool

There was no way we were going to miss Liverpool. After all the Beatles we're the soundtrack of our youth, especially for John. We had three Beatles song in our wedding and spent many a road trip with our kids singing along with the Lads from Liverpool on the radio, cassette or CD.

To our delight we learned that as important as the city is to popular music it also holds a place in the hearts of football (or soccer as we Yanks call it) fans. Whether you support blue Everton or red” you'll never walk alone” Liverpool this rivalry is deep seeded and multi generational. Think Alabama/Auburn or Dodger/Giants, only these teams are in the same city.

Liverpool has an important historic distinction as well. Located on the Mersey river this was the major port for both commercial and passenger ships for centuries. It was in fact the point of origin for British participation in the infamous triangular trade. Goods produced in the industrial cities of England were sent to the African coast to be traded for people who were then shipped to the Caribbean as a workforce for the plantations. Raw materials from these plantations were then sent back to Liverpool to be turned into products for trade. The museum of slavery did an excellent job explaining the economic and social impact of the slave trade on all three continents .

wrist and ankle shackles

No trip to Liverpool is complete without sampling their official dish, Scouse; A type of stew made with with lamb, beef or both and served with a side of beets or red cabbage to be added at the diners discretion; it is filling and delicious. In fact the people of the city refer to themselves as Scouscers

We had ours with lamb and beets

For all that this city has to offer there is still one (or maybe I should say four) main attraction, the Beatles. We did our best to see it all: the rock and roll museum, the Beatles story, a visit to the cavern and something Street. But by far the highlight was the Beatles Cab tour. We were picked up from our flat by a knowledgeable driver to visit the childhood homes of John, Paul, George and Ringo. Penny Lane to Strawberry Fields, the grave of Eleanor Rigby and the bus stop from a Day in the Life; we saw the places that inspired the music of the Band.

 

From the mythical liver bird statues overlooking the river to the postwar architecture of the downtown, the city has seen its share of prosperity and decline. Yet through it all the people -both red and blue- refuse to be defeated Their Scouscer spirit shows that love IS all you need.