This past weekend I really got one of the most complete and satisfying travel experiences as I set off to see the UK outside of Zone 1 (the "eventful" section of London that I live in and tourists flock to). The groundwork of the trip was laid out in my previous post "The Anatomy of a Trip" where I described the frustration of putting a sojourn together in a logical and less expensive manner. But I must say, all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into planning was well worth. The payoff was of course a collection of memories that will last a lifetime.The family I stayed with in Wales was more hospitable than I could ever imagine. Patty Maxham James, former resident of Fairfield, Conn, took the lead in making sure I not only had a roof over my head, but also a belly full of food, plenty of drink, and an encompassing tour of southern Wales. She took me to a number of castles and historic sights as well as St. Fagan's natural history, Welsh life outdoor museum. I was also privy to attending a pub right next to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff while the Wales-Scotland rugby match for the Six Nations tournament was being played right next door (Wales won, hooray!). And to think, I may have even picked up a tea habit and have a basic understanding of rugby now! I couldn't be more grateful for everything she and her family did. My only regret was that I left on their son Mo's 10th birthday and I didn't get him a proper present!
The next leg of my journey revolved around my personal pilgrimage to a place I find musically sacred: Liverpool. In case you haven't put it together, I am a big Beatles fan. OK, big might be the wrong way to put it, more like a HUGE GIGANTIC DEDICATED BORDERLINE CULTISH fan of the Beatles. So suffice to say walking in their footsteps was pretty awesome for me. I was traveling by myself this weekend, and unlike Wales where I had a host family, I was pretty much on my own for the better part of a day/day and a half. So upon arrival, I tried to locate the bed and breakfast I had booked for the night in Old Swan. Mind you, Liverpool is a port city with many immigrants and in many ways still has much working class elements since the WWII era depression the area suffered. And the bus ride to Old Swan gave me a good glimpse about that life "outside of Zone 1." This year Liverpool is the European Capital of Culture or something like that, but not every side of the city has seen the rehab job the downtown got. Now that being said, many sections are being refurbished and the city should be an exciting place to be come 2010-2012, but perhaps Liverpool was crowned a bit too soon for all that culture they are building.
In any event, my B&B turned out to be great (aside from being locked in my room for a half hour and wildly banging on the doors to be heard/let out by the maintenance man.... but after that it was cool) and the people were super friendly. And boy, the beer was cheap too, even by American standards for a pint, a pleasant surprise and much different than here in London. After waking up to a full English breakfast, I departed for my tour of the city. The closest bus stop had a bus line that terminated on Penny Lane, so I figured that was as good a place as any to start. And sure enough, everything from the song is there- the shelter in the middle of the roundabout, the barbershop, the bank on the corner (though I didn't see a fireman with an hourglass). Unfortunately it was foggy, but little did I realize I would be back. I hopped a bus for the city centre and made my way towards the Cavern Quarter, where the Beatles were discovered and grew in popularity. It was there that I signed up for a "Magical History Tour"that took us to the birthplaces/homes of all the Beatles, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, the school were the lads attended and the church where Paul and John first met. We also got to see some of the major sights in Liverpool like the two dominating cathedrals. After the tour, I made my way over to the Albert Docks to visit the Tate Liverpool and the Beatles Story Museum. All in all it was a pretty satisfying experience and I walked and saw much of where the Fab Four grew up. For a Beatlemaniac like myself, it was kind've a big deal.
Even though I didn't leave the UK, this trip was still important for me and perhaps one of my favorites. Like I said, I flew solo for this journey, though "With a Little Help from my Friends" - sorry, I couldn't resist. But being by myself allowed me to set my own pace and see what I wanted to and not have to worry about what a group felt like bickering about and missing valuable free time. Truth is Liverpool was a journey I had to do by myself, I wouldn't have enjoyed it all otherwise. Don't get me wrong, I love traveling in groups like to Ireland or this weekend coming up to Nice/Monaco, but this was something I had to do for me. Selfish? Of course, but I think I deserved it. Having some alone time with my thoughts and reflections on the importance of what I was seeing helped me to really enjoy the experience. Too bad I can't do that for all my Beatles excursions; after all, I need three other people to complete a decent Abbey Road photo!
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