Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes :) (Liverpool/London!)

Disclaimer: I also posted on Wednesday if you haven't seen it yet (just making sure you aren't missing out on all of my amazing posts...)

Well hello there! Long time no see! So like I said- I would post again soon. This time, I will be focusing on my wonderful trip to London and Liverpool (mainly Liverpool). Oh yea UK babyyy!

The Beatles!!!!

So come 6am on Friday, Diana and I started our journey out of the country.  We took ample methods of transportation to get there. We first took a bus to get to the train station, then a train to get to Florence, then a train from there to get to Pisa Centrale, then a train from there to get to Pisa Airport, then a plane to get from Pisa to London, then a train to get from there to another train station, and then another train to get from there to Liverpool.  But all that traveling was worth it once we finally got to Liverpool around 5:30 pm (they are an hour behind Italy).

Train ride to Liverpool

We walked around the city center for a little while until Diana’s family friend Jackie came to pick us up. Ok, I think this is a good time to tell you why exactly we went to Liverpool, of all places. Well, did you know that’s where the Beatles are from? Did you also know that my good friend Diana is one of the biggest, if not the biggest Beatles fan of our generation? Liverpool is like a second home to her, and I figured, well I’ve never been to the UK before- I’ll come! This turned out to be one of the most fun trips of the semester.  But anyways, Jackie is a (excellent) Beatles tour guide, and Diana’s family had used her several times for private tours and such, that they had become friends. So we stayed with Jackie- who basically went above and beyond as our host (explained more later). She took us around the city, and then brought us back to her apartment (which had an amazzzzing location there was an apartment next to hers that was up for sale- Diana is seriously considering how she will purchase it). We had dinner and watched British comedy (very amusing).

 

ello'! why yes we ah in Livapool

Later that night was possibly my favorite part of the whole trip. Diana and I went back to the center of town and went to a pub called The Cavern.  This was the famous place where the Beatles actually STARTED their career- the place where they played gigs every night and were discovered.  Yea we went to that place.  Just as we were getting there, a band was setting up. After that we got some beers (not before a bunch of drunken British guys grabbed me and forced me to be in their picture with them) and headed onto the dance floor. The band was somewhat of a cover band of the Beatles with a few Rolling Stones and Monkees thrown in there. The first half of the night was cool; we stood there and listened to the music. Then the second night was when it got really fun. We met these four Brazilian girls who convinced us to dance with them right in front of the stage. It was awesome.  We stood in a circle (with the occasional drunk middle aged-man joining us) and basically busted out our best dance moves to revolutionary Beatles hits. It was at this moment where I realized how happy I was to go to Liverpool. If you think about it, music is a huge part of humanity. And here we were, right in the epicenter of as Diana would quote “where music started.”

On our way out for the night (i got judged for my flip flops)!!

The Cavern (the Beatles performed right there!!)!

Cool huh?

The next day was extremely busy. We first started with a tour of both John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s childhood homes (where we were the youngest by about 45 years). This was actually the reason why Diana wanted to come to Liverpool- to see John Lennon’s home. When she had come before she wasn’t able to see it- so this was especially important to her.  It was really cool. He lived in it for 18 years. My favorite part was his tiny bedroom, where he said was the place in which he did all of his dreaming, and where he got a lot of inspirations. We then went to Paul’s house, which was also really interesting. One of my favorite Beatles songs is “I’ll follow the sun,” which was inspired by how the sun would come in through the living room (I got to experience said sun).

Us outside of John Lennon's house!!

Paul McCartney's childhood home

Oh hey! Oh that's just me walking into
Paul McCartney's childhood home

After that, we walked around Liverpool for a bit. We walked on the docks (that used to be old warehouses), and I got a collectible spoon with the queen on it (diamond jubilee!).  We then went into the free Museum of Liverpool that had really interesting facts about the city of Liverpool itself, and more facts and memorabilia on the Beatles.  They had the actual stage that John was singing on right before he met Paul (Diana was really excited about this).

Docks!! aw yeaaa

Diana with the stage (the pic with me was terrible....)!!!

Later we met up with Jackie again who very generously took us to all the famous Beatles landmarks around town (Diana had already seen them, so it was basically for my benefit). First we saw Strawberry Fields (the inspiration for the song “Strawberry Fields Forever”). Whenever I had listened to the song before, I never really questioned what it was about- I just always assumed it was about an actual field of strawberries.  But it was actually written about an orphanage near John’s house.  He felt he could somewhat relate to them because he was raised by his aunt and uncle instead of his parents (ok, I have learned so much Beatles trivia over the weekend, I need to contain myself).  We then went to the church where John and Paul met (I have the whole story, I feel like it’s too long to share here though- ask me sometimeJ), and the cemetery there contained John’s uncle’s grave as well as the graves of people by the names of Eleanor Rigby, and John McKenzie. Now you may be thinking- ohh those are the people that they were talking about in the song “Eleanor Rigby,” but apparently this was shear coincidence.  Then Jackie took us to a secret place that not many people know about. I don’t really want to talk about it over the blog (because it’s a secret place), but I can tell you in person.

Strawberry fields forever

Diana with Jackie!!!

Church where John and Paul met

Grave for an Eleanor Rigby

After that she took us to the famous “Penny Lane.” We saw all the main spots that were mentioned in the song- the firehouse, the banker, the shelter, the roundabout, the fish and chips shop, and finally the barbershop.  Diana was really excited about this place because she really wanted to get her hair cut there (her dad had gotten his hair cut there like 5 years before). But the girl who does women’s hair wasn’t in- but we got to talk to the main barber there- Adelle (she cut Diana’s Dad’s hair). I think Diana almost passed out when she gave us pieces of the original wall paper that was there when the members of the Beatles got their hair cut. She’s giving some of it to her Dad for his birthday (who according to her, will tear up).  But if you happen to know her Dad, don’t tell him- it’s supposed to be a surprise.  But it was really cool to get a piece of musical history.

I'm on Penny lane!!!

More Penny Lane!

The Barber Shop!!!

Inside the Barbershop!!!

After getting fish and chips we took a double decker bus back to the center of town. There we met up with Diana’s friend and went shopping for a little bit- I had to go back and get a t-shirt from the Cavern, and while quickly going down to buy it, I got stopped by FOUR groups of people asking me to take their picture. I guess I must look like a professional photographer or something…

Oh hey, it's just me on top of a Double Decker

Later, Jackie came and picked us up, and we just chilled until our midnight bus ride to London.  When the time came round, we said goodbye to Jackie and boarded to bus for our 6 hour ride. Unfortunately I didn’t get any sleep, but I was suddenly energized once we reached London. Sadly it was daylight savings (Europe style), so we lost an hour. But we were able to see all of the main sites: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye, and Wesminster Abbey. We also got to take the diamond jubilee walk, and take a picture in a telephone booth. The best part about it all was that we were there sooo early, NO ONE was there.  I basically had Buckingham Palace to myself (you know, I probably could have had tea with the Queen if I felt like it). But anyways, I really liked the little bit of London I did see, and now I really want to go back (the guys in England weren't half bad either...)

Me alone with Buckingham Palace

Me with Big Ben just chillin in the background

London Eye (didnt go on it though- it was 20 euro!)

Westminster Abbey
(sorry i look horrific- keep in mind there was little sleep involved)

The Jubilee thing!

Just hangin in a telephone booth

After that we prepared ourselves for another day chock-full of traveling. After the bus, we took another bus to the airport where we took a plane to Pisa, where we took a train to Pisa Centrale, where we took a train to Florence, and then a train directly to Perugia (and then a taxi back home)! Overall, it was an extremely successful trip.

So currently it’s Wednesday. On Monday we had Mexican night (since they don’t have Mexican food here) run by the business of foods class. We had burritos. It was great- (almost) like Chipotle. Then on Tuesday we went on a tour of the Perugina chocolate factory with our Italian class. I couldn’t eat all the free chocolate- since it’s lent. But I did grab a handful for later (yeaaa im a baller). P.S mom and dad- you should take a tour if you get a chance.

Big Baci Chocolate (I love Italian class...)!!!!

But I am getting exicted for my trip to Naples, Capri, Pompeii and Sorrento this weekend!!! I’ll let you know how it goes.

Until then, Ciao :)

Emilia