ROLL UP, ROLL UP, STEP RIGHT THIS WAY.....

The Magical Mystery Tour is coming to take you away...half-term holidays is the cue to load up Concord and head for Liverpool, Fab Four Land. A little over 3 hours and we're at our hotel, the Crowne Plaza City Centre, unsurprisingly located right on Pier Head smack dab in the middle of the city (Travel Tip: found it on Bookings.com - superb location, comfy room, good rate, and excellent brekky included). Rain greets us on our first morning, but the LegsyBoys are undeterred as we hop on board one of the famous Mersey Ferries for a circuit of the river.

We pass the magnificent Three Graces (the Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building, Port of Liverpool Building) that tower over the riverfront,

Birkenhead pier and the WWII German submarine U-534,

past the shipyards where warships such as the Arc Royal were built and past the wonderfully restored Albert Dock.

Atop the Royal Liver Building are the two Liver Bird statues, each 5.5 metres high. The mythical birds are the official symbol of Liverpool dating back to medieval times. Legend has it that the male bird looks out over the city to protect its people and the female looks out to sea at the sailors coming into port. A more modern twist is that the male is looking to see if the pubs are open and the female looking for any handsome sailors coming up the river. It is said that if one of the birds should fly away then Liverpool would cease to exist. And, of course, the bird is on the crest of the mightiest football team on the planet.

We stroll from Pier Head to Albert Dock, passing several superlambananas along the way. There are 125 of them around the city, and they are a comment on the dangers of genetic engineering as well as being influenced by Liverpool's history - sheep and bananas have historically been common cargoes on the city's docks.

Albert Dock is the beautifully restored and home of the Maritime Museum,

The Beatles made out of 15,000 jelly beans!!

as well as the main reason we are here, to see THE BEATLES STORY and take in all things FAB.

 It warms the heart to know that, even though Aimee and Liam - and Dulcinea - struggle to come to grips with Don Legsy's musical pleasures, there's no arguments over the Beatles. Dulcinea and the kids love their music and enjoy taking the journey into the past. For someone who has devoured all things Beatles for 50 years it's a sometimes emotional reminder of how 4 young lads shook the world.Since my first visit 20 years ago, little has changed, but there are some lovely additions such as the individual tributes to each member, some of their original instruments, the sole surviving collarless mohair suit (McCartney's, and thought lost until recently) the priceless 'blue' copy (the only one in existence) of the White Album, and a cool interactive section for kids. There's a poignant tribute to John Winston Ono Lennon, but surprisingly nothing similar for The Quiet One. Time to check out some other Fab sights.....

JL's guitar dating back to the Quarrymen!

George's first guitar

Four young lads from Liverpool

The mohair suit

Rock on!!

The Fab Six

The 'Blue' album - one of a kind

The glasses JL wore on the 1966 Japan tour

The Quiet One

The Genius

The Drummer

Fab Macca

It's OK to shed a tear at this point!

The alternate Fab Four

We walk through the fantastic Liverpool ONE shopping complex crammed with ultra-chic fashion stores (for women and men) and head up Stanley Street to see the Eleanor Rigby memorial.

From there it's only 2 minutes to 10 Mathew Street, the location of The Cavern Club, where it all began. Inside it's packed, and a solo performer is belting out Beatles tunes from the original stage, and the kids are digging it whilst Don L quietly tears up.

 

The Cavern Wall Of Fame - every band that appeared between 1957-1973

Across from the Cavern entrance is the superb statue of John Lennon a la the Rock & Roll album cover - a real photo opportunity.

We have some afternoon tea and then a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, where we bid the girls adieu as they head to the movies. For Buzzy and Don L, the night holds something special, and the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition...Don L starts to get emotional again...............