In The Beatles' Footsteps

We enjoyed a fabulous magical mystery tour through Liverpool, with a charming guide named Paul B. Not only is he a Beatles super-fan, but he was actually delivered by McCartney's mom, who was a midwife.

Along the way, we passed by places in Liverpool that played pivotal roles in the lives of the Beatles. We even stopped at some, including Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, and Paul McCartney's family home.

Our guide pointed out all the places mentioned in the song Penny Lane, including the barber shop, fire department, and the spot where the pretty nurse was handing out poppies.

In 2018, Paul McCartney visited Penny Lane during a carpool karaoke episode with James Corden. After Paul autographed the sign, locals covered it with a protective shield.

Here's the link to the carpool karaoke episode. In it, Paul explains the touching story behind the song "Let It Be," among other tidbits, such as the fact that his dad thought they should call their first bit hit, "She Loves You, Yes, Yes, Yes," rather than using the Americanism, "Yeah." This clip is well worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjvzCTqkBDQ

Penny Lane is an ancient toll road that gets its name from the penny farmers were charged to take their goods to market back in the day. (I've seen a couple other Penny Lanes in the UK, so now I know why!)

While we were standing in front of Paul McCartney's childhood home, a psychedelic-painted Rolls Royce pulled up. It's a replica of John Lennon's famous car that's used for private tour groups.

The British National Trust owns Paul McCartney's childhood home as well as John Lennon's. Both are kept just as they were while "the lads" were growing up. You can even go inside if you make arrangements in advance.

An elderly woman lives in Ringo's former childhood home, so we could only look from afar. "We don't want to give her a fright," Paul B. explained. As you can see, around the corner from the house, there's a large mural of Ringo.

While I'm a fan of The Beatles, I worried that this tour would feel cheesy. I'm happy to report that it was wonderful.Read more