I am American, you are the Walrus...

February 1st, 2010
 

DAY 32.  We ate breakfast together in the Hotel. Still can't get over the baked beans for breakfast, so I hit the fruit bar and grabbed some coffee.  All the guys we've met that are here for the race are eating as well. Sean and his cousin were here to watch his brother and other cousin compete in the challenge. They're from Germany. This other guys we met was attempting to tell us that English soccer and rugby is better than American Football because they use pads. I played football and soccer and now coach both. I think i am very qualified to make this judgment and make a great case. My argument is American anything is better that European anything, so there. Was that too close minded or i rubber your glue? Well i didn't say that so here is what I did say- I stated would you rather get hit by Ray Lewis or your biggest rugby guy? My money is on Ray Lewis, he's killed someone. Plus, football is at full speed at full contact etc..why am i trying to convince you? You are on my side....right? Either way I love the fact that no matter how different our lives and cultures are, we agreed on one thing, Guinness is good. 

After breakfast we left the Hotel in Wolverhampton and drove 2 hours North to Wales for some castles, Beatles and relaxation.

Right away we went to Liverpool about a hour East of Wales. It is a bit of a detour, but well worth the time. Liverpool is very cool. It was a big city that had everything from a university, great old churches, great shopping areas and theaters. Oh yeah, Liverpool is home of a tiny rock band called the Beatles. Did you know I was a huge Beatles fan? I am not the stuffed-dolls-on-my-shelf Beatles fan, but I have just about every album, in some form or another, they have made. i also have DVD's and some books. Ang and I even have a yellow submarine on our Christmas tree. A subtle fan:)  Joel and Tracy were very cool about letting me trump any other exertion ideas with my Beatles/Liverpool tangent. I love the Beatles and more specifically, George Harrison. I am a big fan of people who are geniuses at what they do....MASTERS!...but never take themselves too seriously. Sure they knew they were great, but somehow they always had a sense of humor. As a guitar player....as someone who owns a guitar and attempts to play, I find that talent accompanied with smart creativity, appealing. I think the entire, George Harrison, Beatles, Monty Python family is hands down the greatest bunch of creative geniuses.  Who doesn't think Terry Gilliam's cartoons of butt-trumpeters and God's foot squashing Hitler is funny? You mix the wit and talent of the Beatles with the Python troupe and you get greatness, pure greatness!

Okay I will stop the Beatles back patting and finish the trip. 

We walked up and down the streets of Liverpool. It was a windy, brisk day that normally wouldn't bother me...us, but I am not sure our core temperatures have reached 98 degrees again:) It is a beautiful city and one detail i noticed is that alot of the streets are brick or cobblestone. We walked over towards Mathew Street or Road, depending on the argument, to see the Cavern Club. The Cavern Club or the Cavern, is the place the Beatles got there start. It is very touristy now, but it still ghosts what it used to be in it's day. Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds and the Beatles all playing in the same club before they were huge is a place with great rock history. We nosed around the displays of old records and framed newspaper clippings while this guy in a I Heart NY tshirt and Lennon glasses played through the top 200 songs of John Lennon from his acoustic guitar. We watched for about 10 minutes or so until I heard him talk ill about George and Ringo. Like a good Beatles nerd I huffed through my nose and said "let's get out of here and get something to eat." 

Funny how all my entries have us ending with food, because the food is terrible. I think the Queen banned all spices to be cooked with the food. OFF WITH THEIR HEAD! I am about done with English food. You can only take so much fish and peas. We walked a little bit farther down into the square and found a little pub and had some, well, fish...and peas. When the lady brought our food, Joel's fish was still in the perfect shape of the fish. Reminiscent of the Christmas Story and the Chinese duck. "It looked as if it were smiling at us."  Tracy took some tarter sauce and gave it eyes and a smiley. Aside of the food, Liverpool was great and would love to go back for more of the experience, but for now we have to get back to Wales to sleep and go see some castles!

Until then, I am he as you are he as you are me, and we are all together...I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus.

good night!