Statue of Beatles' Manager, Brian Epstein, in Liverpool - and hotel where you can stay which was his home

 At last. (since 22nd August 2022) The statue of the Beatles is there in Liverpool and Beatles are still Alive. Epstein has been dead a long time. Since 1967. (1934-67) He didn't write songs. He didn't perform. What did he do?

He managed the Beatles and many other famous Liverpool singers and groups. Gerry and the Pacemakers. Cilla Black.

What did he do for the Beatles? He got them out of their scruffy look into the smart look. He got them their first contract.

In Liverpool you can see the statue of Epstein, the statues of the Beatles, take a walking tour of Liverpool, seeing the Cavern, and Strawberry Fields, immortalized in Lennon's song. And stay in the Epstein House guest house which has 9 en suite bedrooms and lots of memorabilia of the Beatles and Epstein.

Although he was rumoured to have committed suicide, he had taken only six pills, which in combination with alcohol was his undoing.

The hotel, previously a house where Epstein had lived.

More Information from these websites

http://www.epsteinhouse.co.uk/

E-mail: patrick@epsteinhouse.co.uk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Epstein

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2679/brian-epstein

https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/long-awaited-statue-of-brian-epstein-unveiled-in-liverpool/

 

Tune In To Local Radio When Travelling - Lessons Learned from country songs

Stephen Foster Monument, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Sculptor: Giuseppe Moretti (1857—1935).

When you go to another country or another county on the UK, tune into the local radio station as you drive along that dull motorway. Why?
1 It will keep you awake so you avoid accidents; you can sleep at night.
2 It will be an entertainment on a dull motorway.
3 It will be a social education.
4 You will be up with the local and worldwide news, well-informed, in touch with local people, which endears you to them and helps you develop rapport and sympathy and enjoy their company.
5 You have a subject of conversation when you meet people at the other end.
6 You will be energised.
7 You will be calmed.
8 You will be optimistic.
9 You will not be wasting time driving.
10 You don't have to talk to entertain the passengers and drivers.



UK
 In the UK you can tune your car radio to radio 3 for classic music and 4 for talks. if your car or coach is stuck you can keep everybody amused with rounds of classic songs. At school and on holiday I would hear English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh classics such as: When Irish eyes are smiling; In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty ...(Molly Malone); I lost my darling Clementine. Bring back my bonny to me; A Gordon For me; You take the high road and I'll take the low road and I'll be in Scotland before thee; Men of Harlech. Old Lang Syne.

You can do a Beatles tour in London or Liverpool. the Beatles music and songs and stories are everywhere.


USA
When I went to live in the USA music was even more strongly promoted everywhere. I always feel very stirred and emotional when I hear: My (or mine) eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord ...

My mind automatically fills in the next line
They are treading out the vineyards where the grapes of wrath are stored ....

Here are some of my experiences when travelling.

I found relics of Elvis in many cities, cars and guitars, not only in Graceland.

In Opryland where I went to write about the hotel and the museums the staff had tuned the bedroom radio to play country music when I opened the door of the hotel bedroom.

Dolly Parton. Jim Reeves. Garth Brooks. The Dixie Chicks.

That's why I hang my hat in Tennessee.

There is a house in New Orleans

Chicago, Chicago.

New York, New York. My kind of town.

Shuffle off to Buffalo.

I get my kicks on route 66.

AROUND THE USA
Diving through the USA I heard a lot of country music. I picked up a lot of Americanisms by listening to talk shows and songs.

I learned to love country and western songs for their comments on life, stories, and sometimes smart twist ending.

Everybody who speaks English is likely to have heard the traditional songs from George and Ira Gershwin, and all the musicals such as Oklahoma, Elvis classics - Bob Dylan's Blowing in the Wind, Bridge over troubled water, the Everly Brothers, plus more modern classics such as Cabaret, and Hallelujah.

When I visited the Stephen Forster Memorial Museum I was amazed by the number of American songs I had learned as a child in the UK. For example:
My Old Kentucky Home
Oh Susanna.

Country Music
Here are some of my favourite country and western songs:
Country Roads
Coal Miner's Daughter

Some Favourite US songs
I want to be in America (West Side Story)

CANADA
Museum in the National Music Centre,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Music_Centre

Some places to visit in the USA

MUSIC INFORMATION
Pittsburgh
Stephen Forster Memorial and Museum.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Foster
https://www.godtube.com/news/10-great-country-songs-that-tell-a-story.html
https://songsear.ch/song/Gladys-Knight-The-Pips/It-Should-Have-Been-Me/164397
https://www.metrolyrics.com/why-didnt-i-think-of-that-lyrics-doug-stone.html
https://songsear.ch/song/Garth-Brooks/Unanswered-Prayers/245643
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnnyhorton/whenitsspringtimeinalaskaitsfortybelow.html
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/07/12-songs-with-twist-endings.
Fifty songs - and more like 100 twist endings
https://www.ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?boardid=41&threadid=81169

https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/proposal-songs

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/03/musicians-statues-and-murals-more.html

TRAVEL INFORMATION
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opryland_USA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_Music_Hall_of_Fame_and_Museum
visitbritain.com
visittheusa.co.uk

About The Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have many more posts on statues of musicians and houses and trails, and songs, such as Amy Winehouse, The Beatles, Handel and Jimi Hendrix. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.

Blue Christmas Trees At Heathrow - what's good and bad at the airport?

Seasonal decorations at Heathrow. Copyright.

Problem
Can I take a picture of seasonal decorations at the airport?

Answer
No signs warn you not to. So presumably you can go ahead with photos and selfies - if you have time. Most people departing are in a hurry to reach the departure gate or airport lounge or want to suss out the shopping.

A Bright Tree
As you scurry along, you might wonder. Is it a real tree? Clearly not. A real tree is green. An electric tree is blue.

Good Old and New Heathrow
What's good about Heathrow?

Seasonal Decorations
The Christmas decorations. Call them winter lights if you prefer.

The large circular historic photos along the wall beside the moving walkings. The scenes shown include  H N The Queen and the Beatles.

It's good. Not fairyland. Not as stunning as Changi airport. But good enough.

Good Shopping
Heathrow has the essentials. A shop was selling padlocks and keys for your suitcase near check-in.

But why just one shop, no competition? There should be three shops, luxury, mid-price and budget, catering for all passenger with all budgets. Admittedly you can find branches of W H Smith elsewhere in the airport.

Bins and Post Boxes.
Litter bins, when I needed one. Also post boxes. Everything you need to hand.

Clean toilets
A ladies toilet with hand cream as well as washing gel. You need it. Your skin goes dry when travelling because you are dehydrating, all that running around, stressed out, perspiring.

A member of staff keeps everything clean and tidy in the Ladies.

Why am I running around? They have introduced signs telling you how far you are from departure gates at each stage. We start at thirteen minutes. Thirteen minutes!

That's ridiculous. A thirteen minute walk, dragging along a wheel in bag. You may have been up from 6.30 am to have breakfast, catch your car to the airport. If you are short of time - no where to call for assistance.

I see the Singapore Airlines electric two or four seater transporters. These vehicles are only for first and business class. So that's another thing you get when paying for the upgrade. I can't understand whey the whole of every airpot does not have transportation from every paint to the departure lounge.

Maybe they want you to dawdle past the shops. But we would have more time for shops if it took less time to walk to departures.

Shops? That's another story. Se next post.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.