Visiting Liverpool--A Hard Day's Night, Yo

Please don't misunderstand me when I say this, but visiting Liverpool--birthplace of the Beatles and also the departure point for many Saints during the early formation of the Church--felt a little like visiting Salt Lake City. The reason I say this is every time I go to downtown SLC I can feel such a sense of history. It's like I feel the pioneers trekking across the plains and arriving here. I wouldn't say Liverpool is exactly that way, but I would say you can definitely feel that Liverpool has its own sense of history. There is certainly a unique spirit about that town.
Upon first look, Liverpool is a little dreary. It's right on the water, and on the particular evening that we visited it was gray and cloudy. You are definitely in an industrial town. But as we walked around I couldn't help but get a little excited. There's a lot to experience in this unassuming place.

Of course, first, there is the Beatles.

An important Liverpool messaging point.

The first place where the Beatles played! Okay, we didn't go inside, it was enough to just go check it out.

While waiting to get our food in this good, old-fashioned pub, Mindy got a little crazy. I mean, seriously, she was kind of embarrassing.

I mean, they tried to be respectable.

But Kaylin got out of line.

And then Carrie. What will I ever do with these girls?

This is where I ate my first fish and chips. I was mad excited. I mean, that's practically the whole reason I went in the first place. Until they brought me my plate. Check out my fish and chips, and check out how my fish looks like an actual fish. Oh, yeah, that's because it was. Ugh. When I first dug in all I could see was skin and I immediately lost my appetite. This was my first true American moment. I expected a filet. I did not expect my fish to have bones or skin. Sad! I felt a little let down. Luckily the other side was skinless and I was able to get through some of my meal, it just wasn't what I was hoping for in my idealistic, spoiled-Americana way.

Note my dismay.

Kaylin, on the other hand, was unperturbed.

Mine.

Hers. She's a go-getter.

I have no idea who this guy is. At first I thought it was a statue of Elvis Presley and I was like, why would Liverpool have a statue of Elvis Presley? It wasn't him and I forgot the dude's name. I couldn't, however, resist a photo op.

Yay! I really loved Liverpool!

Warwick Castle!

I think we visited about 6 castles during our trip. The fun thing about visiting so many castles is that they are all different. They look different and have different attractions about them. So each new castle was a new experience in itself. Below is Warwick (pronounced Warrick) Castle which is located in Warwickshire.

Just a little FYI, Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror and was used as a fortification until it was converted into a country house in the early 17th century.

I know a lot of these pictures are the same shot just a different angle or coloring, but I like them. Oh, wait, the one below has me in it. What a difference that makes between the two pictures.

What I liked about Warwick Castle was the medieval feel the castle had. I think it was the perfect introduction to our first castle. Ladies-in-waiting and knights strolled through the streets. We saw two peacocks on the open lawn. It all felt very much like we had spiraled through time.

One of my favorite shots. This is taken from the top somewhere looking down. It's just so picturesque.

We each took a shot.

There's a sudden transformation between the outside and the inside. Like I said, the outside is full of medieval feats of display, but once you get inside, the castle's furnishings have been preserved to show the country house it had become for the Earls of Warwick. Around the 15th or 16th century, many castles had started to decay from disuse or be converted into country estates as this one had.

Note the wall of books. Sigh.

Check it out! Merlyn's sword in the stone! If only we had gotten a picture of my triumphant removal of the sword.

This is a tiny passageway that extends to the other side of the tower. I was not a fan while crossing this. Not because of the tight squeeze, but because the floor was springy. There were vents with holes that allowed you to see all the way down below. Um, no. I just kept seeing the vents collapsing under my weight. There's video footage below.

A trebuchet, or modern speak, a catapult. This happens to be the largest catapult in the world.

I'm not entirely sure how to get this right side up. Ideas?