You can take the girl out of Canada, but you can't take the Canada out o the girl. On Sunday January 20th Dave & I went with three friends to see the Guildford Flames vs. Sheffield Steeldogs (ice) hockey match.
Guildford is about an hour's train journey from Wimbledon. On the day we travelled, there was lightly falling snow for the duration of the journey, making it feel like we were inside a snow globe.
Upon arrival at Guildford we were joined by our two Canadian friends Jay & Olivia. The walk to the Guildford Spectrum is about 25 minutes so we broke up the journey with a trip to the pub. Inside it was warm & cosy, & after a hearty meal & a few drinks, we were off (still with the snow falling all around us).
The Guildford Spectrum is what we would describe as a "sports complex." It has snack bars, the ice rink, a pool, & an amazing looking indoor water park. The arena seats about 1500 people & on the day we went, it was packed full. We saw a few NHL jerseys but I was surprised by how many people had a Guildford Flames jersey. One of the souvenirs sellers commented that Guildford were better than any team in the NHL because they had played a whole season whereas the NHL had just started!
Being that the arena is so small we got to see the players really up close (check out the photo above!) & our seats were front row so it was easy to get into the game. They start by playing God Save The Queen & after that, it's just like a regular match. Although this is a professional league, the atmosphere was more like watching AA at home - no mascot, no beer drinking, & many passionate fans yelling at the players like they know them. I did feel a bit like I was back at George Bell, just surrounded by crazy hockey Moms.
A few fights, a few goals, & lots of classic rock songs later... the Guildford Flames won the game 4-2. It was a good day out, & fun to have a little bit of Canada in London!
When I attended my welcome orientation at BritBound they told us, "London is the best place in the world to be at Christmas." Although I didn't doubt her I didn't really understand it until I lived here. As I mentioned in my previous post the cobblestone streets, lights everywhere, & mulled wine at every corner makes the place magical. Dave reckons that the winding streets of London make it quite romantic & more exciting as you never know what you're going to see.
There are (ice) skating rinks that pop up in front of loads of museums & there are a variety of Christmas markets to choose from. We chose to take in the market along the South Bank one evening which was just lovely.
I sampled mulled wine at a bar in Covent Garden one evening with Dave & two Canadian friends. When we Canadians mentioned that we had never had mulled wine & it wasn't popular in Canada we were told that we were "deprived." Kopparberg, my favourite cider, also makes a variety over the winter that can be served warm - just what one needs to stop the chill!
This was my first Christmas away from home. It was surprisingly not as hard as I thought it would be, likely because Dave's family made me feel so welcome. Many things here are the same, such as the fact that you just eat & snack all day long. For breakfast on Christmas Day we had scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, and champagne which I'm told is an English tradition & was so tasty. Dinner was the same as home - roast, potatoes, & vegetables (I wonder where we get the tradition from? Hmmm....). Dessert was one thing I really missed; whereas at home we would have Christmas cookies here it is all about Christmas cake & trifles, not my favourite. I was gifted some wonderful presents including a smoothie maker but nothing was better than a warm house, good food, & nice company!
I was really excited to spend Christmas with Dave's 1&1/2 year old niece Madison (pictured above) but to be honest she had NO idea what was going on. She did get a Hello Kitty kitchen & she had fun 'making' us all 'eat' her food. Dave got her a Elmo pillow which he wanted to keep for himself. I got her a sweatshirt that had ducks on them - & when you pressed one of them, they quacked!
So all in all, it was a good holiday season & I truly enjoyed my first British Christmas.
I had a day off one Monday in December & Dave used his last vacation day so we could go ice skating together (as the Brits call it).
It was bloody expensive BUT for the hefty £12.50 admission price (don't make me convert it, I don't want to think about it!) you get a heated room where they take your shoes & give you skates (exactly like going bowling) & not just any skates... super comfy skates! There is also a coat check nearby which is handy. So, you don't have to worry about anyone stealing your stuff! Sadly, you only get to skate for an hour. I really really love skating so it was something I just had to do in London, no matter the price!
Luckily the day was really really lovely & we had such a nice time. Was it worth every penny? I won't say yes but I don't regret it. Loads of rinks pop up at museums and squares across London, it's quite magical, how can one resist?
Also, there was a tiny little zamboni (baby zamboni?) we saw flooding the ice as we walked in. Sadly, I forgot to take a photo of it. :(
As it was a lovely day we wandered around London, ending up at Trafalgar Square to see the big Christmas tree donated by Oslo each year.
As a cherry on top of this wonderful day I finally entered the 21st century & got myself an iPhone 5.
The last time I wrote a post I was just about to start my job at Kate Spade... now I'm about to leave! December was a whirlwind month - working 37.5 hours a week, buying Christmas presents, settling into my new place, catching up with friends & seeing just one ballet....
Working at Kate Spade has been a wonderful experience. I really loved going in to Covent Garden every day, even though it's a really touristy area (bonus - only a 45 minute commute!). At my BritBound orientation they said "London is the best place in the world to be at Christmas." I didn't understand it at the time but it's true - pretty lights everywhere, lots of Christmas trees, & mulled wine available at every corner - especially in Covent Garden. I think the winding/ cobblestone streets really adds to the effect as well. Also, the fact that the British LOVE Christmas - did you know they send more Christmas cards than anyone else? I digress...
So the location of work was awesome, & the team were even more awesome. We shared lots of laughs & everyone was welcoming & helpful. The training was lots of fun too - I got really into "styling" (even though I rarely had a chance to use this new 'skill' on customers) & visual merchandising. We did a fun exercise where we had to pick our least favourite shoe, handbag, jewelry, & apparel... then try to sell it (just to a fellow co-worker). I learned a lot about all of the above & fell in love with pieces on a daily basis... That was probably the worst part of the job - resisting the urge to buy everything!
I did, however, splurge on one item (click this link to see!). Kate Spade is most known for its handbags & with an amazing staff discount I couldn't say no. It may have been a bit of a splurge but with a bit of Christmas money (thank you once again to my grandparents for their kind gift) there was no better time to buy. I am absolutely in LOVE with my new bag. I've gotten loads of compliments from both sides of the pond. I'd been searching for a nice mid-size purple day to day bag for ages (just ask Dave haha) & this one ticks all the boxes. Have I mentioned that I love it?!
But, all good things must come to an end. I am thankful for the experience but I am looking forward to new adventures. Keep me in your thoughts as I look for a new job. I have a good action plan & I am optimistic that something good will come my way soon!
A lot can happen in a week! Since I last wrote I have a place to live and a job! London has been too kind lately.
Life in this city moves quickly. Here's how it all went down....
On Sunday the 18th I went to a flat viewing in Putney. It was only my second flat viewing; I had been to one a few weeks ago & when I didn't get the room I felt defeated (even though it wasn't the greatest place in the world!). I used the website SpareRoom to find a place to live. I paid extra for their Early Bird Special which meant I could contact 'new' ads (less than 7 days old) as they are reserved for Early Bird users. I had to pay £19.99 for this service but it is worth every penny as rooms go very quickly.
Combined with this, I signed up for daily email alerts. I chose neighbourhoods I wanted to live in along with my prince range & when something fit those descriptions it was sent to me in one handy summary email. There are so many rooms on the website, this beats looking through each ad one by one!
Looking back, I'm not sure if I found my room through an email or not. I'm thinking not. Something inspired me to browse SpareRoom one night. I found this room that was not only in Putney but totally in my price range. So I sent a friendly email but didn't hold my breath. The response rate from SpareRoom is about 60% - I think people who put their rooms up just get overwhelmed & can't respond to everyone.
Well, lo & behold, I got a response! & I was to meet the outgoing flatmate as well as the current flatmates on Sunday at 1:15pm!
The trains were super delayed (Sunday service! *shakes fist*) so I was late but upon arrival at East Putney Tube station I walked to the house & didn't get lost, it was almost like I knew where I was going. When I met the flatmates we all chatted like old friends, it wasn't awkward at all. The room was lovely, the flat was clean, & it was in Putney. It was perfect. I knew I really wanted it, but tried to not get my hopes up.
I thanked the flatmates for their time. They said they would let me know their decision in the evening, as they had many more people to meet that day.
London was super duper sunny that day so I went for a walk along Putney High Street. As I was basking in the glow & feeling lucky to live in this city my mobile phone rang. It was the outgoing flatmate, offering me the room! I was shocked, especially as they had other people to see it. I went back to have one last look & ask some more questions & when I realised it ticked all the (important) boxes I said YES!
Good Things About My New Residence:
• my room is the top floor of a split level house, so it has a slanted ceiling (très chic)
• friendly flatmates from New Zealand, Australia, & England
• two big comfy sofas in the living room
• 5 minute walk away from a Tube station
• 5 minute walk from an Overground Rail station (I can get to Waterloo in 20 minutes!)
• 5 minute walk to Putney High Street, a truly awesome high street with everything I need & then some
• only have to share the bathroom with one other girl
• totally within my budget
Bad Things About My New Residence:
• the ceilings are so slanted on both sides of my room I can only stand up in the very middle
• no desk (but there's a table in the dining/ living room)
To those looking for a place to live in London: it is like dating. You will meet so many people & some dates will be awful, awkward, have no connection... but somewhere out there is the right room for you! You'll know it when you find it. Don't give up hope.
I move on the 6th of December & I'm quite excited. I'll post photos of my abode once I move in.
The story of how I got a job is much shorter... when I first moved here I met a lovely girl called Shawna. When she mentioned the type of work she was looking for I told her I had seen a posting advertising a job at Kate Spade. She applied, & got the job. Two weeks later she informed me Kate Spade was looking for a seasonal sales associate. I went in with my CV on Friday & met the manager. I went in on Saturday & met the assistant manger & after a brief chat she offered me the job. I start on Tuesday. It's not the 'career job' I was aiming for but I am SO excited. I'll be working in central London & I love Kate Spade so I think it will be a lot of fun.
Moral of this story: career councellors were right... the hidden job market really does exist! So make connections! You just never know.
On that note, as tomorrow is my first day & I start at 9am, I'm off to bed!
I said I would write a blog about my birthday, which was the best ever!
I woke up early so I could open my cards & presents before Dave left for work. Thank you everyone for your gifts & words, they each brought a smile to my face. :)
As I was hanging out around the house in the morning I noticed one of my favourite bands, who I was going to see that night, wished me a Happy Birthday on Twitter!
Happy birthday @carlyjchalmers, see ya tonight?
— Hey Rosetta! (@heyrosetta) November 6, 2012
How cool is that?!
In the afternoon I took myself out shopping on Oxford St with my birthday money. I got a new winter headband for £3 (yes!) from Forever 21 & a satchel bag from Primark for £9. So I didn't go crazy.
My absolute favourite cupcakes in the world are from Kooky Bakes which sell at various markets around London & Selfridges department store. I went in & got the last salted caramel before hopping on the Tube to meet Dave.
We had dinner at Wahaca, one of my favourite restaurants in London before heading to a pub nearby to meet newfound friends! When I first arrived in London, I had an orientation at BritBound for all new arrivals. A mix of German, Aussie, Kiwi, & of course Canadians were sat around a table when one of them mentioned he was going to see Hey Rosetta! next week. I told him how I was going too & by the end, almost everyone was on board to join us at the concert! It was great to see everyone again. We enjoyed a few pints before heading over to the venue.
Rich Aucoin was the opening act. If you've ever been to one of his shows you know how much fun they are. He is big into involving the audience, the best part being when he gets out one of those parachutes I remember from gym class in elementary school & everyone dances under it! I had seen him before & this show did not disappoint.
Hey Rosetta! hit the stage afterwards. This was the 4th time I had seen them live & this was honestly their best show yet. They played many of my favourite songs & a few news ones. The crowd was absolutely loving the show & all my friends who had never heard them before really enjoyed the show. As the band left the stage the crowd was going wild so they came back to play an encore. I don't think they were expecting to, as they seemed a bit lost on what to play! They said "we haven't felt love like this in a long time." In the end, they played New Goodbye. Tim, the lead singer, told a story about how this song is about taking the boat from Newfoundland & leaving home & starting a new journey (of course, it was more eloquent than that). It was quite a poignant song to hear, especially as so many of us had recently left home. I left loving Hey Rosetta! even more than before (if that's possible).
So there you have it, the best birthday yet, methinks. Something tells me 24 is going to be a great year. :)
The first weekend I was here was my very first Bonfire Night! Also known as Guy Fawkes Night, it celebrates the fact that King James I survived when Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the House of Lords. To celebrate this, bonfires are lit & fireworks are displayed all across the UK.
Dave & I walked up to a local park to see the fireworks. We met up with his friends for a pint before the show (of course), then all wandered over together. It was £8 to get in & inside there was a whole carnival with rides & treats. We meandered through until coming out to a big field, where the massive bonfire could be seen burning in the distance (you can see it in the photo above). Most bonfires make a 'Guy' to burn in the middle, & rumour has it that the face on this one this year was Jimmy Savile, a former TV presenter who has recently been convicted of child sex abuse....
Anyways, once the fireworks began they were magnificent! I know it's not much to compare but it was the best fireworks display I've seen since going to Wonderland as a kid. They set the display off to popular music & it was all very well choreographed.
It was a wonderful eve but I must say, I've been hearing/ seeing fireworks for 2 weeks now. Forget Bonfire Night... it's Bonfire Fortnight!
I've been in London for a little over two weeks now. A lot has happened! (I'm sure you can guess that, because I haven't blogged!)
Let's break it down, shall we?
Things In London That Have Been Good (in no particular order)
1. Being in the same city as Dave - He took the week off work when I first arrived & it felt like a visit. Only now is it sinking in that I won't have to kiss him goodbye at the departures gate for a very long time! When he went back to work he kissed me goodbye & I went back to sleep. When I woke up I thought "that was a nice dream, Dave being here..." It took a few seconds to sink in... wait, it wasn't a dream!
2. Meeting new friends - As I applied for my visa through SWAP, I have been partnered with an organisation here called BritBound. These folks are awesome, as they have already provided me so much support since I've been here. I had an orientation session the first Friday I arrived & afterwards we went out to two amazing bars - one incredibly decadent & Marie Antoinette style that served cocktails & another on a roof that had a giant wigwam! The wigwam was cooking s'mores inside but sold out before I got one. :(
Anyways, at my orientation there were 2 Aussies, 3 Canadians, 1 German, & 1 Kiwi I have become friends with & we've formed a nice group & they're all cool people.
3. My birthday! - It was one of the best in recent memory. So much so, it deserves its own blog post (stay tuned!).
4. Seeing old friends - I've already been reunited with my old flatmate, Hannah, in east London!
5. Riding the Tube again - I love the Tube. I can't say much more than that.
6. My new bank account - BritBound helped set me up with a bank account appointment, & Lloyds set me up with a bank account even though I didn't have a job or National Insurance Number. Thank you, Lloyds!
7. The weather - Seems strange, yes? I think I've seen more sun in London in the past 2 weeks than when I was here for 2 weeks in the summer. It's also been dry making most days pleasant to be outside. Delightful.
8. The chocolate - The British love their chocolate & for good reason, it's so tasty (yes, it really does taste different than Canadian chocolate). Dave lives near a 'Pound Land' (dollar store). Cheap sweets, yes!
9. The Royal Ballet - I've already been to see them once, & they are so fantastic. (But I really miss the National Ballet of Canada!)
Things In London That Have Been Not So Good (in no particular order)
1. Lack of central heating - I am very thankful to Dave & his family for their hospitality but ah, the lack of central heating means one really feels the cold! Luckily, I purchased a big fuzzy jumper for lazing about.
2. Being unemployed - Okay, who am I kidding, this hasn't been so bad. But I came over here to work & hopefully will get a job soon!
3. No iPhone 5 - Even though it was released weeks before my arrival, no shops seemed to have it in stock. It's more expensive here than in Canada to buy unlocked from the Apple store & when I went to finally order it from a phone company & sign a plan they told me I needed my bank card, which hadn't arrived yet! Aye yi yi! So, for now, I'm on a pay-as-you go Nokia fake Blackberry with Vodafone.
4. No winter boots - Really, I am being too picky. At home I had these gorgeous lace up mid-calf winter boots. I didn't bring them with as they are made for Winter (with a capital W) & last time I wore them in London my feet were always sweating. I thought I could find the exact same style just, ya know, cheaper. No such luck (unless I want to wear combat boots....) as it appears to be all about knee-highs this season... As a small rant I will say, Aldo has the exact boots I want in brown, forest green, & some nasty colour called black miscellaneous. WHY ALDO WHY?!
5. Paying £23 for something that costs $23 - That's $36 CDN & that was a 2 for 1 deal! Wah!
6. I think my last wisdom tooth is coming in - So, I guess I'll have to deal with that soon... Good news is that going to the dentist here is way cheaper!
That's all I can think of for now. All in all, things here have been good. :)
I stopped blogging around the time something started to happen. You see, in February of my exchange program I met a boy. A boy called Dave. This was our first conversation:
Dave: Where are you from?
Carly: I'm from Toronto.
D: I'm going on a roadtrip this summer with my friend & our flights are in & out of Toronto.
C : What day do you arrive?
D: The 10th of July.
C: The 10th of July?! That's 10 days after I get home from exchange! You can sleep in my basement!
But did he? Read on....
The day we met my friend Leah was in town visiting. A few weeks after she left, my parents came to visit. A few days after they left, my friend Michael came to visit. After he left, it was crunch time at university. I had never had such a stressful day as April 7, 2011 - 3 final projects due in one day; not just for me, but for the entire university! I think everyone was in the library that day...
The good news is that I more than survived, even getting a 'First' (the highest mark possible) in one class. :)
By the beginning of March Dave & I had started messaging each other on Facebook. As I mentioned, March was a crazy month but by the end we met up to see Canadian band Twilight Hotel. It was a great night & the first time we hung out alone.
We met up a few times after that, once to go out for breakfast at The Breakfast Club so I could have maple syrup, & on April 11, 2011 we went on a day trip to Bath. Dave loves Bath, & since he went to university there he was the perfect tour guide. We saw the baths, abbey, parks, & even climbed Beechen Cliff. We had dinner at a Nepalese restaurant then took the train home. It was the perfect day with the perfect ending. We held hands on the ride home & when we arrived back in Paddington station, he kissed me goodnight. It was only the beginning...
Our two months together in London were filled with weekday adventures, Sundays at the market, & evenings of meeting me at Liverpool street station after I got off the Stanstead Express from travelling around Europe.
So where did I travel, you ask?
Ibiza
I always wanted to go to Ibiza after a girl in my French class did a presentation about it (yes, really) so in April I went with 4 exchange friends. At the time, it was actually warmer in London than Ibiza, if you can believe it, so that was disappointing as we only had one really good beach day. We were also there on the off season which someone compared to "being at summer camp after everyone had gone home." Very few things were open but we did make it to Pacha which is the nicest club I've ever been to. Ibiza itself is also beautiful so we had a great time walking around & admiring the views.
Verdict: Go in the high season. It will cost you but you'll get the sun, more variety of clubs, & full Ibiza experience.
Venice & Rome, Italy
This was a last minute trip but I managed to make it happen! I met up with some girls from TravBuddy & we wandered around Venice. Aaaaand yep... that's basically all you can do in Venice. We did ride the gondola, which is massively overpriced, but now I can check that one off the list. I am quite glad I went, as it's a cute & unique place. On our last night we finally found a place to have risi e bisi & it was soooo tasty!
Rome was not my favourite city but I think I need to give it another go. I found it a very intense place to travel, more intense than when I was in Ghana. It is oozing with history so I wish I had read up on more before I left.
Verdict: I am never going to Italy in the summer ever again. So hot, & so crowded.
(London)Derry & Belfast, Northern Ireland; Dublin, Ireland
This was one of the best trips. I travelled with one of my exchange friends who was super interested in Northern Ireland's history. We flew into Derry & yes, the cliché is true... Ireland is SO GREEN! We got to our hostel & one of the guys who was working there went to same high school as me! Small world. It was actually the best hostel I've ever stayed at, I highly recommend Derry City Independent Hostel (don't let the website fool you). People were friendly (unlike London), food was cheap (unlike London), & overall it was awesome (in a different way than London but in a great way). The walled part of the city is awesome, as is the mural tour & the history.
We went down to Belfast afterwards. I enjoyed the city; not too big, not too small. The highlight was when we were trying to use our mobile phones to make a call & a friendly man came up to help us. He let us use his phone & as we parted ways he informed us he was the former Lord Mayor of Belfast (can you imagine Rob Ford doing this??)!! We took a day trip to the Giant's Causeway which was so beautiful.
I went by myself to Dublin afterwards. It was a bit lonely travelling on my own but I had my very first Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse, visited an art gallery, & of course wandered around Temple Bar. It's not a pretty city, but it's fun.
Verdict: A great place to go, they love Canadians. Everyone you meet is friendly. I would go back!
Edinburgh, Scotland
I broke my own "do not travel with a boyfriend you meet on exchange" rule one weekend in June. Dave & I went to Edinburgh & although it rained the first day it didn't dampen our spirits. We visited Edinburgh Castle, climbed Arthur's Seat, visited the zoo, & saw plaid everywhere!! I enjoyed my time in the city & I can see why everyone loves it.
Verdict: Nice city, lots to do. The weather sucks but no one goes to Scotland for the weather....
It was a whirlwind of travel & adventure. But all good things must come to an end. On June 30, 2011 I had to leave London (& the whole of the UK as my visa was up!). It was a teary goodbye at the airport but Dave & I were to be reunited in 10 days...
... So if you've been following along yes he DID sleep in my basement. Dave & his friend arrived for their bus trip on the 10th of July. We spent a few days in Toronto before he left for 4 weeks. When we reunited we all went to the cottage for a week.
Dave slept in my basement once again for 2 weeks over Christmas, & I went to London in February & June of this year (the latter because I won a contest but that's another story). Ever since we started our long distance relationship we've sent daily emails, had weekly Skype dates, & sent gifts monthly across the ocean.
On October 30, 2012, exactly six months since we started our long distance relationship, we will be closing the distance.
Stay tuned to this blog for future updates. :)
Post-Script: Many people ask me why I stopped blogging.This was my thought process at the time:
1. If something DID happen between us I didn't want important people in my life to find out about it over a blog.
2. If something did NOT happen between us, reading my blog would make me sad.
3. I wasn't sure how Dave would react to being written about on my blog.
Some say the solution to this was to not mention Dave. But I couldn't have done that as we spent so much time together!
Why didn't they release this in January? This is the exact phone I have but so much prettier... & so much more expensive. I paid 1 pence for my phone & this model is £15. But it has a Union Jack case, royal-themed wallpaper, & a ringtone of the Wedding March. Sounds like a deal to me!
I was sitting in the lecture hall, waiting for Creativity class to start. One of the tutors, an Australian, was the second person in the room. We started talking about various things & at one point he said, "so you're from Canada then?"
My jaw could have dropped the floor! That was the first time since I've arrived that someone has correctly identified me as a Canadian on the first try!
I asked him how he knew! He said it was when I said "aboot." Ha!
The funniest part? March 14 2011 was Commonwealth Day...
It had always been a dream of my Dad & I to visit Liverpool & see all the historical sights of The Beatles. Well, on March 12 2011 that dream came true!
We took a really early train up to Liverpool. It was a Virgin Train so it was super speedy fast! My friend Dave said that Liverpool was far for a day trip (day tripper?) but it was 2 hours by train & Oxford is 1.5 hours by bus so it's not so bad! Plus, I think the Brits just have a different idea of 'far' than us Canadians! (See: world map & the sizes of our respective countries.)
We arrived in Liverpool & it was quite grey. The weather was forecasting for rain & it looked like it could arrive at any time. We were all hungry so we set out to find food. The first place we came across was a hotel. The women who greeted us had a thick Liverpudlian accent & even thicker eyeliner!! She informed us to go to a hotel down the way. After a hearty breakfast (complete with blood pudding which none of us tried) we headed back to the train station. Funniest part of breakfast: a cook in the kitchen saw the bandage on my knee & asked what happened. When I told him, he said I should sue! Ha!
We walked back down to the spot where our tour guide Stevie T, was due to arrive. He described his vehicle as a 'saloon car' so we really didn't know what to expect! He pulled up in a regular car that said Beatles Tours on the side! We all piled in & started the journey around Liverpool!
Check out the photos here! :)
We saw tons of Beatles sights, more than I could have imagined! The highlights for me were:
1. seeing George Harrison's childhood home
2. Meeting Sam Leach, who booked The Beatles into many of their first gigs & knew them right at the start of their careers. He was a real character & had so many cool stories about The Beatles.
Stevie T was a really great tour guide. He knew all the ins & outs of Liverpool. I liked all his stories he had from Liverpudlians about The Beatles. He said most people in Liverpool can say to you, "I know a story about The Beatles." He said Beatles history can get a bit distorted because everyone has their own version of the story. My favourite one was when Ringo's Dad was offering Ringo's first drum set to a guy Stevie knew because 'Rich' had grown out of it... & Stevie's friend said no! He could have owned Ringo Starr's first drum set! Too funny.
Liverpool was also a really nice city as well. I expected it to be either a) really grey & industrial or b) really kitschy with Beatles stuff EVERYWHERE. But it wasn't either of those things: it was clean, friendly, & really artsy! I wish we would have had more time to explore the waterfront & galleries but a whole day of Beatles was a day well spent. :)
All in all, Liverpool was a dream come true! It was really amazing to see all the places after reading about them for so long. If you are a big Beatles fan, GO! It is worth every penny (lane).
