Tuesday May 3: I went on my second Beatles walk tour with the same guide Richard. Now if I could only stay for Friday, because once you go on the two with him you get the one on Friday free of a Rock and Rock tour. This one, The Beatles ‘In My Life’ Tour (the other one titles The Magical Mystery Tour) met at Marylebone underground station (I was an hour early). Once we had all established a group and were paying, I asked the gentleman behind me where he was from and he was from. Canada (Cambridge)! So right there, we started chatting till past the end of the tour. For the first part of the tour we didn’t have to go anywhere, because as Richard introduced, it was here at this station where The Beatles had shot the opening scene, with the boys in disguise as the mass of girl fans run to catch up with them. The next place we stopped at was the Triton building where both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr got married (on separate occasions). Richard even shared with us that he got married there too. Next, we stopped at 34 Montagu Square; which is rich in Rock and Roll star history. The Chicago Tribune has called it, “The ultimate rock n’ roll pad.” That’s because it’s been a residence with 3 Beatles, Chas Chandler (The Animals) and Jimi Hendrix , and god knows how many other stars have been there for parties. Ringo Starr moved in there in 1965 with his wife where him and Mick Jagger were neighbours. Ringo moved out of there a short while after but kept ahold of it so friends could crash there or make use of it. Paul McCartney built a small recording studio in the basement and had spent time there working on Elenor Rigby. Then in December 1966 Chas Chandler, the former bass player from the Animals, had just discovered a guitarist in a small club in New York and decided to be his manager and bring him to England; non other that Jimi Hendrix. They shared the flat together with their girlfriends. It was there as he and his girlfriend had had a row, did he write the lyrics for ‘The Wind Cries Mary’ (her middle name). A while later John and Yoko moved in there. It was there were they posed for their nude Two Virgins picture which had started an uproar. It was also there that the two were busted with drugs which was claimed to not be theirs but the apartment’s previous owner, Jimi, which would definitely possible. It also came to the fact that the cop who busted them was later known to plant drugs on stars. This charge did not see the end of the couple, because it resulted in Yoko miscarrying her child due to the fear of deportation and it very much affected the couple went trying to move to New York (it was also because of this problem that he decided not to come back and live in England.) Now there is a Blue Historic Plaque there with John Lennon’s name on it. (Probably erected by Yoko.) Later, we walked to the building where The Beatles had their first major project; The Apple Store which opened in 1967 but shortly closed in ’68. The Beatles let a hippie designer from Holland called The Fool station there; the cloths very popular for the hippies. In fact the Beatles had their at the time wives pose for an advertisement. The building stuck out amazingly at the time with a great psychedelic mural on the side, but unfortunately like the store, it did not last long, was removed because it was not liked by the community. Now it is a boring building and the only way to tell of it is a small blue plaque with John Lennon’s name on it (this is false, because it was a association of THE BEATLES, not just Lennon). We also passed 37 Wimpole Street which was the Asher Family residence (Jane Asher was McCartney’s first wife) where the Beatles had spent time with writing songs (including ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ and ‘Yesterday’), and passed the restaurant which was featured in The Beatles film HELP!, at the time an Indian restaurant called The Dolphin at 4-6 Blandford Street. It was during the filming that George Harrison first was introduced into the sitar, which the instrument would lead him to a lifelong follower of the Indian culture. The restaurant is now called The Giraffe. Lastly, we took the Underground one stop over to St. John’s Wood to end off (again) at Abbey Road. I knew all the information by now, but it was great ending there! Walked across Abbey Road with my Canadian friend. It was so amazing following the footsteps of the best artists yet. Ended the tour stopping at Richard’s Beatles Coffee Shop at the station and bought his book.
 |
| Same shot at Marylebone Station where the Beatles ran in Hard Day's Night |
 |
| Where Ringo, Paul, Jimi Hendrix, Joh and Yoko Lived |
 |
| What The Apple Store used to look like in '68 |
 |
| Beatles Store! |
 |
| Where Paul, Ringo, and even Richard got married |
 |
| Walking Across Abby Road with Robert |
 |
| Montagu Place; where, Ringo, Paul, Jimi, John and Yoko lived |
My Canadian friend guided me to the ‘Its Only Rock ‘N’ Roll’ store and The London Beatles Store that he had found then asked if I wanted to have lunch with him across the road, so had a nice chat. He actually originally went to school for archaeology. The two stores were crazy amazing. The Beatles store had tons of original Beatles memorabilia from the ‘60s but of course, very expensive. They were playing Yellow Submarine on the TV when I was there. I also stopped in the Sherlock Holms store (Sherlock Holms and Jack the Ripper are also very big hear’ I wanted to go on tours). After some time of searching for the Handel House Museum where both Handel and Jimi Hendrix lived but after a couple hours gave up for the day. Try tomorrow, because I wanted to visit the Camden Market. It was astounding! It was all I ever wanted; vintage, alternative, everything! Unfortunately I did not have much time, so I quickly looked around, and decided I had to go back tomorrow. I didn’t have time because I had to rush to see a play that I booked and this was no ordinary play; it starred Matthew Fox (Jack in LOST) !!!! it’s his first and its only showing until June so I’m super lucky that I am here at the right time (First time ever playing and it’s in London!) I had just heard about Into A Forest Dark and Deep a day before left for London by fluke It was at the Vaudeville Theatre which was very beautiful! I bought a seat for the Dress Circle, which are one of the best places to sit. I was super excited to see it, although, it was not what I expected. It was just the two characters, Fox and Olivia Williams (who had been in the film An Education which I had seen and loved). It was set in an A-frame cottage and there were no scene changes or intermission; just their intense acting. The two played brother and sister and she had invited him to help pack away the contents (mostly just books). The cottage was not hers and her husband and kids did not know about it. They’re both troubled people; he’s an angry, racist/sexist prick and she’s a compulsive liar. It was actually at parts unbearable to watch because it was just them yelling and screaming at each other; so much I wanted to yell out, “Stop! Stop! Just Stop!” They fight the whole time of what is truth and to just come out with it. What plays out is that she’s a dean at a university, she’s met this 2nd year student and has fallen in love with him (so an affair) and now he’s dead (hit by a car) so now she’s trying to rid of all the stuff that she and her young lover had before the parents come. And then at the very end, she finally admits to her brother that she was the one who killed him with her car (she read his journal and found that he thought that their love together was not real). It was defiantly not what I expected and was gut wrenching but that just shows how good actors they are. After it was over, I decided to walk to The Thames River. Everything was beautifully lit up; the great buildings, the bridges and especially the London Eye (the great Ferris wheel) It surprised me to see an Obelisk and two Sphinx statues. I walked over the Waterloo Bridge, up to the London Eye then headed back across to the Westminster underground for home.
 |
| Into A Forest Dark and Deep |
 |
| Looking Out Across the Thames |
 |
| Looking out Across the Thames |
Wednesday May 4: Decided to make more of a relaxed day. I caught some of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace; the routine of the guards which involves them marching back and forth, riding on horseback, carriages and nice black cars. I decided to look again for the Handel House Museum. The night before I had made myself better directions although as I had thought I was on the right track and had ask a bunch of people on the street although no one seemed to know where it was. I know where around it was; 23 Brook Street, near the Bond underground, but once followed the street I was suppose to I saw no Brooke St. After like two hours of walking around and still no luck I realized I better head back to Camden Market; something I really wanted to spend time at. It was a hot and beautiful day to be outside. Everything at Camden is so awesomely funky and a dream for me. The first bit got frustrating though, because, you know, I’m just casually looking around at the shops and booths, but then all the Middle Easterners come rushing to you trying to get you to buy their stuff, and I have to admit, I have no experience in heckling or bartering. They’d start off, “Oh, I give you good price, very good price!” And then when you say you’ll just look around they start offering you lower prices, get it down to let you try it and even start putting it in the bag. I really was considering buying finally a pair of Dr. Martin’s but they were £80 (that’s like $130) and plus I don’t really have the room for them. At a certain point down the street, I thought that was the end, but i was very much wrong! To my great excitement there were still isles and isles of booths. If I didn’t have to worry about money and baggage room, there is no knowing how much I would have bought. Then I entered this whole new place called The Stables; and if if you can get any better, it sure did! Absolutely incredible. It was whole new vibe. Away from the hecklers, it was quiet and peaceful, and everything was unique or vintage (away from the cheap,Made in China). It really was situated in a Stable/barn area, some booths in horse box stalls, and you winded through the endless pathways, parts even underground. I went into this super cool record shop (since looking through the shelves of records is a complete addiction and cannot pass one without looking through the selection.) I had to tell myself though that I did not have the room at all anymore (since after my inheritance of 80 or so). Although, in the downstairs, was full of these very unique posters, mostly of Rockers. I told the man there, that they were beautiful and he informed me they were actually all his prints; Steampower Co. London. I decided that I would finally buy one of his posters of a ‘20s Flapper. I decided it was a more neutral pick that would be perfect in a room or house no matter the age (even though, I’d love to by one of The Rolling Stones or the Beatles) and plus I love the ‘20s era. I looked at my watch and realized that I would miss the walking tour I wanted to do. That was a big sad, because it was a Harry Potter tour, where you could see Platform 9 3/4, Grimmwald Place, etc.
 |
| The Changing of the Guard |
Everything was closing at 6, but at the last moment I found this little place to sit and have a tea and sweets so I stopped there. The man there was very nice and I asked him the history of The Stables. He told me, that The Stables area was actually where they had kept the working horses for the area, like for carriages, ambulance, fireman carriages, etc. And it was only about three years ago did they rebuild this area and make it a place for the market. After my tea and a Danish, all the shops were closed. I headed back to the station, debating on if I should do anything. Then I saw this one place right near where I has bought the posters called the Vinyl Bar. I had been avoiding going into any with part of the fact that I was on my own and that is most of the enjoyment to go with someone. Though, when I saw it had the word Vinyl in it, it seemed friendly and comforting. Walking in, it looked super cool. It wasn’t busy, but realised that was the way I think I would prefer it. There were two tenders there, a smart looking gentleman and a younger woman. They were very friendly and made me feel at home. The man was actually the owner and wouldn’t think of him as the boss because he was very friendly and joked around a lot. He was a born Englishman and said he’d been around the world a few times. The girl Italian was still on her orientation so I felt very understanding of her and it was great just chatting with her as she made drinks for the customers. They were very welcoming and were amazed that I had been traveling alone and really hoped that I’d come there again when I ever came back and that I was very welcome. I was actually sad to leave there since they were very nice (even the DJ went out into his car to put on the music I suggested) although I had to catch a taxi at 4 the next morning to catch my flight back to Bonn.
 |
| The Stables; Camden Market |
 |
| Camden Market |
 |
| Camden Market |
No comments:
Post a Comment