What's up guys?
Welcome back to Vagabrothers.
Right now we are exploring Liverpool.
In this episode, we're going to learn how Liverpool
became one of the most prosperous cities
in the British Empire,
the pop capital of the world
and the leader in the cultural renaissance
sweeping the north of England.
Let's hit it.
We got in pretty late last night from the Lake District.
I had my fair share of coffee this morning,
but it doesn't really seem to be doing anything.
Just right off the bat,
I'm blown away with the architecture.
The architecture is awesome.
It's got like a clean Gotham City feel to it.
There you are.
There must have been a big party night last night.
There's literally no one here. Ready to do this?
I guess so. What's on the plate for today?
Well we're starting off the day
here in the water front because the whole city
really came up as a port.
So the story starts here.
But first up, we're going to hop on this psychedelic ferry
take a journey across the Mersey.
Let's go.
If you're not from the U.K. and you've heard of Liverpool
is most probably in the context of its four
most famous sons:
the Beatles.
So right now we're staying in front of the Mersey ferry.
Mersey is the river on which the city was built,
and this ferry was recently repainted
by Sir Peter Blake, who was the artist
who designed Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Brigade
hence the trippy colors all over the side.
It's the snow drop, but I like to call it the Trip Ship.
Are you ready? Let's do it.
It's a pretty cool way to see the city.
The Mersey River is really what made this place
what it is.
It wasn't until the Industrial Revolution
connected Liverpool to Leeds
through a canal system and
that the British Empire opened up the Americas
for trade that Liverpool really began to thrive
and prosper and became one of the richest cities
in the British Empire,
through what was called the Triangle Trade.
Basically the slave trade between England,
West Africa, and the Caribbean sugar plantations.
We're going to head over to the docks and learn
more about the history of how Liverpool came
to be what it is today.
We've just arrived at the Mersey side maritime museum,
which is located in the Albert Dock.
The Albert Docks was nearly 8 acres of wetland docks,
and it's really what built the city
a couple hundred years ago.
It was a foundation for all the trade that came here
and really allowed Liverpool to kind of blossom.
We're going to head inside and find out why.
Seeing that international slavery exhibit
in the Mersey Maritime Museum was pretty harrowing.
It must have been so.......I don't know.
I can't even begin to vlog about it.
It's horrible.
It's crazy. It certainly puts into perspective
a lot of the history of the area.
We were recently in Jamaica,
which was one of the other corners
of the Triangle Trade.
When European empires set up colonies
in the Americas, one of the most profitable crops
was sugar.
So in order to farm sugar,
they brought about a total of 15 million Africans
over from West Africa to work in those plantations.
Ten percent of all known African slaves came
through the city of Liverpool during that time.
We learned about the Industrial Revolution in Leeds,
and I guess one way to look at it is that
during that time there was so much change,
so much rush for making money,
and I think it was probably intoxicating
for a lot of people.
And I think that craze: to get more and more and more
people were able to see other people as commodities
that you bought and sold on the international market.
We're going to lighten things up a little bit.
One of the other things that happened in this city
was piracy.
We're going right over here to a place called Smugglers Cove
Smugglers is to hide contraband over here.
So we're going to go over to Smugglers Cove
and get a little bit of lunch. Yar har hardy flar
Yar
Well moving forward in time we
arrive to the 1960s
when Liverpool became the world capital of pop.
And pretty much, that is because of four famous
Liverpudlians. You may know them: the Beatles.
But it was not just the Beatles.
In total I think there were five-four number one
billboard hits that came from Liverpool- based bands..
So we're here at the docks
going into the Beatles Story,
which is an interactive exhibit.
And then we're going to go on a tour
the see places that the Beatles.....Penny Lane
Strawberry Fields and then... yeah all right.
Beatles time.
I've actually just been told that
Liverpudlian could be mistaken for a person
who actually supports the football team
Scouser is the word for somebody from Liverpool.
So we've got four Scousers here.
And the accent is notoriously difficult,
so I will refrain from trying to imitate it.
It should be stated that the original You Tube fan girl
was Beatle mania.
Slight correction.
First fan girls were for Elvis
because without Elvis, there would be no Beatles.
We've just finished a quick walk through
of the Beatles story.
What a crazy story.
The band that started playing stripclubs
in Hamburg, Germany and then
just this sky rocket to international super stardom.
And then, you know, the split up of the band.
John Lennon's assassination.
It is like this very unique story
in the history of rock and roll
and one that has imprinted itself on
countless people's lives.
I want to ask you guys.
What's your favorite Beatle's song
or your favorite Beatle's album?
My favorite album? Probably Rubber Soul.
Favorite song? Across the Universe.
I really like the song, Norwegian Wood,
and I really enjoy the White Album.
Unfortunately, they broke up.
I don't know, Yoko.
Yoko, I'm looking at you.
It's over, Bro.
Neither of us has found our Yoko yet,
so the Vagabrothers remain intact.
Anyways, we're going to go right now on a tour
to where the Beatle's got their inspiration.
So we'll be visiting the actual Penny Lane,
Strawberry Fields.
Any Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Bro?
It's a bit too out there. Ahh
All right. So we're at Penny Lane, THE Penny Lane
Sometimes we have to be tourists.
Today we're being tourist.
I know there's a lot more to Liverpool than just the Fab Four,
but we are paying homage to these musical greats.
Hello. I wonder how many people
have been hit by cars here, taking selfies?
Probably quite a few
In the year 2000,
the blue placard on the wall.
Now there's no blue placard of George's, why?
You have to be dead for twenty years to get a blue placard
Now in 2002, Yoko Ono actually bought the house
and gave it to the National Trust.
It's pretty crazy seeing where all these guys came from.
All the Beatles were born during WWII,
came from middle class families
in suburban Liverpool.
It's really just the combination of all four characters
that made it happen.
There's a million neighborhoods like this
around the world where people have talent,
waiting to go express it.
Maybe you guys out there watching
are the next Beatles. Who knows?
Crazy thing just happened.
So we were walking and saw this guy pick-pocketing
another guy. So we stopped and told him.
Marko put down his bag, chased after the guy.
Ends up they're doing a social experiment
to see if people react.
Most people don't say anything when they
see someone get robbed.
The guy whom I just video taped
just walked past and did nothing.
Alex did get robbed a couple years ago,
and he actually chased the guy down
and took the wallet back.
It was my camera.
Yeah. We were in Madrid.
So pick-pocketers, you guys suck.
And people
don't be bystanders. Take action.
We're on our way to the Baltic Triangle.
We'll tell you more about that there.
We're heading down to the Baltic Triangle,
which is essentially a neighborhood
that they're trying to reinvest in
so that it becomes, basically, a start-up hub
for digital start-ups.
Right now there are tons of text start-ups
video game designer companies all moving there.
And they're trying to make it an alernative to
Shoreditch, which is where a lot of the start-ups
are based here in the U.K.
We're going to go check out Camp and Furnace,
which is a restaurant in that neighborhood
which is supposed to be a pretty good place
for a drink and a meal.
All right we just got two pizzas.
It's a pretty cool place because not only is it
a bar but a music venue, and they also have
a big room with a bunch of different restaurants.
Espresso martini.
That is so good.
Come, come, Mr Bond.
We know you enjoy espresso martini as much as I do.
Well guys, we've just scratched the surface
Of Liverpool.
There's a lot more to see in the city,
but we only have one day left in our trip.
So we're going to go to Manchester tonight
and spend the next day soaking up Manchester,
finish up the trip on a strong note.
Soaking it up like travel sponges.
Well guys, if you enjoyed that video,
you know what to do:
give it a thumbs-up, share it with your friends,
and subscribe to Vagabrothers, if you have not already.
And in the meantime, stay curious,
keep exploring, and we'll see you guys on the road.
Peace. More specifically, Manchester.
Hasta luego.
Where are we? Lunch common.
Common food, beer.
Uncommonly good, though. Let's go