Trip to Liverpool

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Friendly Local :-)

 Look who I met when I went to Liverpool for the day last week. Firstly the seagull - just sitting outside the Walker Art Gallery - which was out first port of call.

We went up there on the train with Nathan's parents. They got on at Stone and we got on at Stoke - it worked pretty well! We changed at Crewe - and got into Liverpool mid-morning.



Ken Dodd at the station - tattyfilarious!

We were lucky to have a warm dry day too to wander around. We went because Nathan was at University there and he and his parents spent quite a lot of time there over the three years. They had wanted to go back for some time - it was lovely to go with them! I used to live right next door - in St Helens for six years - so I knew it quite well too. Although it had been quite a few years since I had been there too.

We met Ken Dodd at the station - in a sculpture called "Chance Meeting" that also featured the former MP Bessie Braddock - who did much to improve the conditions of the working class.- she was  a British Labour Party politician. Known as an ardent socialist and fiery campaigner, nicknamed 'Battling Bessie', her special interests included maternity, child welfare and youth crime. I'm not exactly sure why she is holding an egg though :-)



 

Me and Ken Dodd!

Battling Bessie Braddock

 We had a look around the Walker Art Gallery first - attracted to the old building by the brightly coloured birds all along its roof and under its eaves. They looked very effective!

Walker Art Gallery and its Birds!

Then we walked down to the Liverpool Central Library which had a very interesting "Literary Pavement" leading up to it. Some of the words were written in red and they were supposed to give you a clue to one of the rare books housed within. We managed to work out the line "The Cyclops in the Wood"  - but we haven't managed to guess which author and title it refers to. Any help gratefully received - we could win a prize!!

Liverpool Library



Literary Pavement



Games Room!!



Nathan was very impressed that not only did the library rent out games - but they also had a Games Room where you could go and play them - with Playstations and X-Boxes.





There was a huge circular children's area and on the day we were there they had a clown entertaining them! He must have been good as we  only saw one little girl screaming in terror at him.




Nathan's Mum admires the Spider Crab

Further down the same road was the Museum of the World, where we saw more weird exhibits and visited the aquarium on the first floor. I liked the pterodactyl skeleton flying over head and I did NOT like the Spider Crab - far too big ( and spider-like) for comfort.




Times for Lunch in The Welkin

We stopped for lunch then - went to an old haunt of N's - The Welkin. It is named after an old word for the sky - in memory of the "Father of Astronomy" Jeremiah Horrocks, who was one of Liverpool's famous sons. It was certainly busy - but we managed to find a table and eventually get served at the bar!

After we'd eaten N's mum and I went off to do a spot of shopping in the city centre while N and his dad stayed to have another pint and reminisce.

It's "Wind-Swept Man"

The centre was heaving with people and so many buskers and those live statues! We saw one called "Windswept Man" who was exactly that - he stood frozen in the middle of the square looking as if he was battling against a hurricane! There wasn't even a breeze! He got a lot of puzzled looks from passers-by. We thought he was brilliant! Lots of people were taking his photo and putting money in his tin. We stopped to watch some break dances too - they had a huge circle around them - you could hardly get down the street. What was sweet was an old chap who was trying to copy their moves. He was the star!

We visited some famous outlets and purveyors of fine clothes - for an hour or so. Didn't come back with too many bags! The boys were still in the pub when we got back!

Come On! We've finished shopping!



Into the Philharmonic Rooms

We then decided to walk up the hill to find The Philharmonic Rooms - a pub and old dining hall that used to be known as "the most ornate pub in England" It was most impressive with its wood panelling and stained glass windows and magnificent chandeliers.  We sat and had a drink before walking back down into the centre of Liverpool again.











The Bombed-Out Church - been like this for 60 years!

On the way we passed the Bombed Out Church - St Lukes. It has been stood empty with no roof since the Liverpool Blitz in 1941 when it was hit and burned out. Trees are growing inside it - and it does look rather nice.

 








N's Dad at The Adelphi Hotel

Before going back to Lime Street station to get our train back home we decided to go into the Adelphi Hotel - the one made famous by the TV series featuring it, with its staff and any visitors. We thought it would be nice to have an afternoon tea - as advertised in its glossy brochure in the foyer. Sadly though - due to staff cuts they no longer serve afternoon tea. They said we could sit in the sumptuous lounge and go and get ourselves a drink of tea from the bar down below. However - they would only let us take it in polystyrene cups - so we decided to pass on that.



It's "Windswept Man"



Water Feature in the City Centre





After that it was time to go back to Lime Street Station to catch our trains home :-)




The Famous Adelphi Hotel

The amazing library roof



I love this Library!!

Adelphi - nice but where are the Cream Teas????