Lively Liverpool

The statue at Derby Square and the Liverpool Town Hall in the far background

This is what I would have thought Liverpool would have looked like in the 1800s.  Liverpool has had high times and low times.  I think most people think of the Beatles when they think of Liverpool, at least  in North America.  But there really is much more than that.

Bombed out church from the war kept as a memorial

Sign at the church from the picture before. I wanted to get inside but it was locked

As I say, Liverpool has definitely had its heydays and its bad days and the city lays testament to that.  As you wander around you see beautiful buildings from the past, council houses and abandoned warehouses from heydays gone by, evidence of the working class background and port oriented city, and modern buildings now setting this city as the second best shopping area next to London.

The multi-layered street intertwined Liverpool One shopping area

Had I not already purchased some clothes and not been limited by my luggage I might actually have had a shopping spree. But with the extra weight I have and not feeling exceptionally attractive, it just was not to be.  But I had fun looking around.

A burned out warehouse - Metcalfe's from 1874

I really like Liverpool’s setting on the ocean and the refurbished Albert Dock is really quite interesting.  There are a lot of free museum’s and the Maritime one is exceptionally good showing large scale models of the Titanic and other ships related to Liverpool that have met danger or success.  It has been such a major port city over the years that there is a lot of history.  As such it was also subject to a bombing blitz during the second world war that left its scar.

An interesting face on the bombed out church

But it is an interesting area this part of Britain.  Mostly I think people think of it as the poorer working class part of the country and not worth seeing, but like I have said throughout my travels, every place has its charms.  Certainly Liverpool, and also Blackpool which I am now at, are interesting in their seaside character.  I didn’t even get to see all of Liverpool that I wanted because I had to get to Blackpool, but Liverpool, not only has amazing shopping and museums but also has an excellent music scene.  This I will assume is partly thanks to the legacy of the Beatles.  So it is not a place to overlook but is a place to investigate. Next time I will have to stay longer.

The famous Georgian era Rodney Street where famous people have come from

Also, Liverpool has quite a significant Chinese population and boast the largest Chinese ceremonial arch outside of China.  All of the unique designs and elements of the arch have come from China as well.

The beautiful Chinese arch