Liverpool

    


Albert Dock and Liverpool skyline, as seen from the Liverpool Eye.


     On Saturday, we went to Liverpool for the day.  Got a rather late start, as we slept in, then had pancakes, but we left by 10.  To get to Liverpool from our area, you need to go through an underwater tunnel (well, I guess you could go around, but there's the time factor), which the kids thought was the best ever.  There are many museums along the waterfront.  Liverpool has a group of 6 museums that are all free.  The maritime museum has been having a Titanic exhibit on, which is why we originally decided to go to Liverpool for the day.

Liverpool Eye-the London Eye is quite a bit larger than its Liverpool cousin.



Liverpool Eye, next to the Echo Convention Arena.

     One of the first things we saw when we got out of the carpark was the Liverpool Eye.  Of course, the kids wanted to go on it, although J was a little unsure (he's afraid of heights).  So we went, and got some pictures of the city.

Liverpool obviously has a lot of Beatles museums and shops.  Docked in the harbor, is, what else, the Yellow Submarine.  Here it is seen from the Liverpool Eye.

  Next, we needed to get some lunch.  We ate outside, and there were some very friendly pigeons/sea gulls.  They even came and took the bun off of W's plate.  We were surrounded, which W and N got a huge kick out of.



Seagull, on the look out for some food.

     We walked along the waterfront, and ended at the Merseyside Maritime Museum.  Lots of neat exhibits.  Liverpool, being a port city, must watch for items being smuggled in.  There was an exhibit entitled, "Seized," all about different things that have been smuggled in, both in historical times, as well as current times.  And the items that have held the smuggled goods.  Also about counterfeit "fakes"-including a bunch of Olympic sunglasses that were counterfeit, hollowed out stuffed animals, etc.  There're some very creative people out there.  Also an exhibit about emigrants, and people emigrating to the US.

Kids in front of the Museum.

     Then there was the special Titanic exhibit.  A lot of the $$ to fund the building of the ship came from Liverpool, and there were MANY workers on the Titanic from Liverpool.  Bruce Ismay was from Liverpool  The ship was made in Belfast, N Ireland, but was supposed to stop in Liverpool as its first stop, but it didn't, as it was behind schedule.  It had failed its first test for seaworthiness, and had a near miss with another boat.  The Museum had a re-enactor of the chief baker for the Titanic.  The baker told the story of the sinking.  J used to be a Titanic buff; he's outgrown it some, but still finds it interesting.  He enjoyed it, and asked the fellow some ?s afterward.  He was friends with the gentleman (who's from Liverpool) who took a lot of the pics that we all recognize of the Titanic, as he went in the Mir that went down to explore the Titanic.  A lot of the pictures were in the numerous books J has on the topic.  The museum chose to only exhibit items from the debris field surrounding the Titanic, rather than items removed from the Titanic, which is what the exhibit that went around the country a few years ago had.  The museum also had its regular exhibit on the Lusitania, Olympic and Titanic.  J said this was the coolest museum.  I said, "You say that about every museum."  He just smiled, as he knows its true.

   

Picture taken along the waterfront.  I thought it was an interesting vantage point and looked, as the Brits say, "brilliant"!!!!