The Meanderthals

LIVERPOOL 6 Miles

WALKERS :- Mike, John W, John R, Dave, Martin
Anthony, Lawrence, Vic, Jim C, Danny.

"Easy Parkin' ? In Liverpool ? Yer kiddin' Wack. "

So we didn't go to Liverpool but settled for "Old Roan" Where parking , though not straightforward, was relatively easy to find.

Once parked up we met at the railway station where £3.80 took us to Liverpool Central. Out of the station and onto the streets of the Scouse City.

It was only a few minutes before we arrived in front of St Georges Hall.

Oh the disappointment - to be turned away from this magnificent building. There was apparently something taking place inside. and we were unable to go in.

Just across the road was the Walker Art Gallery. Possibly one of the finest art galleries in the country. We philistines were , however, more interested in it's cafe than in it's works of art.

Of course surrounded as we were by so much "High" art, the cafe was not our only area of focus......... The "Toilets" too held our attention. To visit these meant a hazardous journey past a giant cat which peered down upon us. "Felix Kept on Walking" but this one just steadfastly stood guard

Out of "The Walker" and we began to make our way up through the City in search of the "Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King". The Catholic Cathedral or "Paddy's Wigwam as it is nicknamed.

This took us between the buildings of the University Campus............

............before we arrive at the precincts of the Cathedral.

Lawrence and Dave arriving at the R.C. Cathedral.

It took very little time to ascend the steps up to the piazza and so into the Cathedral itself. Here a Mass was being celebrated in one of the side altars and polite notices held us back from doing our usual circular tour of the interior. The stained glass in the walls and the "Crown" create an Ethereal if not Mystical atmosphere in this innovative design of a public place of worship. With the Mass by now ended there was a chance to do the "Circuit" before leaving and going in search of lunch.

Our search for lunch was no search at all really as we had already planned to visit the Cathedral's cafe where excellent soup and hunks of bread were to be obtained as well as other equally delicious choices.

John R appears to be eating a bunch of snowdrops !!!

Comestibles comested, we set off to follow the uplifting and optimistically named "Hope Street" as it led towards the Anglican Cathedral. As we walked towards the largest Anglican Cathedral in the world other things attracted our attention. The recently refurbished "Everyman Theatre" first, followed soon after by the "Philharmonic Pub" whose wondrous Victorian splendours we did not on this occasion visit.

Smaller but still interesting artifacts also presented themselves for our delectation and delight (Remember Old Tyme Music Hall and "The Good Olde Days" ?)

One of a number of "Lamb-bananas" around the city.

The pile of concrete luggage including iconic guitar cases.

Then, just around the corner, the Anglican Cathedral.

Once inside this incredible pile we are quickly targeted by one of the ubiquitous guides who insists on showing us round,

A Ghostly Danny is led off to meet his fate.

Whilst soon after a group is held in thrall.

The guide was delightful and informative but soon we had to proffer our thanks and be on our way. As we left , however, we came across a group of much earlier (2000 years earlier) Meanderthals who were also, so legend has it, much richer and wiser than we.

Visiting Meanderthals -- Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar by name.

Once again we departed Hallowed premises and took to the streets only to encounter an even more ancient tradition founded millenia ago in China. A rather prattish way to say we walked through "China Town",

From here it was downhill all the way until we arrived on the banks of the Mersey.

In My Liverpool Home. In My Liverpool Home.

We speak with an accent exceedingly rare

Meet under a statue exceedingly fair

If you want a cathedral we've got one to spare

In My Liverpool Home.

Nearly there !

Ah ! Here we are.

The light was beginning to fade and our day was coming to it's end as we made a brief visit to the "Albert Dock"

As we left the water front the neighbouring docks seemed to be lined with "Tall Ships" .

Lawrence heads away from the Mersey past the Tall Ships.

We still had one more visit to make before heading for the trains. Matthew St, the site of the legendary "Cavern" and the new "Cilla Black" sculpture.

As we entered Matthew St. a rather good busker was playing a very passable version of the Beatles "Get Back"

The Busker and "Singalong" John.

And so to Cilla with "Cuddle-up" John.
(Where's that left hand creeping ?)

"I didn't even like her." he later admitted.

Dusk was by now definitely descending as we made our way back to the station where a minor panic took hold of Vic as he "Lost" his ticket. As it turned out he didn't need it once aboard the train. A clickity-clackety ten minutes later and we were back at Old Roan and the cars.