Liverpool Here We Come

So, I am finally getting a few minutes to blog about Liverpool. Liverpool people are extremely friendly & helpful. Liverpool (photo), which sits on the Mersey River, at least at this time of year, is cloudy, somewhat foggy, and quite windy at times. Fortunately, we have been able to have fairly warm days- 45 degrees on the average. Our first day, Monday, was devoted to our dear Beatles- we went to the Beatles museum, which has a special exhibit devoted to John Lennon & we visited 'The Cavern'where the Beatles first played. It was fantastic to relieve the 60's as we knew it. We grabbed our first pints of beer (Carling- quite good) & 'proper' fish & chips at a local pub. In the pub, after we sat for awhile, we learned that one goes to the bar to place an order- and your table has a # written on it to tell them where to deliver your food. Good thing we figured that out! We may still be waiting to order food.....


Tuesday, I took a train to a town called Chester, a town with Roman walls & ruins from roman baths- way cool! The streets (photo) were very quaint, cobbled streets, timber black & white houses & storefront, and a 1000 yr old cathedral that was beautiful. I went to their market place & peeked in their shops- wonderful sweet & cheese shops (chestshire cheese, of course). Interesting about the trains are that if they are off schedule, they put you off & you pick up another train with the same route, so that they can make up time.....I was concerned at one point that maybe I was going to the wrong town. No worries, 2 little ladies, also going to Chester adopted me & made sure I knew where to get off, where to pick up the local circular bus to town & most important, how to find my way back to Liverpool & Bob (who probably wihed I had just stayed put- but really was happy I did travel to see more sights)...Of course, they speak English- Brit English, which can be a bit hard to understand at times. Also- I kept forgetting to walk on the left side of stairways, escalators, whatever & was constantly saying 'sorry' (AKA- stupid American...) That night we went to an old church that was preserved & is now a Cuban resturant....the altar is a bar!! The entire resturant is lite by candles...the food was fantastic.

Wednesday, I toured more of Liverpool- going to their Anglican Cathedral (PHOTO_) (largest cathedral in UK & 5th in the world of the another bloody cathedral club & other local sites like Town Hall etc. It is easy to walk everywhere- safe & clean. Later, I attended Bob's closing presentation of the conference....210 of the 250 people registered stayed to hear him at 4pm - He quite literally brought down the house- it was a treat & delight to hear him give his talk- 1 hr long & no one left as this also was the last day, last talk- quite phenomenal- Of course- I am biased- but I tell you this truthfully. But the best was to come- a group of nurse, doctors, administrators of the hospital, Aintree, took us out on the town...going on a short pub crawl- because "we must"....so much fun & good beer at tjhe PIGS & WHISTLE PUB and THE LION.... Then off to a resturant outside Chinatown for a chinese banquet- literally, ? 5 courses...I lost track with a way tooooooo full a belly.

I am signing off as i have a new town & another train route- heading to Southport, England- more to come.....