'Cross the Mersey - and back again

A slow day in Liverpool today. Our morning began with (in the words of the Gerry and the Pacemakers' song) a 'ferry 'cross the Mersey' from Pier Head, which was just a short walk from our apartment. The view across the river was misty but the sun came out while we were on the water so we took some atmospheric shots of the city skyline with the sun shining through the clouds.

The ferry trip took fifty minutes with stops at Seacombe and Woodside on the other side of the river, and we enjoyed an interesting commentarty from Gerry Marsden. At Seacombe quite a crowd of excited families joined the boat, apparently taking a day trip to the city.

Our next stop was the very modern Liverpool Museum where there was a special day focussing on Liverpool's experience in the First World War. As in Australia, lads were encouraged to join up with their friends to form 'pals' brigades, resulting in a high casualty and death rate amongst the young men of Liverpool who formed their own regiment. I enjoyed a short talk by one of the curators on the embroidered silk postcards that were sent home by the Allied soldiers but didn't have time to stay and make my own.

There was a row of these cute creatures
outside the museum,

Lastly we visited Liverpool's other cathedral, the Anglican one. This is a huge Neo-Gothic building, begun in 1904 and finished in 1978, with the world's highest and widest Gothic arches, the world's heaviest and highest peal of bells and the country's largest organ. But we felt it looked heavy and oversized (not soaring like some cathedrals) and the stained glass windows (being twentieth century glass and designs) did not compare with other older cathedral windows we have seen.

I went to the top of the tower where the view was amazing and then to the Embroidery Gallery on the third floor. The  altar cloths, copes and other vestments on display were richly embroidered with gold work and vibrant colours - very beautiful!

The High Altar

We have enjoyed our stay in Liverpool - we have been impressed with its World Heritage waterfront buildings, including the early twentieth century Liver, Cunard and Port of Liverpool buildings as well as its twenty-first century museums. It seems to be valuing its heritage at the same time as it is experiencing an economic upsurge, and the people we have met have been very friendly and helpful.