THERE ARE PLACES I'LL REMEMBER, IN MY LIFE....

Before we leave Fabpool, there's a Georgian district on the eastern edge of the city centre we want to visit. Here stands the mighty Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, the largest in the UK. Sitting on St. James Mount it dominates the horizon.

It is. in fact, a modern structure, taking 74 years to build and only completed in 1978. It's the 5th largest cathedral in the world, the world's longest at 189 metres, and up in the belfry, the Bartlett Bells are the heaviest and highest ringing peal on the planet; the cathedral even has its own constabulary force and was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, the man most renowned for designing the famous (and ubiquitous) red telephone box.

The Earl Of Derby, Frederick Arthur Stanley's tomb - touch the hidden mouse for luck

Just up the road also stands Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral, colloquially know as "Paddy's Wigwam". One look at it and it's not hard to work out why!!!

Paddy's Wigwam

The Hope Street Suitcases sculpture is located near the old Liverpool Institute, and stands as a quaint reminder of the importance of immigration and travel to Liverpool. Each of the concrete suitcases bears the name of notable individuals and institutions linked with the local area (Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, Charles Dickens, Arthur Askey).

Another superlambanana

The Hope Street Quarter is one of Liverpool's hippest areas, full of great restaurants, so we try 92 Degrees Coffee House (cnr Hope and Myrtle Sts) and - BINGO - the coffee is FAB!!

The Queen's baker - should've tried it

Not far away stands the 13.5 metre high Chinese Arch, the tallest in the world outside mainland China. Constructed of marble and wood, it features 188 male and 12 female hand painted dragons, and is a symbol of eternal friendship between two of the world's great seafaring cities, Liverpool and its sister city Shanghai.

Chinese Freemasons??

 

Street lampost

Nearby is St. Luke's Church. Irreparably damaged during the 1941 Liverpool Blitz, the ruins stand untouched, a poignant and stark memorial to those who perished in WWII.

Liverpool, a European Capital Of Culture, is a genuinely dignified city, and we could have spent much more time here. There are tours aplenty that tie in with its fabulous musical heritage, but we don't need to do them. One doesn't need to see Penny Lane, the gates of Strawberry Fields or 251 Menlove Avenue (where John Lennon grew up) to be reminded of just how great and life changing the Beatles and the whole Merseybeat sound was, the music still speaks for itself. And here's a twist - nobody would dispute the Fab Four's importance and impact on Liverpool and the world, but how ironic that the two songs that identify the city to the world, "Ferry 'Cross The Mersey" and "You'll Never Walk Alone", were recorded by Gerry & The Pacemakers....go figure.

Life goes on day after day

Hearts torn in every way

So ferry 'cross the Mersey

'cause this land's the place I love

and here I'll stay.

People they rush everywhere

Each with their own secret care

So ferry 'cross the Mersey

and always take me there

The place I love

People around every corner

They seem to smile and say

We don't care what your name is boy

We'll never turn you away.

So I'll continue to say

Here I always will stay

So ferry 'cross the Mersey

'cause this land's the place I love

and here I'll stay

and here I'll stay

Here I'll stay.

It's time for the LegsyBoys to move on.....