Liverpool from the top of an open bus ...

What do we want to see in Liverpool? (July 16th) We decided that a hop-on, hop-off tour would be a useful way to see Liverpool and decide ...

 … but before we can do anything Alice must have a birthday present sorted - her sister Joanne fixed the false nails on her - it took her ages to tie her shoe-laces before we could go out!
Most of the information stated here came from various guides on the hop-on hop-off busses!

 The White Star Shipping Line HQ (affectionately called the streaky bacon building by the locals) where from the centre balcony the company directors announced the sinking of the Titanic - too scared of the crowd’s reaction to meet them face to face.

The Three Graces

The clocks on the Liver Building are 7.6 metres, larger than Big Ben’s at 7 metres

I saw the golden ship on top of this steeple as we made our way into Liverpool by canal and here’s the church in its full glory. There has been a church on this site since the 12c.  The Church of our Lady and Saint Nicholas or St Nick’s (patron saint of sailors) is the sailors church and the River Mersey would have flowed very close to its walls, it is still an active parish church today.

The Liver Building from the front - purpose built in 1911 for the Royal Liver Assurance Company in the style of the American skyscrapers of the time.

Queen Victoria Monument in Derby Square, it features 26 bronze figures and was unveiled in 1906

Mathew Street, home the Cavern Club - more about that in another post!

Fantastic buildings ...

… line the main streets

Liverpool’s World Museum ...

… opened in 1860

William Brown Street which houses the World Museum, Central Library, St Georges Hall and Walker Art Gallery buildings 

Wellington’s Monument erected in 1861/63 stand by St George’s Hall and looks towards the site of the battle of Waterloo.  The two equestrian statues are of Queen Victoria and Albert.

The North Western Hotel built to serve Lime Street Station in 1871 stands next to the Adelphi Theatre on a site that has housed a theatre since 1866

Lime Street Railway Station

The Crown Hotel built circa 1856 is reputed to have been a favourite haunt of ‘Lady of the Night’ Maggie Mae, who in the Beatle words ‘ will never walk down Lime Street anymore’ as she was reputed to have been sent to Botany Bay for thieving!  The first floor now houses a comedy club.

The 18 foot nude bronze statue over Lewis’s Department Store has been nicknamed ‘Dickie Lewis’ and we were told that when it was erected some staff of a ‘delicate nature’ went on strike! Another story is that when first put up there the statue leaned further forward but was later moved back to its current position because when it rained it looked as if he was weeing over the street! I just loved the stories we heard from the tour guides - true or not!

Graduation Day at the Catholic Cathedral - affectionally called Paddy’s Wigwam!

One of John Moores University College Buildings - this one is so intricately decorated

The beautiful spires of the Catholic Church are caught in the sun’s rays

Looking down Hope Street towards the docks

The Philarmonic Dining Rooms - more another time!

Dazzling and flamboyant … pub has its own place in history as 'the most ornate pub in England'. Known as 'The Phil', our magnificent hostelry takes its name from Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall opposite. Commissioned between 1898 and 1900, it is a showpiece in the style of a gentlemen's club.

Left Luggage - of the concrete type near the station!

The beautiful St Luke’s Church was bombed out ... 

… on Monday May 5th 1941 by an incendiary bomb dropped by the Lufftwaffe during the seven day long Liverpool Blitz, but still stands proud today.

Liverpool Marina based within Brunswick Dock

Rock ’n’ Roll (6th from right) in Salthouse Dock.
We alighted from the tour bus several times to walk - more on these areas soon!