Table of Contents
Liverpool Day 3 - Take The Ferry, Do The Twist, Say a Prayer
The Ferry 'Cross The Mersey
Taking a Ferry across the Mersey is really a ‘Must Do” on a visit to Liverpool.
We took a 10am ferry – they depart on the hour. Your ticket doesn’t commit you to a set time, so you can be fairy flexible with this part of the itinerary.
Photo I Wished I Had Taken
As I hummed to Gerry & The Pacemakers Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey on our little voyage, I thought how nice it would be to take this trip at night, with all the waterfront brightly lit. This photo on board the Ferry gives you the idea of what you COULD achieve .
If I took a bit of time to read through my camera manual and practise with my tripod, I might even be able to capture a nice long exposure shot.
It’s work in progress – watch this space …
The British Music Experience
When you get off the Ferry, it’s just a short walk over to the Cunard Building where The British Music Experience is housed. Proud winners of the Tourism Experience of the Year Award in 2020, this is another “Must Do”.
We arrived there at 11am. There was no real need to pre book – it was quiet in November. Summer does get busier though and cruise ships can swell the numbers at Liverpool’s main tourist attractions too, so pre booking is always a good idea.
A wealth of music memorabilia is on display here. You can take a walk through the ages and relive the world’s events that indelibly shaped all the people who lived through them and hear the music they tuned in to as the years rolled relentlessly on by.
What will tomorrow’s music say about the age we are all living in today I wonder?
And … Where are Top of the Pops and Pan’s People (Legs & Co.) in this fabulous collection? As with so many people of my age, Thursday night’s Top of the Pops and the Sunday hit parade were a really big part of growing up. I was just longing to see some of the long lost footage.
Highlight - It's Time to Do the Twist
Don’t miss the interactive exhibit right at the end of The British Music Experience.
After a little on screen tuition and a short practice run, you can boogie away to your heart’s content to a careful selection of dance tunes.
If you set your phone up correctly in the corner, you could video yourself. We did – but I’m not sharing. Well – no-one wants to see their grandma dancing … do they?!
Say a Prayer in Liverpool's Beautiful Cathedrals
It is just a couple of miles from The Cunard Building to Hope Street, home to Liverpool’s two beautiful cathedrals.
En route, you can walk through Liverpool’s Chinatown and admire the Chinese style street furniture.
Chinatown
Liverpool Anglican Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is massive. It is is sooooo big it wouldn’t fit in my camera. Seriously! It is the UK’s largest cathedral and it houses the biggest pipe organ in the UK too.
If you have time to climb The Tower, I am reliably informed that the views across the city are amazing.
Fascinating Facts
Paul McCartney applied to join Liverpool Cathedral’s choir in 1953 – and he was rejected. His voice was judged to be not good enough. It just goes to show you how important a determination to succeed is in life – never give up on your dreams!
The choirmaster who rejected him reckons he actually owes him an awful lot: “If I had taken him on, he would probably have ended up teaching music in a comprehensive school,” Mr Woan said.
Hope Street
Hope Street is crammed full of gorgeous Georgian architecture and plenty of tempting cafés, bars and restaurants too.
You could stop for lunch in one of these – or – do as we did and take a table inside the gargantuan Liverpool Cathedral. It has to be one of the most ethereal places I have ever chosen to sit and enjoy a butty?!
Liverpool is at one end of Hope Street. At the other end of the street, you will find Paddy’s Wigwam/The Mersey Funnel – or the much grander sounding Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King - Paddy's Wigwam/The Mersey Funnel
The Anglican Cathedral was impressive in scale, but the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King was for me a truly stunning building.
Affectionately known as Paddy’s Wigwam or The Mersey Funnel, it is cleverly built (1962 – 67) in the round with a modern and simple design. The interior is bathed in a spectrum of light from the roaring lantern above. It is hard to capture in a photograph – this is a place you need to visit for yourself to appreciate.
The Cathedral closes at 4pm, so we didn’t have time to visit the Crypt (£5 chase), which was a shame.
Cocktails - The Alchemist
The Mersey Ferry isn’t were you might expect to plan your evening’s entertainment in Liverpool. A fellow tourist on a birthday trip with his Mum kindly obliged by sharing his photos from the night before and by 6pm, we were safely installed at The Alchemist (5 Brunswick St, Liverpool, L2 0UU). The dry ice cocktails here are quite an experience.
Foodie Firsts
A Mad Hatter and a Zombie Apocalypse (!)
The Smuggler’s Cove (Britannia Pavillion, Albert Dock, L3 4AD) was a good place for Dinner. A table by the window will give you a lovely view of the Royal Albert Dock all lit up for a night out on the town.
The menu offers plenty of choice, the prices are mid range affordable and the service is warm and friendly. What more do you want from good a night out?
Tip for Future Travellers
Take great care which table you pick in this restaurant. Sitting in close proximity to a Scouse hen night party may result in a more interesting evening than you bargained for. It could just make your evening though …?
#Justsaying and I’ll say no more – what goes on a trip stays on a trip (!)
Glad I packed
My woolly hat and gloves. The weather was mild on our trip, but eeeeeee it was Baltic on that ferry!
Final Reflections
Three days wasn’t enough – I’m definitely coming back to this lovely city. There are museums I didn’t have time to visit, cocktail bars and restaurants I didn’t have time to explore and I really want to go geggin’ inside The Beatles Childhood Homes too. Visiting the Crypt at the Metropolitan Catholic Cathedral is also on the list for our next visit. Taking in a performance at The Liverpool Philarmonic might be good fun too. I was interested to see that they had a live orchestra accompanying a film of The Joker the week we visited.
Liverpool is definitely a city that is best visited with friends – someone to share the fun with. The legendary Scouse sense of humour is everywhere and eeeeee – it’s just so good to have a laff?
So – it’s Ta Ra for now – until it’s time for the next trip. See you in Dijon …?
