Pool of Liver!

I'm definitely going to have to give it to Liverpool, they've produced good music and they've still got an awesome scene... I am impressed! I was expecting the Beatles mania, and it was easily found. Hadn't realised how many awesome people had played at The Cavern Club (so aptly named)... seriously, the list on their wall just went on and on, everyone you've ever wanted to see has played there. Well, maybe not everyone, but almost everyone. Beatles (obviously), but also Bowie, Queen, The Who.... I couldn't bear to read it all. Did go in for a drink, barman asked me three times if I was from Australia and I couldn't make out a word of it, the Polish girl I was with had to translate!!! Totally bizzare... two native 'English' speakers and the one who has English as a second language was the only one who could understand both of us!

So in case you didn't guess, that's the Cavern Club above (it really put me in mind of Refuel for those who know it! Underground, chewing-gum stairs, live music, somehow seedy despite their best efforts to do better...).

That monstrosity to the right is Lambanana..... something something European Cultural capital.... something = the birth of Lambanana. Seriously, don't ask me how. Also this one is multi-coloured, and I don't know why that is, most of them were yellow, but sometimes they were in odd positions, or had things around them. I think they're supposed to refer to genetic engineering (not sure how that links to cultural capital...).

The River Mersey on a lovely morning in Liverpool. It had lots of boats and stuff. I *think* this way was looking towards the mouth of the river, but I'm not 100% on that one- it really is a good way up the river. There were millions of seagulls though, just as evil as seagulls in the rest of the world. Damn seagulls. I was going to go for a ride on the river, they were only about £5, but there was never anyone at the boat dock where you could *apparently* buy your tickets 20 minutes before sailing times. It was a lie. So no ferry across the Mersey for me. Just as well probably, it was really cold.

More random art from European cultural capital 2008! At least these ones were kinda neat, and double as

decent seating- there was actually someone sitting on the other side of that close stack when I took the picture! If you get up close you can read the luggage labels... Ringo, Macca, etc. Yay more Beatles worship! Nah, I actually do like this sculpture (?). Also, I had to wait ages to take a picture, there were lots of students going past on their way to lectures. Or escaping from a lecture maybe. Who knows. But there was definitely a lot of them!

Liverpool wins the prize for weird cathedrals by the way. This... thing was created in.... I forget. I think this design might have been chosen in the 50's or 60's, although apparently the crypt underneath was made around 1900 for an earlier cathedral which never quite happened. But I have to give it to the Catholic church, it make look seriously odd from outside, but it's lovely inside. The seating is circular, so that nobody is more than 25 meters from whoever is speaking, and it has all these little rooms coming off. I can't remember what they're called, but they have different saints, some are just for children to colour in religious pictures, or light candles for dead babies (hey I didn't make that up, they're really did!), or whatever you think you mis-deeds are. I don't like taking pictures inside churches, but its light was amazing, that whole top of it is stained glass. I'm still not sure about the whole 'King of Liverpool' thing though. Religion + politics = bad.

Why yes, I *have* been hanging around the men's bathrooms again! I figured if I was in there I might as well take a picture... they're a grade II listed building okay! See- wikipedia says so! Just the gentlemen's bathrooms as I understand, the rest of the pub is just pretty and famous, but not historically special. Sorry, it's not the best picture, my camera isn't keen on inside artificial lighting, but it makes up for it with good outside pictures, so I don't mind.

Finally, the Bombed Out church. It's a local landmark, and I totally love it! It's a pretty old building, and it has no roof since WW II. As I understand it got a bomb through the roof and it has never been repaired or restored. It gets used as a venue for open-air plays and performances, although someone was telling me you have to sign a disclaimer before you go in because bits might fall off the building! Interesting relic from the past though, left as it stands.