Liverpool Weekend part 1

13th through to 15th of June, and absolutely no excuse for my lack of Blogging, procrastination some I guess...

Feet not touching the ground a lot maybe? 

So! June 13th train to Liverpool Lime Street!

Off the train and straight to Costa for coffee and something to eat! Well needed, train journey was okay, except a hiccup where something was supposedly on the track and we were told we had to get off.. we did, only to be told we didn't have to now! So my last 3/4 of an hour was spent standing up on an overpacked train, I haven't moved out of my seat and gone on to the platform could not get back to my seat. 

I had been to Liverpool once before, to the city center but only briefly back about 30 years ago, helping someone collect something which I can't even remember now what! 

After my coffee and lunch I went to find the hotel so I would know where to return to at 3:00, I now had about an hour and a half to wait, so I walked down to the Albert dock I had a wander around, and saw a small boat was about to leave for and half an hour sail around the docks, I paid and boarded, no actually I boarded then paid after I'd ordered my hot chocolate with marshmallows! 

I had sat down at a table for six, where a couple was sat already opposite me just leaving one table for six in case a big family came along. 

We chatted here and there along around the journey, it was the first time the girl had ever been on a boat of any kind whatsoever! 

After the boat trip I walked to the hotel and got there at 3:01 perfect timing, entered got my room key card and went up to my room. 

Was I really lovely room it was dual aspect out onto two streets, Fenwick Street in front which was where the hotel was and the road on the side which went straight down to the docks, and forgetting the actual name no it's Brunswick Street, and also known as the A41!

Which oddly is the road throughout my lifetime of being in England I had always been very close to, not emotionally! But as in lived on lived by or worked on or worked by all of my life in England up until now. 

These are various buildings in Liverpool I'm sorry I have not listed their names there was the Cunard building which is where the British music entertainment show is. 

And above this beautiful building near the railway station. 

Above is the Nelson dock, which is where our family shipped from back in the late 1800s. 

This great upside down house in the city center, I didn't go in next time I will my ticket for the music exhibition is open all year so I will be back! 

If you remember I had two friends meeting me in Liverpool for this weekend, both of which couldn't make the trip for my friend coming from Spain, and my friend here in Liverpool was working, so I did get to see her on sunday, J. Was so good to see her I waited up by the bus stop where she was getting off the bus, I knew the number, and as soon as I saw her I started leaping about I could banshee, and so was she inside the bus!

M.

At 65 everything goes downhil

So why does everything feel like uphill!

©MarianBonelli

So! Formby, do you remember, back in December 2014, I had a placement in Ormskirk and I realized that it was close to Formby, where my great grandparents had lived in their latter years, and died.. 

Looking back they had from time to time lived around there and in that area.. 

I didn't know what the house looked like, just the name, so had walked from top to bottom, a couple of times every week for three weeks, while I tried to find the house, by name... or connect with one of the places! Yes, yes, looking no doubt like someone who had bad intentions! It was cold then too, hood up and probably looking highly suspicious!

When I got home though, I found in my mom's things, some photographs taken there! 

So this time, armed with said photographs! It was a different story!

We found six houses down the street, styled exactly like my great grandparents home, because of certain features I have lessoned it down to three! 

Why? I don't know! To connect, somehow with my ancestors, my past.. 

One of the houses was being worked on, builders stopped and having a snack break in their van.. watching me, watching the house..

So I spoke with them, said what I was doing and why... So funny... I think they thought I was in the market to buy!

Now this house above, is in Southport, our next 'port' of call, because when I was looking at my ancestry stuff having coffee at the end of the street before the Miss Marple house spotting above! 

I found an address for my great grandmothers sisters home!

And that's where we went next! 

Look at that house! Humongous!! And of course as we approached and started wandering around the white van there drove up! Caught in the act! I told that man what I was doing and why... He said help myself! 

The house is several flats, and the structure looks so bad... So sad... Just looked awful .. but still, was good to find a house belonging to the family...

Southport, I just love this town, always feel very at home up in this area, and I guess, with all the history we have up here... It's no wonder...

The beautiful Lord Street Grand shopping centre..

Stunning old building 

Last time I was here though, there was an amazing labyrinth of antique shops somewhat down on the ground floor level.. Seems to have gone now..

M.

No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.

Robin Williams - 1951-2014 - Comedian-Actor

Formby Beach, Liverpool coastline.

Some photos I took on the beach in Formby, on the Liverpool coastline...

Above some of the wind turbines out at sea...

These sand dunes look almost identical to the ones in Pembry, and the walk to the beach the same too!  I could have been picked up and dropped in either spot and not know where I was!!!

With the naked eye... the above looked more like one of those monster machines from War of the Worlds!!  Thankfully able to zoom in with the camera an oil rig came into view.... as if floating above the sea, its legs dangling down ready to make a move onto the planet Earth!

On extra 'zoom in' above still looks a strange thing indeed!

The path down to the beach at Formby, it was a long, long walk from the car park!  An observation deck half way had been where I was headed, and thought it the beach, but no!  Still further to walk, first up hill and then down!

TTFN
Marian