Dont be afraid

The day before halloween the children walk out of the tunnel of darkness

Stagnant Pond

This stagnant pond is located in Sefton Park in south liverpool. A victorian park that is under going a major refurbishment in an attempt to restore it to its former glory.

Down hill all the way

The view fro the top of Duke St looking towards the liver buildings on the waterfront. You dont realise how much of an hill it is walking up from the city centre until you have walked it a few times, then you know.

View from the tower

This is the view of liverpool from the top of the anglican cathedral tower. After taking two lifts and climbimg 104 stairs to reach the top of the tower, the view is awe inspiring and well worth the effort.

A lost view

This view of the three graces of liverpool is unfortunately no more. For some ridiculous reason our wonderful planning department in the liverpool city council as decided to allow a 21st century museum to be built slap bang in the middle of it, in doing so changing one of the most famous waterfronts in the world forever.

Face at the boatyard

I was out walking along the banks of the river mersey when I came across a new boatyard that is under construction. The boat in front of the door reminded me of a face and was just asking to be photographed.

Sunset at St Nicks

This church of the Liverpool seafarers, which is on the Liverpool waterfront. It is called St Nicholas and it is a beautiful church.

I have seen the light!

While we were walking aroud the roman catholic cathedral in liverpool, the sun suddenly burst through the clouds sending rays of light towards the cathedral spire.

That time of year again

Yes, it is that time of year again were we experience the nightly ritual of bonfires being started. All windows to remain shut until November 6th when bonfire night is over. I suppose the never ending noise from the bangers and rocket fireworks is are added bonus!

Sychronised Swimming

Two friendly swans that live in a little stream not far from our house. They swim over to you as soon as you catch their eye as they implore you to feed them.The children are very fond of them.

A deserted bench

The difference that a day makes at this time of year.Yesterday the park was full of hundreds of people that were enjoying the autumn sunshine,yet today with it being slightly cooler the park was empty and the bench that is sited in front of the lake is unusually deserted.

Light trails around the dock

Twilight around the albert dock complex in Liverpool really is wonderful. The reflections and colours are wonderful are the "blue hour" is the ideal time to capture the beauty of the dock.A long exposure was needed here to capture the lights left by the moving cars as they make their way around the edge of the dock.

Out of the darkness

This is the tunnel that leads down to the burial grounds in St James Gardens at the Anglican cathedral in Liverpool.It is quite a scary place really and the girls were quite scared and approached the tunnel with some trepidation. The interior of the cathedral is quite wonderful and I would recommend to anyone visiting Liverpool that it is well worth a visit.

Bridge over the River Mersey

After another beautiful autumn day in Liverpool, what better way to see it out than sitting on the banks of the River Mersey. I have loved doing this ever since my dearly departed grandad used to take me down to the pier head to see the big ships in port.This bridge on the runcorn widnes border is the only one that crosses the mersey, on a sad note you would think the local council would make more of a feature of it and light it up a bit more. A great end to the day however.

A day in the park

The weather today in Liverpool as been unusally warm for this time of year, so we opted for a day in the park. Calderstones park is not too far of a journey from our home,although it does get very busy,especially on a nice day.

Superstars

Pride of place in my blog today go's to my two daughters Nicole & Saffron who starred in their first play at the Liverpool Philharmonic. The play was called wicked spirits and was a remake of the wizard of Oz. The girls were fabulous and had a great time,they danced superbly and Mum & Dad were very pleased with them,although somewhat emotional,well done girls.

The world needs to reflect

The economic world is currently in meltdown. The worldwide housing markets are in freefall and the stock exchanges are plummeting. I hear that the leaders of the worlds most powerful nations are to meet in America to discuss the best way forward to ease the financial turmoil that their countries find themselves in.

Isn't it a pity that they dont act quite as quickly to support countries that desperately need their help in the under developed world. Greed and more greed,that is all that these world leaders care about,it is not about us,it is about them,always as been and always will be. Maybe the time as come for them to reflect, and instead of worrying about the wealth of their nations,take a look at the reflection of the globe, pinpoint all of the areas of the world that desperately need some help and go and do something about it.

Fields of Destruction

Arsonists have destroyed a childrens football facility in Speke, Liverpool. The buildings torched by vandals consisted of a social club and football changing rooms used by local children. This is the only facility in Speke that children can use to play football of a weekend and the children are now left without any recreational facities to play their football. Asbo orders are not enough to control these mindless idiots and unless something radical is introduced to control these lawless youths that are polluting our society and destroying neighborhoods then I fear that this act of destruction is little more than the tip of the iceberg. God help are young children.

The Beatles Terminal

Liverpool as never been a city that respects its history,or should I say we have never had a city council that does.First of all a total lack of foresight was shown in the demolishing of the cavern club, the birth place of the Beatles, although a new cavern as been built in the same place in Mathew St, its not the same. The same applies to the old airport terminal in Speke, it as now been turned into a hotel and although most people throughout the world can remember the famous news reels of thousands of screaming girls lining the balcony of the terminal building to welcome home the Beatles from a visit to America, there is no mention of the Beatles at the hotel,no rooms,no suites,no photographs no, just another part of our history gone without trace.

Wacker Quacker, the Liverpool Duckmarine

Visitors to Liverpool are able to take a "duck tour" of the Albert Dock complex and also various points of interest throughout the city. This very popular tourist attraction combines water and road as part of the experience.

A penny for your thoughts

My youngest daughter stares into the water of the salthouse dock in liverpool, seemingly alone in a world of her own, I wonder what she is thinking about? I can remember when I was her age and we lived within a stones throw of the river mersey, my grandad worked on the big passenger ships that visited liverpool in those days and he would always take me down to see them arrive in port and I can remember that I would often stare into the river alone with my thoughts, in fact it is something that I still do to this day,I wonder if Saffron is doing the same?

New Liverpool?

Two images that reflect Liverpool as it is today and Liverpool as it was in the second half of the 18th century.

Liverpool was a major slaving port and its ships and merchants dominated the transatlantic slave trade in the second half of the 18th century. The town and its inhabitants derived great civic and personal wealth from the trade which laid the foundations for the port's future growth. Today it is full of new multi million pound developments and the regeneration of the city is quite staggering.

However whilst the city centre is benefiting from all of this the area that will forever be associated with the slave trade,Liverpool 8, continues to be a run down and under priveledged area, so how much as really changed?

Ferry across the Mersey

The mersey ferry looks tiny compared to the Queen Elizabeth 2 as she ferry's her passengers across the mersey. It is a shame when you realise that this is the very last time that we will see the grand old ship in the river mersey. The ship takes up most of the waterfont on the princess dock side and the funnel of the QE2 is almost as high as the liver buildings. liverpool will really miss the visits of the QE2.

Storm clouds gather

Storm clouds gather around a lone tree, just minutes later there was a major storm and we were deluged with rain for over two hours.

QE2 arrives in Liverpool for the last time

The QE2 arrived in Liverpool for the very last time yesterday. The famous old ship that is a firm favourite to the people of the city of Liverpool will soon be turned into a floating casino in Dubai.

Thousands of people lined the banks of the mersey to see her for one last time. The mersy ferry was in operation taking people on river cruises to get a closer look at the ship. The ship looked majestic once night set in and the thousands of people that stayed until she set sail were treated to a fantastic firework finale.

Moving water fountain at theSalthouse Dock

We will be here this evening at the Salthouse and albert docks to see the new water fountain that moves around the two docks. We are really looking forward to seeing it and we also have the arrival of the QE2 tomorrow so should be a really good two days.

The Liver Bird

After feeling really down yesterday about not being in Spain for the winter, today, I caught a glimpse of one of the Liver Birds that are perched on top of the royal liver building on Liverpool's waterfront. It reminded me of just how good it is to be in my hometown and how much I miss it when I am away, we may not get the weather that they have in Spain but we have humour, friendly people and above all we have the warmth of the scousers, what more can you ask for. The only problem is that it is still wet, cold and windy, cant have everything I suppose.