March 2009. Up early and lots of toast and tea in the communal kitchen, then it was of for a walk about. First stop at one end of Hope Street was the modern Roman Catholic cathedral, with water cooling tower exterior and its inner calm interior. The inside is very impressive, very peaceful and very clever natural lighting. then it was on the coach, which Billy had parked up earlier on, and off to the reason for our visit, New Brighton (which I will make a separate entry on). Then it was back on the coach to see Joseph Paxton's Birkenhead Park (1847). A classic Victorian setting with large rockeries, lakes, winding paths and native trees. Then as the rain started, the next stop was the village of Port Sunlight, built by Lord Leverhulme for his soap factory workers. He coincidentally also opened the bathing pool at New Brighton. An opportunity to sell soap no less. He and his wife also built and supplied a very impressive museum, with reconstructions of Napoleon's bedroom (with original furniture) to masters such as Monet and Picasso. Then back to Liverpool for a walk a bout starting at the Albert Docks, with its distant views of New Brighton on the other side of the Mersey. Then off through Grosvenors 42 acre Liverpool One development.I thought it had really good landscaping, designed by BDP Ltd (the site Master planner), which used materials to reflect the character of Liverpool. The it was up to the area of the famous Cream nightclub and Wolstenholme Square. It exhibits Joge Pardos' Penelope structure, which symbolises the historical use of ropes in the area and is accentuated by large illuminated Plexiglas spheres. Then it was via the club and bar area around St Peters Square, though Williamson Square and up to see the Liverpool's' Anglican Cathedral at the other end of Hope Street.
No comments:
Post a Comment