This was a deeply personal and long overdue return to Liverpool for me. I’d been there as a kid with my mother in the mid 80s and stayed with my grand aunt Nelly who had just passed away a year or 2 before this trip. I decided to relive that trip and meet up with my lovely cousin Helen who very kindly offered a bed in her house and showed me around the city. Flights were quick and cheap from Knock and Helen picked me up from John Lennon. I headed over early Sat and home late Sunday so all in a weekend, no work missed.

After settling in on day one and meeting Helen’s husband Phil and dog Dudley who seemed to take a shine to me, we headed off on day 2 into a rainy Liverpool city centre. First up was a visit to Liverpool cathedral, I always seem to checkout cathedrals wherever I go, not sure what that’s about as I’m a strong atheist but I guess I like the architecture! A choir was rehearsing inside as we strolled around which was lovely. Then we hit Albert Docks and it’s lovely, arty shops as well as the Beatles statues, Liver Building and a pint or three in the Cavern Club where we listened to some cool live music.

I also took time out to find the Queen Victoria monument in Derby square to recreate the photos taken with me and my mother 40 years previously. An emotional moment for me. Dinner later that night was with Helen and her sister Kathy in Toby’s, my first experience of a Toby’s! Wow!

I may be back to Liverpool some day soon as Elly & Bonnie have got big into the Beatles and want to go! Maybe we can catch that ferry across the Mersey and a Beatles museum or tour that I missed this visit.