Well, our sister-in-law, Marina, and the baby, Maddie, came down for a few days from Scotland to visit.
Marina decided we were going to have an outing Sunday, so we all went on a day-trip to the big city of
Liverpool. We got up, got dressed, ate a bacon buttie and headed to the bus stop. We took the bus to the train station, but got there with an hour to wait, so we detoured into St. Helens for a look around. Not much open on Sundays, so we headed back to the train station pretty sharpish.
Heading to Liverpool's Lime Street Station, the train was pretty full. Very few seats- and it was HOT as BLAZES in there even tho there was several windows open in the car. After about 40 minutes and several stops along the way, we arrived.
I was being the typical tourist, stopping and having a look at even the most INCONSEQUENTIAL things and we almost got seperated from the in-laws several times.
I saw LOADS of shops that I wanted to stop and have a browse in, but the in-laws seemed to have a specific destination in mind and so I had to by-pass the browse til a later date.
It turns out, we ended up at the Maritime Museum on the famous Albert Dock.
It was amazing. All the big Mast Ships, along with fishing trawlers and such. There was even a Duck Tour...It was a big 'truck' that looked a LOT like our orange school busses back home. But they had open spaces where the glass windows should be- and they went thru the city center on a tour, then went to the top of a ramp and rolled down it into the water and turned into a boat tour.
I don't know about y'all- but that would be a bloody NIGHTMARE for me. I have a recurring dream about that very thing happening to me- only the damn thing sinks instead of floating like it should.
No. Thank. You......Now- seeing as how I've said that- You'll probably be reading a post in the future about me doing that VERY thing!!! I've learned that true to form, if there's something I say I WILL NOT do- I generally end up doing that very thing. Just sayin.
Anyway,...where was I?....Oh yeah. The Maritime Museum. We went in and met up with Marina's Uncle Carl. The way Marina pronounces it it's Carol....I LOVE her accent with it's rolling "R"s. Beautiful- just like her. Of all the accents in the family, hers is the easiest for me to mimic-(not in an ugly way, either). Anyway, we met up with Carl and Jane and their two lil' girls. They were really lovely, sweet people. We had a coffee and snack before exploring the rest of the facility. The thing that stood out the most to me about the place was...OMG- those people were OBSESSED with boats!!!
Hundreds of models of boats and anything having to DO with boats. They had loads of stuff on the Lustitania, the Britiania, and of course, the Titanic. They also had a few exibits on the trade, and of slavery and such.
It was a interesting place.
Now, after that we walked aound a bit more- window shopping. Before you ask- no, we didn't get to go by the Beetle's Haunts. The wind was gusting to about 30 mph and it was bleak and yukky, and we had the baby with us as well, so we didn't do that type of deal before heading to a Chinese buffet for Tea.
The walk there was interesting too. Christmas displays up all over the place!!! Already!!!!
I saw a Black Cab.
And loads of odd stuff. Like a main street that wasnt a street at all but was a paved walking "Main Street".
And,I noticed something else.... it was so weird, but you know how just about EVERYWHERE you go to eat in the States you're offered either fries or Soup and salad with your meal?
Well, here in England- it's a pot of tea. Everything's a combo- with a pot of tea. Hot tea.
Blasphemy for a Southern Girl. :-p
Anyway, we got to the Chinese buffet and I have to say, compared to our Chinese Restaurant at home- pickin's was pretty slim. They had a half dozen appetizers, I think...3...soups, a couple of noodle choices, one shimp dish, one fish dish, and about 8 or 10 meat OR veg dishes. Oh and ONE egg dish.
I sampled a short-rib, a chicken wing, a couple of shrimp, the fries, and a bite of the egg dish. I asked hubby for a bite of a couple of the things he got that I didn't. I didn't like the things I had samples of- so I gave them to hubby. He went up to go get his choices and since I was kind of pinned into a corner seat-(They put Baby in the corner!!!!Hahahahah!!!)- at my request, he got me a plate of sweet and spicy chicken and fries. It was LOVELY- altho almost too much sweet for me. But I left the restaurant satisfied.
Let me tell y'all what.....Those RIBS were HORRIBLE. Tough, overcooked, tasteless. Some of our good ole Southern Boys need to come over here and give'em some lessons on BBQin' some ribs!!!! Hot damn, makes my mouth water just thinkin' bout Sonny's or Maurice's or Three Pigs or Brushy Creek BBQ or Henrys Smokehouse. Southerners can DO some Ribs!!!! No one can out-do us!!!
Anyway. After that we headed back to Lime Street Station to catch the train back.
It was even more crowded than it was going up- but not NEARLY as hot and yukky. Much more enjoyable. We caught the bus back after arriving back at the rail station and arrived back at home around 7:30pm.
It was a REALLY interesting and fun day. Can't wait til next time!!!
