I had managed to fit in the return trip to Liverpool just before Christmas and the children breaking up from school. The purpose for my return was to capture more of the Christmas decorations and window displays.
Things kind of all changed once I arrived!
As usual it was the same routine early train that arrived at Liverpool at 9 a.m. then straight up to Bold St's Cafe Nero for coffee. I knew all those stamped cards would come in handy and this time managed to get a free large latte!
I had already checked the weather report for the day there before I left home so knew the morning was going to be sunny then overcast in the afternoon. Once I had finished my fix I then looked to the skies literally and there it was....... bright blue skies with the hint of sun peeping through that it had promised.
I headed down town towards the dock with my head stuck to looking above to the roof tops. The light reflecting on the buildings I thought was amazing and there were also lots of interesting shadows. My feel good emotion was off the Richter scale - I guess it takes small things that others would maybe dismiss as naff for me to feel that beauty of the world around me...MMMMMM? Strange as it sounds I even had other people's heads turning that day up to the skies to see what I was photographing. I like moments like this especially when other people also stop to take photos of what I see - maybe they wouldn't necessarily have noticed if I hadn't been happily snapping away?
The past meets the present.
Casting shadows
Neptune with his trident?
Spheres with reflections
A view up a side street
Queen Victoria
Morning shadows
The photo below took me at least 10mins to capture due to there being traffic lights and the constant stop and start of buses.Trust me to find it on a freeeezzzzing cold corner! I really liked the dark clouds accentuating the building.
I had found myself right at the top of the dock area - unexplored territory - it was really cool to see so many new things. They have done an excellent job on the area with newly designed buildings that don't look out of place at all as they blend in well. I felt that I was in the right place at the right time so to speak but time was of the essence, due to the sun coming and going behind the clouds and the opportunity of getting the photo I wanted being limited. I really liked the dark cloud in the background and the sunlight on the buildings in the photo below. It looks like someone had the same idea as me in the photo hey?
Dark skies
The statue of Edward VII mounted on his horse with the Liver building behind.
It was absolutely freeeezzzzing by the dock! I zipped my coat up sooo tight! I then put my mp3 player on to save the draft going down my ears and my thick fingerless gloves on to try and stop my hands turning any more shades of red and purple! I was so glad that I had brought these. Looking at the waves on the sea I had that sickly feeling as I watched the boats swaying back and forth quickly. Between the vision and feeling that I had, I was being drawn back temporarily to last year's uni Paris trip and my first experience on a boat. I came to the conclusion then that I haven't got a sea bearing stomach. I was so glad that the sea on the crossing to Paris was not like this, even though I did back then feel better on top deck. I strolled further down the dock also thinking "If I don't get a chill after the cold and wind sweeping away any cobwebs that I may have acquired then it will be a miracle"!
Morning dock silhouette
A view across the dock.
Choppy waters
Resting sea cormorant
I couldn't resist the photo above and I felt lucky to have had my camera with me. In the photo below I wanted to capture the view in between the two clear openings, hence the block of flats and the metal capstan sticking up on the lower one. I felt that this photo didn't work in black and white.
This was a statue on the dock area of Captain F. J. Walker and was commissioned by Captain Walker's Old Boys Association to commemorate the battle of the Atlantic convoys.
Lunch break was calling me and I was lucky enough to be down by the dock area. I was a little daunted at 12.15p.m.as there was only me in there. It soon filled up thankfully - I looked like a "Billy No Mates" as it was! This was the second time that I had been here for lunch and not to sound like a cheapskate I found this eating place the best for price and food on the dock. It has mixed reviews I have just found on the Internet but I will be going back some time again there. If in doubt try it for yourself and see what you think?
Below is a link to the restaurant
http://www.localstore.co.uk/store/297957/la-crepe-rit/liverpool/
Inscription on the box.
( note just the picture above of the inscription is kindly borrowed from the Internet.)
Liverpool Eye, Eye!
I actually nearly missed taking the photo below so I did a double take and went back to capture this. I'm glad that I did. I really like the strong rich red colour.
Funnels
Reflections
Albert Dock entrance
Days end.
This photo of the sunset was actually taken at Bidston train station. I had to wait ages for the next connecting train, so my mind wandered watching the plane lights in the sky over head and when I had finally arrived back home I was frozen to the bone and couldn't seem to get warm all night. Despite this I had an excellent photo day in Liverpool and was glad that I hadn't missed the opportunity of going.
Some stunning photographs there, Dawn !
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