Liverpool and York

As I mentioned in my last post, I did spend some time in Liverpool doing non-Beatles things. Granted, it wasn't a lot, but I did!

I got to Liverpool kind of late afternoon, so most museums and things were closing shortly. It also didn’t help that I had wandered around for some time trying to find my hostel – it turns out that the maps in Liverpool make the distances between things look a lot bigger than they really are (this tripped me up a few times).

Anyways, so the first day I actually went to check out some churches, the first two Anglican, and the last one Catholic. 

St. Luke’s is actually no longer owned by the Anglican Church, but by the city of Liverpool because it was bombed in WWII. The whole inside was bombed out, but the walls remain.

 Liverpool Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral is also known as “The Pope’s Rocket” which I completely understand.

If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ll also know that I’m pretty interested in the Titanic, and it turned out that the Liverpool Maritime Museum has a permanent display featuring The Titanic, and a special exhibition for the 100^th anniversary. Though Titanic never went to Liverpool, it was registered there and was it’s official homeport. Also, did you know that Canada has it’s own big passenger ship disaster? Yeah, The Empress of Ireland sunk in the St. Lawrence, but for some reason has been almost forgotten.

Builders model of Titanic

From Liverpool, I went to some relatives in Beverley, which is near York. Beverley isn’t particularly big, but does have two old churches, one of which is a Minster. While staying with my relatives we went to York for a day. Did you know that York was once a Viking city called Jorvik? Yeah, York is old!! But anyways, we went to the museum on the Vikings (also called Jorvik), and obviously visited York Minster. We also walked along the old city wall, visited The Shambles, The Yorkshire Castle Museum and had lunch at what claims to be the oldest pub in York. York is also the birthplace of Guy Fawkes!

Beverley Minster

York City Wall

Clifford's Tower - York

The Shambles

York Minster

From Beverley I went to my next HelpX place – a B&B in the Yorkshire Dales called Rowleth End!

Trains and the Titanic

Just a quick update - in between all the studying and exams!
(3 down - Biopsych, Chem, and Physics, 2 to go - Physiology, and Anthro)

Britrail was having a sale (which ends tomorrow actually, so I just made it on time), where when you buy a pass, you get an extra day of travel free. So, since I plan to do a bit more than work while I'm in UK I cashed in. I bought a Britrail England flexipass, which is good for 8(plus 1 free = 9) days of travel anytime in 2 months. And it goes by days of travel, not number of trains. So I could take 7 trains in one day if I wanted... Not that I'm going to.

Taken from http://login.greatbignews.com/userfiles/166/continentaltravelweeklynewsfeb14-08.htm

This means I could take 9 day trips
Or, 4 weekend trips and a day trip
Or, 5 day trips and 2 weekend trips
Or, 3 weekend trips and 3 day trips
Or, 7 day trips and 1 weekend trip

Also, being a youth really has it's perks, (besides the whole no reading glasses, achy bones, over-forty scatter-brainedness), because I got 20% off the Britrail pass just because I'm younger than 26!

I'm also going to cash in on the whole Titanic craze that's happening now. I am a history lover. I find it fascinating and the Titanic is no exception. (I also happen to LOVE the 1997 movie with Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio, but who doesn't! - don't answer that Mum and Dad. And Spencer has been forced agreed to come see it with me in 3D, he loves me very much!)
Anyways,
Belfast, has created this museum type place right on top of the shipyard where the Titanic was built. And it looks amazing! www.titanicbelfast.com

Taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/23/titanic-belfast-guggenheim-bilbao

I guess I should go back to studying now...