Chester

Jamie and I were in Chester the past weekend to go to the Chester Zoo. After enjoying the animals, we left and headed by bus back into the city of Chester. We didn't have any goals or expectations so we just kind of hand a bit of a wander. We did want to get food though so I guess technically that was a goal. We accomplished that at Slug and Lettuce where I had the BBQ Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese. Which was so very delicious.

One of the things I enjoy about Chester is how all the buildings look. There are quite a few shops on top of shops which is quite unique. After walking around the shopping streets, we climbed onto the city walls and strolled along them.

This is how the Swedes photobomb.

Tired from walking all over the zoo and then walking all over Chester, we headed back to the train station. Just missing the train to Liverpool by three minutes. It gave us an opportunity to chill in the train station and me to get a chai latte from costa. Heading back to Liverpool by train. The day out to Chester was a lot of fun and I am very glad I got to visit the city again.

18 days till Lisbon!

Is it really only eighteen more days before I fly to Lisbon! I am excited, scared and nervous. I am trying to sort everything out in my room. I only have eighteen more days to do it. I have six more work days and then off for one week before I'm flying from Liverpool to Lisbon.

I've got an airbnb sorted. I don't have much plans yet for the beautiful city. I'm just going to explore it, relax, eat lots of seafood. Check out some museums that I missed the first time round, head to Sintra and check out the Moorish castle. I hope the weather will be on my side as the weather was amazing the first time around.

I'll do my best to keep the blog updated while I am away and upload photos. I know I have struggled with all of that in the past but this is the last little Eurotrip I may ever go on so going to give it my all.

Chester Zoo

This past Sunday on the 7th of February, I ventured to the Chester Zoo with my fabulous friend Jamie. Not one to turn down an invitation to go to a zoo, I met her in town and we took the train from Liverpool Central to Chester. Arriving in Chester, we hopped on the next bus heading for the zoo. We had cleverly gotten rail, bus and zoo admission all in one transaction.  Reaching the zoo by the various marked signs after we got off the bus, we entered the zoo and were handed a map. 

I gave up using the map at Jamie's urging and we headed through the zoo, the weather optimistic. The elephant enclosure was quite impressive and even included a large waterfall shower for them. As we continued along, we found the Malayan Tapirs and I resisted spending ages looking at them. 

Giraffes, jaguars, flamingos oh my. For the amount of animals we could see there seemed to be an equal amount of animals that had no interest in being seen. Not sure if it was the chilly temperatures but we found a lot of empty enclosures which dampened some of the experience.

We enjoyed watching the guy above swim around with his three buddies. Managed to get him giving me a big smile. 

Happily I found the lovely Brazilian Tapir family having a cuddle. There is a fourth baby tapir at the back between the two larger tapirs. Could not get a good shot of him because you could hardly see it. I don't think a lot of people knew about the baby born in December. Their enclosure was a bit hard to look in, the glass being quite dirty. Experience would have been better if I had been able to see that damn baby and maybe if I could have touched the tapirs. Otherwise, good job Chester Zoo on having two types. Jamie remained unimpressed by my love of tapirs. Nothing new there.

I love Chester Zoo. No tapir themed items in the gift shop. No luck. Bonus baby elephant photo.

Things with Parks

One of the things I am going to miss about Liverpool is walking to the parks near my house. Sefton Park has been such an amazing park to wander through in all the seasons. I headed out of my house, wandering down the streets towards Sefton Park. Taking in the large houses as I passed them and the little details of their exteriors.

One of my favourite parts of Sefton Park is the Peter Pan statue which has stood in the park since 1928.  It's undergone a few restorations over the years when vandals have gotten to it as well as pollution.

The fairy above has had her head chopped off in the past. Poor thing.

When I visit London next I'll make sure to pop into Kensington Gardens to have a look at the original statue they have there.

Lady Lever Art Gallery

I headed into town on the train this morning. Getting off at Lime Street Station and transferring down to Liverpool Central Station which reminded me a lot of the skytrain. It's a bit of a cross between an actual train and a skytrain. Purchasing a return ticket to Bebington, I waited for the next train bound for Chester. I read my book while I waited, Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I've read it before but I am re-reading it as it takes place mainly in Rome and I am hoping to get inspiration from it on some sights to see while I am there. Hope I can finish his other novels that are set in Italy as well before I step foot in the country.

Arriving at Bebington station, I followed google maps directions around the corner. Spotting a sign for the Lady Lever Art Gallery I abandoned my phone to my pocket and just followed the signs. Looking around I began to notice that the houses in the area were all quite the same but with different details. I later learned that I was in Port Sunlight, which is a model village built by the Lever Brothers for its workers. The name of the village comes from Sunlight, the brand of soap that the Lever Brothers made.

This was my first visit to the Lady Lever Art Gallery and I stepped inside unsure where to start. I hate asking for help but I know the staff of the museums I have been in so far have been wonderful at answering any questions. I was prepared though, knowing that the two John William Waterhouse paintings the art gallery had had joined the Walker Art Gallery's Waterhouse on a tour to Japan. I wish I had known of this sooner and gone to the museum to see them. I might never see them. Maybe one day if I return to Liverpool.

The gallery was displaying a collection of gowns from the 1920's. It was interesting to see the details of the dresses and how much times have changed.

I really enjoyed wandering through the rooms of the Lady Lever gallery. It was a fun day out. I wish I had brought my umbrella with me so I could explore Port Sunlight more but as I was leaving the gallery it was more like Port Rain and the weather had turned for the worse. I chose rather than exploring the model village to walk back to the train station to get the next train heading for Liverpool.