Liverpool's waterfront

A great tourist destination - Liverpool, one of Britain's great and historic cities has turned around decades of decay and decline and now has become a UNESCO world-class tourist draw. Here are some photos of the city's refurbished waterfront.

Your first port of call should be the Mersey Ferry. Once its duties as a commuter vessel are over, the morning rush-hour past, it serves to carry tourists across the Mersey. Gerry Marsden, who wrote and sang the hit song "Ferry Cross The Mersey" back in 1964 provides a fascinating historical narration to what you can see on both sides of the river. 

Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral, the largest church in the Church of England, looks over the recently-refurbished Albert Docks. The weather was ideal - sunshine breaking through frequently to bring out the best in the architecture.

Looking along the Mersey embankment, the Albert Docks to the left, now a shopping/tourist/housing complex. Beautiful use of post-industrial space, retaining the maritime character of the original buildings.

Around the four sides of the dock, moorings for vessels, plenty of shops and restaurants, above them offices and flats. 

The hexagonal clock-tower standing at the  entrance of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal; behind it, the tobacco warehouse, the world's largest brick-built construction. Beautifully atmospheric.

Classic Liverpool riverfront - "the Three Graces" - from left to right: the Royal Liver Building, Britain's first reinforced concrete skyscraper). Topped by the two Liver Birds (pron. 'lajwer'), symbols of the City of Liverpool. In the middle is the Cunard building, to the right, the Port of Liverpool Building. All three were completed between the beginning of the 20th Century and the outbreak of WWI. In front of them, the ferry terminal.

King Edward VII surveys the Mersey from horseback; equestrian statue in front of the Cunard Building with the Royal Liver Building to the left. During his reign, Liverpool as a port was at its zenith.

An ice-cream van as I remember from my earliest childhood years. This is a Commer BF van from the late-'50s-early '60s. Wonderful nostalgia set against a historic backdrop.

This time last year:
The meaning of class - in England, in Poland

This time two years ago:
First frost 

This time six years ago:
First frost 

(2013's first frost was on 4 October)