Memories of a city you won’t find off the peg

Jul 12 2007 by Paul Corcoran, Liverpool Daily Post

I HAVE pounded so many pavements over the last few days, I have completely worn away a practically brand spanking new pair of Converse pumps. Costly.

The reason for this wardrobe waste has been my playing the perfect host to my friend Kerry and her two children, Lexy and Jake, from the good old US of A. I met Kerry while working and travelling around America with my wandering buddy Helen, and immediately hit it off.

Due to the fact that I spent far too much money parading around New York thinking I was something out of Sex and the City, drinking cocktails like they were heading towards extinction, I later found myself in Florida with no job, a few dollars, and a suitcase that resembled a small country. Typical.

That’s where Kerry came in to save the day; not only did she lend us a car but she put us up in her beautiful Cocoa Beach condominium – blissful.

How is it when things are all frightfully wrong that someone always turns up to save the day?

And so now the time had come for me to repay the favour and no torrential rain, bout of tonsillitis or workload that would have tested the will of Hercules, was going to stop me.

After a tidy-up of my city centre pad and a shopping dash to Tesco to restore the fridge to its optimum glory, it was time to welcome my guests and begin our trek to all things tourist-related in and around Liverpool.

Armed with umbrellas (naturally) our adventures began at the Anglican Cathedral where I surprisingly found myself climbing the stairs to the roof. And what a view you are rewarded with up there. Regardless of the weather, the sights from up there are pretty spectacular – even if I did emerge back downstairs looking like a drowned rat.

For those who have shamefully not been to our mighty Anglican Cathedral – there has never been a better time to visit than now, especially since the impressive “Great Space” Film and Audio Tour has officially opened. I walked away feeling quite knowledgeable if slightly more light-headed than I had been at my entrance.

Following this, we turned our attention to the Walker Art Gallery, the Tate and St George’s Hall where at one point I was actually glad to shelter in the restored cells to escape the increasing downpours outside. Hardly the weather for showing off the wonders of our city, although it did not seem to dampen the spirits of my guests who lapped up many sights our city has to offer.

I tried to show some compassion for my US trio, who had to continually brace themselves against the cold, having travelled from the tropical heats of Florida just a few days earlier. Although like the sun here, no compassion was to be found – after all, they are going back to the hot beaches of Florida. We, on the other hand, have to put up with this weather full-time.

With no building left unphotographed, no souvenirs not snapped up and no postcards left unsent, I was officially exhausted.

But as I find myself back in FootAsylum, on Bold Street, replacing yet another pair of my favourite baseball boots, I can’t help but think back with fondness over the time spent with my friends both in the USA and here in Liverpool – after all, memories like these we made are certainly not something you can pick up off the peg, here or overseas.