Liverpool Excursion 2012
Liverpool is a nice, charming more or less working class city, with a lot of cultural history.
I really appreciated the cultural diversity it provided. On the first day I had to learn that beer can be much more than just a drink, it can be culture shaping. In order to understand this statement one has to know that during the nineteenth century some brewer families in Liverpool had a huge income and a great influence on the city. Among them was the family of Andrew Barclay Walker who also has been mayor in the city for a while and who spent his money gained through brewery to the city in memory of his period of office. Therefore the gallery built in the late 1870s is called the Walker Art Gallery.
The Walker Art Gallery impresses through its diversity of paintings beginning from the seventeenth century. The huge paintings were as impressive as their motives. Notably the painting Dante´s Dream at the time of the Death of Beatrice by Dante Gabriel Rosetti in which he pictures a love scene was impressive, because by a closer look one could notice that all women portrayed looked all the same which should express his love to one woman.
Another quite impressive building was the Liverpool Cathedral which was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, also the designer of typical British red telephone boxes. The magnificent view above Liverpool´s roofs in all directions from the top of its tower was quite amazing.
Visiting Liverpool always means visiting the roots of the Beatles. I really enjoyed visiting John Lennon´s and Paul McCartney´s homes where they lived before they were known in the rest of the world. Especially the small home of John Lennon, where he lived with his aunt and uncle, still had the idyll of past times. The small entrance room right behind the front door served John and Paul as their first rehearsal room, which was nice to see because this entrance room was really small.
Liverpool´s harbour really impresses with its Three Graces which label the three buildings Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building.
Luckily the weather was good so that we could really enjoy the ride on the ferry across the Mersey. It provided another beautiful view on the city.
Impressions
Carolin Biermann
The trip to Liverpool was great fun. The city is rather relaxed and has a plenty to offer: Beatles’ homes, the famous Anfield Stadium, the beautiful River Mersey, and the Liverpool Cathedral, among other interesting sights. Moreover, the group was very nice and we got on well with each other right away. Thanks to our “Exkursionsleiter” Mr Deane for making that cool trip possible. I can recommend it to every student of English.
Marlene Pohlenz
Liverpool is: incredibly loud, incredibly a little of each and incredibly overwhelming! Even a few weeks later I am still full of impressions, memories and emotions when it comes to this city. And they are all positive ones! Visiting this city has been a great opportunity to get to know a young, old, static, dynamic, whatsoever… just a-little-of-each-city with many possibilities. If you like to see modern art, you can go and do it. If you like to see old architecture- go and do it. If you like to party or just want to sit in a pub – you can do it!
If I pick out the moment that impressed me the most, no doubt: our blind guide in the town hall! But also the Walker Art Gallery, Anfield Road (hell yeah, I like the football stadium, it has such a familiar atmosphere!), the Mersey, the Cathedral, etc, etc…
There are many places to visit in this incredible city, so hurry up and take part in a wonderful excursion (of course just with the one and only Exkursionsleiter - Neil Deane!). Have fun and enjoy your trip!
Fabian Schulenkorf
The first impressions of Liverpool I had was, when about 60 students tried to get some Space in this small room at the University of Duisburg-Essen. All these guys wanted to get the privilege to take part at the excursion Mr. Deane has arranged for the students of the Anglophone department. Thanks to a very fair and friendly selection procedure, an interesting group of four “Blokes” and 14 girls was formed. So, the fearful heartbeat was over and turned into one of anticipation.
After most of us had a night-long travel to Liverpool, the group met and checked in in the “Hatters”, a hostel in the centre of the Beatles’ hometown or in the “Wellington”, a pub in the south of the town. As on the one hand, the “Hatters”-guys had only a small distance to the centre and got to know many (travelling) people from all over the world, the “Wellington”-students had the luxury of a typical British breakfast on the other hand, everyone of the group had any reason to be comfortable with the accomodations.
First of all, we got a slight overview of the geographical structure of the city when we got a first guided tour through Liverpool. But whenever we had problems to find the way, we did not have to ask any stranger, no, these friendly people asked us and offered their help. We seemed to be welcome everywhere we went; in the Walker Art Gallery or in the town hall where we had a guided tour by a blind man who was happy to make fun on his three passions: “Music, history and cats. And sometimes girls.” Even in the “Laughterhouse” where we joined a comedy-show, we were welcome with the words “Where are si Germans?” (I’ll never forget the expression “hurty poo” and I’m looking forward to the day when my son tells me of a “hurty poo”.)
From the 16th century (visit at Speke Hall, where the Tudors settled) to the 20th century’s Anglican Cathedral (Did you know that the architect Giles Gilbert Scott also invented the British phone box?) to the current successes of the Liverpool football club (visit at the stadium) we got an interesting overview of the Liverpool-history. (Can I mention, that some of the girls tried to marry the man who guided us through the stadium?)
The most awesome attraction we visited was in my eyes the tour to the childhood-homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The tour gave an impression of the first moments of the Beatles, one of my favourit bands, who practised in Paul’s living room or in the Lennon’s gazebo. We also got to know what Mr. Pointner in a course meant when he mentioned that they were not a “Working-Class”-group. No, they e.g. had a TV which was not common in the 1950s. It was also impressive to have a pint of Guinness in the famous Cavern Club where the Beatles played their first shows or in the “Philarmonic”-Pub, which is not only famous because it was one of the favourite Pubs of the Beatles but also for its high-quality gentlemen’s urinals (which also the girls were allowed to have a look at).
With the catchy tune “Ferry across the Mersey” in our ear and a tear in the eye we entered the plane back home to Essen after a week of impressive adventures. So it is my advice to all the students to stay tuned for the next excursion to Liverpool.
In the end it is inalienable to say thank you to our Exkursionsleiter Mr. Deane who gave us interesting background information about the town in which he grew up. He constantly cared for our physical well-being and always had a joke down pat. And whenever you see him wearing a Beatles-Shirt: It’s our present.
Esther Arbatzat
Every single day of our time in Liverpool had something in store for us. Whether it was the entertaining guided tour through the Walker Art Gallery, the ferry across the Mersey, an unforgettable Indian meal or daring to look from the roof of Liverpool Cathedral. Everyone could enjoy oneself. Maybe it would be better for future trips to accommodate the whole group in one place for organizational reasons and a little bit more free time.