Liverpool

Got to go out in Liverpool for the first time in AGES on Saturday. It used to be a great city to go drinking in during my yoof in the 80's but now it's miles better! There's an incredible amount of bars and clubs open and the area we were in around Hardman Street and Wood Street 'up' town is just jumping. Even though the weather was appalling (it hailstoned at one point) there were masses of people out and about. The Concert Square area looks fantastic, but it was not really the weather to be outside with your beer.
Oddly enough though the pubs I used frequent back then are still exactly the same. The Swan in Wood Street pleasingly refuses to change from being a dingy bikers rock pub even though all around it is now plush offices, bars and a there's even a cinema next door but one. The Philharmonic will I hope never change and it's still a stunning place (we saw CraigCharles in there and boy were he and his mates pissed!). The same high nostagia value goes for Ye Cracke and the Pilgrim, when I managed to remember where they were. Shame to see that Kirklands has changed hands, but being the trendiest place on town cannot last for 20 years I guess...
Excellent stuff, and the mad thing was that as we were heading back over the water at 11-ish there were people getting of the trains just gong to start their night out, so I guess that's down to the new extended drinking hours.
'Tis a great city. Hopefully I'll be back out there in January if the planned trip to the Spurs game at Anfield comes off.