The good, the bad and the peculiar.

So here we are in Liverpwewl (seems that's how it should be pronounced) and its actually pretty damned good.  We are in a large basin in the old dock area with free electricity and waste disposal and  in the heart of the city with bars, restuarants and shopping right by us.  There's even a steam fair going on on the dock which will keep the grandkids entertained tomorrow when they descend on us. Mind you, the trip in was eventful.  For some weird reason only 6 boats are allowed in and out daily and we all had to meet up before the first swing bridge 9 miles out.  There are two of these and they are operated by the River Trust staff.  A little further on is a pedestrian swing bridge and just past it a disused railway bridge.  As we approached it, there was a young kid of about 14 standing on it and as we got closer, he and his little scrofulous chums, who were hiding, started throwing stones at us.  No damage done but if they try it on the way out I will have my camera at the ready.  Apparently you are no longer allowed to stop and beat the S**t out of the little buggers these days. 
When we arrived, I thought I'd better just check the propeller and found half a ton of plastic wrapped around it.  I thought it was vibrating just a bit.
Although we have free shore power I'm using it sparingly as I don't have a galvanic isolator (it stops boats acting like batteries to each other).  The water in this basin is salty and its the first time I've actually seen bubbles fizzing off a sacrifical anode.
The real oddity here is that there is room for 56 boats and currently there are only 15 berthed.  With a policy of 6 in and out a day it will never be full.  Sometimes I wonder what the Canal and River Trust management are smoking because they are really missing a trick.  Still not our problem and its a fantastic place.  Someone has spent some serious money on the city since I was last here in 1999.  People may say we've just come out of a major recession - I don't think anyone has told Liverpool that.
Off on Monday back to the quiet life and as we will be going back down a canal we now know, we will be able to plan our stops in a more informed way - not the least by having seen the vast number of canalside pubs on this stretch.  We, like about 1000 other boaters, want to get through the next canal, the Bridgewater that joins up the system around Manchester but as it's shut until 24 May we are going to have to go really slowly for the next few weeks.

Jacaranda snuggled into an almost empty basin, mind you the size of the swans is enough to put anyone off!

The first of probably many cream teas. Mind you, the landlord of the Globe Inn at Fowey would not be happy but it is Liverpool and so its not surprising that these softy northerners don't really know how to make proper clotted cream or decent scones.  And just to prove it really is Liverpwewl - that's the Liver building in the backgound with the two large 'Liver Ducks' on the top.

A busy dock in  busy city.

I thought the prop was vibrating a bit.