Liverpool, England/August 30th

Liverpool,
Here is what the guide says about Liverpool

Liverpool, England

This great industrial port grew to prominence as a result of trade with the Americas. That tradition continued in the '60s as the Beatles mounted the first wave of rock 'n' roll's "British Invasion". Actually, the city possesses cultural charms beyond the Beatles. Liverpool is home to two of the finest neoclassical buildings in Europe. At nearby Port Sunlight, magnate William Lever built a model industrial village and created the Lady Lever Gallery. The museum is home to a superb collection of English paintings and furniture.

Here we did not take a princess tour instead we got a place

 on a tour with a group from Cruise Critic. The tour took us to Wales.

 The leaders of

 this tour were Michael and Arlene Rollins from Turlock ,

California. We have a private tour with 7 couples on a 15 seater bus.

Here is the description of our tour.

Your tour commences directly from your ship on the spectacular Liverpool quayside

We will take you to places in Wales you thought didn’t (or couldn’t) exist and your driver & tour escort will keep you fully informed and advised as to points of interest and general knowledge regarding the ever-changing panoramic views.

This Wales sightseeing tour has been carefully routed and planned with your driver tailoring the day to suit the weather, atmosphere and ambiance of the general group on board. This makes every tour unique, special and memorable and allows you to partake in as much (or little) as you feel comfortable with. You will never be put under any commitment or pressure to do anything that you don’t wish to.

After we’ve admired the Liverpool splendour and skyline we’ll literally pass 10 metersbeneath your ship (honestly!) on-route to the mysterious and legendary land of Wales in a90-minute fully-narrated journey, navigating the spectacular A55 coastal road with it’s magical stories and mystical legends. On a clear day you’ll see your own cruise liner from Wales berthed up with all those poor souls aboard who decided not to join this tour!

• Next is the walled town of Conwy, constructed by the English monarch Edward I between1283 and 1289 as one of the key fortresses in his ‘iron ring’ of castles to contain the Welsh, it was built to prompt such a humbling reaction with its fabulous wall circuit of over 3/4 mile long and guarded by no less than 22 towers. It is renowned as one of the finest examples in the World.

• Conwy Castle is a gritty, dark-stoned fortress built by James of St. George in partnership with the french Richard The Engineer. This castle is the “real thing” resembling exactly what children form from buckets of sand on the beach. It has the rare ability to evoke an authentic medieval atmosphere. The first time that you catch sight of the castle you’ll know you are in the presence of a historic site which still casts a powerful spell. When you go inside…well…need I even comment?

• Now, brace yourselves for what BusyBus has become known for (and, we modestly add, have won National awards for) the North Wales Adventure element of the tour. Into Snowdonia National Park using carefully selected routes and taking you well and truly off the beaten track to viewpoints of wonder! You’ll feel like you own Snowdonia in the tranquility and ambience (and adventure) we’ve prepared!

• No trip to North Wales would be complete without a stop at the “capital”, Betws-Y-Coed (prayer-house in the woods). Interestingly, whilst right in the centre of Snowdonia National Park, an exclusion boundary has allowed this fairy-tale town to flourish into the centre of outdoor tourism in Wales. With it’s many shops, cafe’s, pubs and locals, it simply can’t fail to impress!

• Finally, time permitting, you’ll get a unique chance to experience the Pontcysyllte Canal Aqueduct, built by Sir Thomas Telford in 1795 for a momentous cost of £47,000 and still taking canal barges across the valley (…where boats fly high in the sky…) over 100ft above the ground.

But it was done the other way round and it was very different then advertised. I will report when I can.