Liverpool, UK

Another cold, blustery and drizzly day in the UK.  That's OK, we are Adventurers not Tourists!  Near the dock we were greeted by these fine Liverpool men, do you recognize them?  The Beatles of course.

From Liverpool we traveled to Wales, about an hour's drive by coach.  The road traveled through the hilly countryside and at 1,400 feet elevation followed the outskirts of the valley forming a horseshoe shape.  The overcast cleared enough allowing a spectacular view of the highlands.

Our destination was the small town of Llangollen (pronunciation is not phonetic), Wales.  Nestled in the beautiful hills, the town's people were welcoming, laid back and happy -- an enjoyable place to visit.

This shopkeeper was such an interesting character I had to stop and chat with him.  He is not Welsh, but came from the UK a few years ago.  In his younger days he was an actor and played in several British films.

Passing through the center of town, the River Nee tumbles under the bridge. The water appears to be black due to the slate rock lining the river bed.

Next we visited Plas Newydd, an enchanting mansion with splendid gardens.  In the early 1800s it was the home of Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, the "ladies of Llangollen".  These spinsters resided together for nearly 50 years. 

Gardens encircle the mansion where Wordsworth, Sir Walter Scott and the Duke of Wellington once stood.

The "Ladies" collected finely carved wood furniture which was going out of style by the time they acquired the mansion.  They removed the carved panels and attached them to walls and doors throughout the interior and exterior of the house.

After a box lunch, we boarded  the historic (coal- fired locomotive) Llangollen Railway and enjoyed a 30-minute ride through the natural beauty of the high country.

The pastures were filled with sheep that completely ignored the noise of the passing steam locomotive.

When we arrived back at dock, we realized that we were moored next to the Titanic Memorial.  Liverpool is the headquarters of the White Star shipping company that owned the Titanic.  May our trip across the North Atlantic be less eventful then that of the White Star's flagship a century ago!

Tomorrow we were scheduled to dock at Holyhead, UK, but the forecast of gale force winds has us diverting to Glasgow, Scotland.