# 2 of 30 – Window

A series of blog posts derived from randomly chosen words as titles.

From the window, where I work – I can see the River Mersey, a tidal river. It flows from left to right and out into the Irish Sea. Except when the tide is coming in – and then it looks like it is flowing uphill.

Across the river is a large white building with shutters and a ramp running down into the river. This is Cammell Laird’s Shipyard – all that remains of a huge shipyard with a deep history for making and mending boats. The yard was founded in 1828 and it was responsible for building over a thousand ships, as well as railway rolling stock. It relaunched in recent years, and was the place where the famous research ship was built and launched that was named the Sir David Attenborough, in spite of the public voting to call it the Boaty McBoatFace. Which just goes to show, that democracy is only protected when it is in the interests of the elite!

This window looks out on a river that has been the lifeblood of Liverpool. It was the reason why Liverpool was the centre of commerce across the globe at one time. The renaissance of Liverpool has brought back to life the miles of docklands that used to be the source of thousands of jobs. Now they are converted into waterside apartments, small creative businesses and leisure facilities. It’s a remarkable turnaround. We just need to make sure that the development of the city is secured within a coherent plan that makes sure that its residents end up with a beautiful place to live, and that this is not jeopardised by the money makers as they pass through to make a quick profit.

I love this great city of Liverpool, a place I arrived in back in 1979 as a new student (40 years ago this October) to study English Literature and Philosophy at the university (there was only one in the city at that time). It has changed beyond recognition over those four decades. And yet the heritage is still there, great buildings from its merchant heritage, and stunning classical buildings that hold the history and art of the region and beyond. Liverpool, my heart, my home.