Scousers for the weekend

 In our family, there’s always been this idea of good luck following me in particular. Not quite sure how this came about but I can always remember Lolo saying stuff like ‘’Okey is a lucky boy’’ when we were younger.

Hmm… I don’t know about that sha…why haven’t I won the lottery or hammered while in the sports betting sector?

Anyhow sha, I know there’s always been elements of good fortune throughout my life (check my wife, nah!) and this showed up recently at work.

So, there was an offer from one of our partners to sponsor someone for an all-expense-paid, family weekend trip to Liverpool. There were a lot of interested volunteers, so a Liverpool-themed quiz was organised, and all the winning names were thrown into a ‘’spin the wheel’’ thingie and mine was picked out of the lot!!

Yaay.

Chioma and I prepared and booked a train ride to Liverpool one fine Friday afternoon. We had been given an itinerary and a number for our contact person, so it was easy checking in to the hotel (Staycity Aparthotels at the City center).

I’ll be honest and tell you, we really really enjoyed the experience!

Initially,I was a bit bummed out when i heard it was the Staycity we were going to be staying at, but it turned out to be a fantastic, modern hotel with lovely decor and good ambience. The experience was made much better by our guide for the weekend. Marion is one of those rare people you immediately like and feel like you’ve known all your life. Great personality, lovely vibe and very very friendly. Chioma and I instantly warmed up to her from the first meeting and throughout the stay.

It was an eventful weekend.

After settling in on the first day, we had a meet and greet at the International Exhibition Center where we met other people that were on the same trip, enjoyed drinks and lovely food while admiring the lovely city skyline from the top of the building. Chioma and I later went on our own round the town and enjoyed a quite lovely light show over the Mersey river.

The next day was even more packed as we were taken on a tour bus round the city, shown most of the lovely buildings and given a detailed history of the city.

Trust the Brits, they dont play with their cultural history and Liverpool was brimming with it.

 A really huge piece of Liverpool history are the Beatles. Oh boy, the city is saturated with Beatles history and memorabilia. I mean, I already had an idea of how big those geezers were but omo, seeing the devotion which this city has to them, up close was amazing. From statues, pubs and buildings named after them to a specially dedicated Beatles Museum which was part of our tour. It was quite the experience.

There were other great activities that day. We were taken to the area where the Beatles grew up, shown Lennon’s house

, went on to see the Magnificent St George’s Hall

and followed up with a wine tasting event somewhere inside the building.

We were then taken to a local brewery and had a beer-making and sampling tour (the kind of event that’s right up my alley!)

Meanwhile, there were different hotels all programmed for us to have meals at. We had a breakfast buffet at our hotel, Lunched at the Hilton, moved on later in the evening to have starters at one of their popular, swanky restaurants, went on to the Maldron Hotel for a delicious dinner and finished up at the Marriott where they had set up this amazing desert menu for the group!!

Oh boy!! No be small thing gaan. By the end of the evening, Chioma and I were in a food haze!

Highlight of the evening was when another prize draw was organized within the tour group, and guess what…  I won another weekend stay at the Maldron Hotel anytime during the year!! Biko, long may this kind of luck continue.

The football culture here in the city is something else. As a Manchester United fan, I’m auto-programmed to dislike anything Liverpudlian, but even I had to admit that these ones here are absolutely bonkers for their Liverpool Football Club.

Aside all the activities lined up on the schedule, Chioma and I found time to tour the city and see the people, feel the culture, and just generally enjoy the vibe. Naah, Liverpool is a lovely place. 

My mind also kept turning over the fact that our Grandpa Joseph lived, worked and died in this city so many years ago. Given a different set of life circumstances, I might have been a UK citizen much earlier o …lol.

Anyway, we had a fabulous time and will definitely repeat this visit sometime soon.