4th December - Is THIS England's most charming City?



I woke up this morning with a (slight) hangover, but worse than that, a raging sore throat filled with mucus and a stuffy nose that even Sudafed would have a tough time clearing. I've been battling a flu-type virus all week, and truth be told, standing outside in Liverpool at midnight last night, leafleting for an event taking place a short walk away from the Docks, probably didn't help. Despite that, I can't deny that this is a City with real charm. Of course, there are scallys. Merseyside, in general, carries a burdened reputation for theft, amongst other crimes, whilst crimes such as carjacking, arson, and knife related assaults are also statistically higher than they should be.




But despite that, you cannot argue with the incomprehensible 'grit' within the nature of the Scousers, as a whole. There's a lot of kerfuffle made over their 'We're not English, we're Scouse' mentality, but when the rest of the Country refers to your City as 'bin-dippers', is it any wonder they've got a siege mentality and a chip on their collective shoulder(s)? I was in a Taxi back to the hotel last night, chatting to the driver, who like most of Scouse origin, was highly chatty and very friendly. Say what you like about the folk round here, but pretentious they ain't. They'll make a cup of tea for even the most random of stranger on the street and invite just about every one of their neighbours in for a chinwag. 




In his typically down-to-earth nature, he added that "the people make it special", in regards to Liverpool as a whole. From what I've seen up here over the years, I'm inclined to agree. Yes, the Jon-eds are out in full force in Under Armour trackies and a vast majority of the girls look like they've been given an uppercut by a tin of Ronseal, such is the OTT nature of their lip-filling cosmetic aesthetic, but chat with any Scouser and they'll offer you a warm embrace and give you the sort of time and attention that commuters on the London Underground actively shy away from. If you can manage to ignore the hoards of young girls on nights out here who literally have their whole bare arse hanging out of their skirts which might as well be belts, (God, I sound so old), then the fact of the matter can't be denied...




... This is a City with real CHARM.


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