Capital of Culture

Recently I got a chance to revisit my university town of Liverpool. While I didn't stay there and couldn't uite call it a "second home" I still feel quite atached to the place and it was great to have an opportunity to be back, which I don't often get. And so I visited my old Uni building, trotted about familiar streets and sat back in the sun.

The city has been named European Capital of Culture 2008. I must admit to being a bit skeptical to their getting it at first, one would imagine only renaisance type places would get it, but having been there some time I do feel now that it is merited. While not particularly "classic" the city does, nonetheless, posess a unique culture of it's own, perhaps underappreciated by those of us in close proximity to it. This culture is exported worldwide through Beatle-mania and so is recognizable and viable to the award givers.

The city is also mutlicultural, I walked through the outskirts of China Town each day and it was fascinating to see a sub culture reflected in the architecture and faces on the streets - when I wasn't running to a lecture that is!! There is also a thriving arts and literature culture which I was part of when there to a degree. (Hey that's a joke!!)

But what did the award mean to me. Well it meant that for the three years I was there the city was one large building site and they're only just finishing now that I've left!!! One week all the traffic would be redirected, the next the pavement would be gone, replaced by a widened road. A lot of remodelling went on, and while the place does look more or less the same it has at least smartened up it's attire a little.

One little stop gap measure they've used is to plasture dilapidated buildings with Liverpool 08 posters. Not in the fly poster type way, but large colourful murals which turn eyesores into adverts for a great city. One of the best upgrades I'd seen, though I couldn't experience it fully unfortunately was to open up St Lukes cathedral which was heavily damaged by bombs. I was startled to hear operatic voices coming from withing - the only previous inhabitants being trees!!

So while it hasn't quite turned into Rome (though if you miss out the Colluseum, Rome's pretty overrated if you ask me!) it is still a worthy city and a place I'd love to revisit any time.

Word of the post: Intangible –adjective

1.	not tangible; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch, as incorporeal or immaterial things; impalpable.