Liverpool entered its second lockdown a few weeks ago. Due to the rapid rise of Corona cases the city was put into the highest tier of emergency measures.
Looking on the bright side Liverpool was chosen for a trial run of fortnightly Corona Virus tests for all residents to try and control the spread. People responded well and we are currently transitioning out of the highest tier of lockdown after just 3 weeks which is remarkable really. I'm not 100% sure if this is jumping the gun a little but the science seems to indicate a rapid decline in the R rate of infection.
It seems to me that what we have happening now in the UK is a kind of political chess game between central government and local authorities. One side is more interested in economic concerns than human lives, while the other tries to advise the best course of action to limit the impact on stretched public services. I will leave it up to your imagination as to which side cares more about the economy than human lives.
Lockdown didn't change much for me to be honest. Just a chance to race around on my bike without worrying about colliding into people. I thought I would share some pictures of my bike ride last week along with a trip down memory lane as the ride took me past my old school. Also some of my thoughts about the fading of the year in this quasi zombie apocalypse 2020.
As the wind was blowing westward, I decided to take a route that followed the river west on the way home. Riding against the wind on the banks of the Mersey can be a test of the old calf muscles. I used to ride the river bank against the wind when training a while back... but those days have passed.
The route follows 3 parks on its way to the river near Garston, but I didn't get off my bike to photograph my journey until I reached Calderstones park (pictured above). The white building in the right of the picture is my old Highschool, Calderstones. Originally called quarry bank:
John formed a school band called The Quarry Men and I like to 'imagine' that a creative spirit runs strong in the stones of that school. Noted horror writer Clive Barker was also a pupil at Quarry Bank. And from my generation, two of my friends who attended Calderstones are now successful writers. Also, the greatest Liverpool skateboarder Geoff Rowley attended the school and was three years ahead of me.
I skateboarded between 1998 and 2008, when injury forced me to give it up for a more serine pastime 😂 I still remember the feeling of cruising into the city center to skate a sunny day away. The concrete a tapestry of possibilities, a place of play and a boneyard to grind out life's frustrations. There is a visceral creativity to skateboarding, making the seemingly impossible possible to the theme of the music in your ears and spilt blood on the asphalt. I eventually had to stop due to a twisted tendon in my knee. But that is enough of this little trip down memory lane. Back to the serene drifts of autumn leaves scattered on the breeze.
The cycle route took me through the park, resplendent with autumn color. Amber hues mingled with the burnt umber of peeling bark. Flashes of crimson speckled the foliage creating a kind of fiery cascade of shades with the green of the turning leaves.
This time of year always inspires that reflective muse in me. The eternal cycle of life and death speaks of the poetry of the cosmos. The drifts of leaves falling to decay in a riot of color contain a glimpse of the duality of the universe. An expression of nature's beauty in death, the symbiosis of those scales weighing time in myriad moments, only to die and be reborn like the falling leaves.
Autumn is a special time in the northern hemisphere. The landscape speaks of renewal, and offers a gateway into the world of memory. A portal to the past.
As I wandered through the walled gardens the sun broke through the clouds and birds emerged from the boles of trees. Squirrels rustled in the undergrowth and the quiet mummer of a distant traffic breathed a susurrus through the afternoon air.
As I left the walled gardens the clouds drew in and a spot of cold rain hit my upturned face. Time to jump on the bike ride 'hell for leather' to make it the seven miles home before the heavens opened.
On the way I stopped at Otterspool park to snap the graffiti on this derelict building.
Back to civilization.
And caught the tide on the way out before riding the west wind back to the city center and home.
Click banner to visit the community page
Find us on twitter by clicking the banner above.
Place looks really apocalyptic! Can't believe lockdowns still going on.
Yeah it is quite grey and dreary right now in the UK. Rain is the order of the day 😂 These pics and half of this post was actually from about 2 weeks ago. I wrote half of it and then life got in the way. The leaves have all fallen now and it is proper winter.
Lockdown is a bitch but it is just about to be lifted. I read that Corona Virus thrives in colder climates so I guess that it is sensible to cautious through the winter here.
Thanks for checking out my post @dmilliz. I've been away from hive and writing online for some time but it feels good to start blogging again. Hopefully be making at least 2-3 posts/week from now on.
My coworker is from the UK and she complains in 8 degree weather that it is hot. So I figure you guys are mostly used to cold weather.
Yes it really seems to thrive in cold weather , especially because we are indoors more. The cases here in Japan have increased as the weather has gotten colder but no lockdown in sight. Don't blame them.
You know I should be taking a break from writing online but I have just been getting into the habit of using Dbuzz when I don't have the time or vibe to write. Microblogging seems to be making its way on Hive slowly but surely and I think that is good. 2-3 good posts sounds good to me, and then throw in a little micro.
Stay safe out there.
fantastic to see you back dude!
Liverpool looks beautiful like this in autumn actually and in this way lockdowns arent the worst at all.
We have similar issues here as well in government where one finds economics more important and the other finds the health care industry more important. The mix should be both, but the measures prove to be better when taken to the fullest.
I hope you all stay safe there and that liverpool stays so nice!
Hi Karin.
Nice to hear from you too. I just took a look at your blog and wow, I can't believe you're sunning it up in Curacao!
Although Liverpool is looking nice this time of year with the changing of the seasons, I'm jealous of your Caribbean adventures. I've been dreaming about scuba diving recently as it has been more than three years since I was last beneath the waves in a tropical paradise. Ahhhh, memories. I'll get back there in a year or so once bitcoin has made me rich 😂
Yes, unfortunately this is the case in many places in the world. Without getting too overtly political I personally think it is just a product of the society and political system that the majority of the world has adopted. Where money is the only recourse to power the rich are going to fight tooth and nail to keep the economy going as it has functioned to make them rich... and this means people will die as governments choose the early lowering of lockdowns, and other half measures in favor of trying to restart the economy. If tax laws were reformed, and other major changes in economic practices were regulated then there would be much more leeway for keeping people safe until a vaccine or other solution can be found.
Ho hum... that is just the way the world works 🙃
I hear our left way of thinking popping over here ..dont gettem started on the brexit ;)
Well the curacao trip was just a small getaway but damn a good one I must say! Back in the Dutch clouds here which look more like snow is going to fall out more than anything else.
Winter...I dunno hahah
Your post has been voted as a part of Encouragement program. Keep up the good work!
Try https://ecency.com and Earn Points in every action (being online, posting, commenting, reblog, vote and more).
Boost your earnings, double reward, double fun! 😉
Support Ecency, in our mission:
Ecency: https://ecency.com/proposals/141
Hivesigner: Vote for Proposal
Thanks for the encouragement ecency. very kind of you 🙂
Hey there Raj good to hear that you are enjoying your cycling despite lockdown. Life goes on and we will thrive on Hive hehehe.
Hi Julian.
Thanks for checking out my blog post. I kind of fell off the radar in my posting habits, but ya know what they say... it's like riding a bike 😂
yeah, I agree. can't let fear stop us from doing the things that keep us healthy I reckon. All the best.
Great stuff bhai, fortunately Hive blogging is voluntarily, so we can post whenever we like, and will only benefit. I occasionally need to take a break and a holiday too.
Wow
The pictures are fantastic and so professional.
Thanks praditya. Glad you enjoyed the bike ride through my home city 🙂
Beutyfull photos
Thanks harisfaris. Glad you enjoyed the trip through Calderstones park 🙂
Keep spirit
Will do David 👍🙂
What a bunch of nice and beautiful places, @raj808.
Thanks wiseagen. Glad you enjoyed the trip through Calderstones park 🙂
Nice to see you back up and up it!
Liverpool looks quite beautiful, or at least the bits you photographed, amazing what stripping out all the people can do!
Although I can feel the damp in the air!
Spinning a few nice lines there too I see.
Yes, that particular park is very picturesque, and especially with the leaves changing colour. It was a nice day out.
ha ha, yeah. I think I must be turning into the proverbial 'grumpy old man; cause I'm much happier when all the people fck off and it is just the birds and squirrels to keep my company 🤣
Yeah, I decided to drop back in and write for fun on hive. I guess that the creative muse isn't around for me at the moment for writing fiction or poetry. But there are plenty of other blogging challenges I can have fun with here on hive. I've just scheduled a post for the abundance tribe's question about different cultures... but as often happens when I write about the UK it has turned into a humorous post.
Thanks for checking out my post Karl, Glad you enjoyed the trip through Calderstones park 🙂
P.s. I read a post of yours about a month ago, when I was lurking, about how you've moved to Portugal. I remember thinking that it looked like you were living the sunny off grid dream. You still there? How is it going?
Exelente publicacion, las fotos y los paisajes urbanos como asi tambien el video muy bueno, gracias.
Thanks
Amazingly beautiful photos! I couldn't disagree with you more about The Rona though. It isn't "one side is for profits and one side is for people." Incredibly complex and consequential decisions about what to do about this virus are best left up to individuals. Government thugs never suffer the consequences of their decisions. Individuals do.
Thanks. That park is very picturesque 🙂
In regards to that, I was pointing out that local government where I am located seem to be making decisions more based on the health of citizens, and if/when infrastructure is ready to deal with return to normal functioning. Whereas central government are a complete shit show.
I agree with this to an extent. However, after having to repeatedly get into verbal fights with people in supermarkets just so that they will maintain their distance I'm not sure how much I trust all people. My mother has cancer and if some slack jawed moron gives me the virus and I pass it on to her, she is dead... almost guaranteed. I find it difficult to trust people with the life and death of another human being in a world where 90% of people believe what they read on Facebook over what eminent scientists, and medical professionals are saying. Not everything is a conspiracy. My childhood friend is a doctor and I'm 100% sure she isn't part of a global conspiracy, so I trust her when she tells me things about this virus lol
Amen to that brother. I'm reminded of what the comedian Bill Hicks said:
Dude! Perfect response sir. Perfect response.
LOVE this - and your thoughts bicycling along a place where other inspired writers/composers have trod. John Lennon ***formed a school band called The Quarry Men and I like to 'imagine' that a creative spirit runs strong in the stones of that school. *** Beautiful! I love how you think, and how you write. Your travelogues reveal so much more than a landscape, a tourist attraction. Thank you for writing and posting. Your long absences make your posts all the dearer!
Thank you for your wonderful comment Carol. It makes my day to read feedback like this.
A writer of any genre only wants to be read. Creativity is it's own reward. But, it is the icing on the cake, as a writer, when someone lets you know that you've painted a vivid picture of experience. If even for a moment, catapulting a reader into the moment of your consciousness.
No one sees the world in the same light.
Every person has a story, however similar sometimes in tropes/themes, always different in the minute detail. This is what makes creative writing worthwhile.
Love it: "catapulting a reader into the moment of your consciousness." That, you accomplish very well!
Your photos, insights, poetry, and fiction travel from the UK to the Midwest and land with a spark in this hermit's mind, lighting the dark corners and reminding me that creativity is its own reward - I don't need the approval of parents, sisters, offspring - and I do know that already, but the heart often ignores the head. Thank you Raj for sharing your time and talent here. You make a difference!