Liverpool agus na Saighdearan Terracotta

Dà sheachdain air ais bha mi ann an Liverpool gus coinneachadh ri caraidean, ach cuideachd gus taisbeanadh sònraichte san World Museum fhaicinn, a‘ sealladh cuid de na Saighdearean Terracotta à Sìona. Tha sin air mìos eile fhathast, gus 28mh den Dàmhair, agus ‘s math as fhiach fhaicinn. Ach feumaidh sibh bucadh: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/exhibitions/terracotta-warriors/

Chan ann a-màin gu bheil mòran rudan prìseil is annasach ri fhaicinn, dèanta de òr is glas-chlach, a lorg iad anns a’ mhausoleum ana-mhòr a chaidh a thogail fon talamh o chionn 2000 bliadhna airson a’ chiad Ìmpire; ‘s ann cuideachd gum faigh sibh dealbh chumhachdach de dhòigh-beatha an Ìmpire agus a chuideachd nan lùchairtean aig an àm sin. Chan e taigh-adhlacaidh àbhaisteach a bh’ ann, ach seòrsa baile mòr fo-thalamh gu lèir, le fìor sheòmraichean, stàballan, uidheam amsaa, dìreach gun robh a mhuinntir ‘s a bheathaichean dèanta de chrè, a’ mhòr-chuid làn mheud. Agus tha deagh-thaghadh dhiubh seo ann an Liverpool – am measg cuid de na saighearan fhèin, agus gu h-àraidh na h-eich. Tha pìosan à taighean-adhlacaidh eile ann cuideachd, gus dealbh chruinn a thoirt dhuinn, agus a h-uile rud air a thaisbeanadh cho sgileil, le filmichean is solas is dathan – tha e dìreach tarraingeach.

Ach tha Liverpool fhèin fìor tharraingeach mar bhaile san latha an-diugh. Nuair a dh’fhuirich mi ann o chionn iomadh bliadhna bha pàirtean de mheadhan a’ bhaile gu math robach agus moran togalaichean eachdraidheil air an dearmad. A-nis tha coltas gu math diofraichte air – tha meadhan a’ bhaile agus àrainn a’ phuirt air an nuadhachadh neo an ath-leasachadh, agus tha an ailtireachd Bhictorianach glan is spaideil. Agus rud a bha riamh brèagha ann an Liverpool, tha craobhan is àrainnean uaine gu leòr ann, gu h-àiridh ann am pàirt a deas a’ mheadhain, mar Sefton Park. Is cinnteach gu bheil sgìrean nas bochda ann fhathast, ach mar neach-turais chan fhaic thu mòran lorgan de sin sa mheadan. Aig a’ Phierhead agus san Albert Dock tha measgachadh soirbheachail de shean is ùr san ailtireachd, leis na taighean-tasgaidh nuadh-fhasanta is gailearaidhean bhùithean ùra taobh ri taobh le seann togalaichean-marsantachd breige agus oifisean-luingearachd geala. Tha gu leòr ri dhèanadh agus ri fhaicinn le cinnt, bho dhualchas nam Beatles agus an Tate Liverpoul gu taighean-tasgaidh na mara neo mun thràillealachd air an deach cuid mhòr de bheairteas a’ bhaile a thogail.

Fiù ‘s ged nach rachadh agaibh air a dhol dhan taisbeanadh, ‘s fhiach gun teagamh sam bith Liverpool fhèin a thadhal fad dà no trì làithean – ailtireachd ghreadhneach, goireasan air leth agus daoine gasta càirdeil.

 

Liverpool and the Terracotta Warriors

Two weeks ago I was in Liverpool to meet friends, but also to visit a special exhibition in the World Museum showing some of the Terracotta Warriors from China. That’s on for another month, till 28 October, and is well worth seeing. But you’ll have to book:  http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/exhibitions/terracotta-warriors/

It’s not just that they have lots of rare and precious items, made of gold or jade, which they found in the vast mausoleum built underground 2000 years ago for the first Emperor; it’s that you also get a powerful picture of the lifestyle of the Emperor and his followers in their palaces at that time. It wasn’t an ordinary mausoleum, but a kind of complete underground city with real rooms, stables, equipment etc, just that its inhabitants and animals were made of clay, usually life-size. And there’s a fine selection of these in Liverpool – including some of the Warriors and especially the horses. There are items from other mausoleums too, to give us a rounded picture, and the whole thing displayed so skillfully, using film, lighting and colour – it’s just fascinating.

But Liverpool itself is really fascinating as a city nowadays. When I used to live there, many years ago, parts of the centre were really run down and many historic buildings neglected. Now it looks completely different – the centre and the harbour area have been restored or redeveloped, and the Victorian architecture is clean and splendid. And something that has always been attractive in Liverpool, there are lots of trees and green areas there, especially on the south side of the centre, like Sefton Park. There are certainly still poorer areas, but as a tourist you don’t see many signs of that in the centre. At the Pierhead and the Albert Dock there’s a successful mixture of old and new, with the modern museums and galleries of shops alongside old brick mercantile buildings and white shipping-company offices. There’s certainly enough to see and do, from the Beatles heritage to the Tate Liverpool and museums of the sea trade and the slavery on which much of the city’s wealth was built.

Even if you don’t make it to the exhibition, it’s absolutely worth visiting Liverpool itself for two or three days – imposing architecture, excellent facilities, and lovely friendly people.