A York That´s Not New

Sunday, November 25, 2012
York, England, United Kingdom


York is a medieval city first built by the Romans and later dominated by the Vikings . It's a walled city, but unlike most other walled cities we’ve visited, this wall is in excellent shape and you can actually climb to the top and walk all the way around it, about 3 miles. Of course, before we left York, we walked a good stretch of it.

We arrived on a late train from Liverpool, and we had some difficulty finding the bus which would take us to our B&B in a nearby village. It was touch and go as we schlepped our bags through the quiet city streets in search of our bus stop. Luckily, we managed to find the right one. The B&B owner assured us that the bus driver would know where the B&B was. So, of course, the driver didn’t have a clue. We told him the name of the village, which he did know, so we hoped it would all work out once we got there. And it did, too, as he dropped us off right in front. We’ve been having this dumb luck throughout this trip, and a combination of luck and serendipity has gotten us out of a few sticky situations like this one. Such is independent travel.

After a good sleep, we were ready to attack York despite the pouring rain. We started out by taking a two-hour walking tour, learning all about the history of the city. The guide was funny and interesting, and it was a good intro. One cool area of the city is a jumble of streets appropriately called the Shambles. Everywhere, the Xmas decorations anddisplays gave it a magical feel . Streets of ramshackle, though now wellrenovated, buildings house mostly gift shops, restaurants, and tourist-oriented attractions. We succumbed to one, a chocolate factory tour, which filled us with facts about the locally made chocolate and tons of samples. Ever hear of KitKat and Aero bars? Over 1 billion KitKats are made here annually, not to mention their many other brands! By the end of the tour, we had a major sugar rush, which kept us in high gear for the rest of the day.

York is also home to one of the biggest cathedrals in Europe (York Minster), so of course, we had to see it. Rather than pay the steep 9-pound per-person admission (about $16), we opted to attend a daily service held in the afternoon, known as Evensong, which is free. It’s actually quite a nice experience, since it’s calming to hear the harmonious all-male choir singing hymns and the soft words of the readings spoken in such a magnificent building. It’s also a brief respite from a day of intensive touring . This is something we’ve learned from all our travels. Whenever you’re tired, hot, cold, or wet, you can always count on the nearest cathedral or church to provide a sanctuary until you’re ready to continue on your way. I would have included synagogues, but these are few and far between, or are simply locked up during the day. Mosques are usually open, but they have few places to sit, so we avoid these as well. Anyways, after the service, we did have a chance to wander through the cathedral, and it is, indeed, grand and loaded with the history of its royal patrons and religious leaders dating back over the past 7 centuries. Besides that, it has the largest number of medieval stained glass windows in all of England. These windows are glorious in their intense colour and intricacy. During WW 2, the tens of thousands of window panes were removed and stored in a safe place to avoid the bombing, although even the Nazis recognized its significance and beauty, so they intentionally avoided bombing it.

One last thing, and perhaps, one of the most jarring experiences of our trip, involved our visit to the excellent York Castle Museum. Displays focused on various aspects of the last 4 centuries. We were just having a jolly good time, going from exhibit to exhibit, when we were stopped dead in our tracks. In adisplay of kitchens over the last 100 years, lo and behold, representing the kitchen of the 70-80s was.... our kitchen, wood-trimmed almond cupboards and all. Yes, our kitchen had made it into a museum. Was this a message from above? Whatever the case, it made us laugh out loud.

Despite this little surprise, we had a really nice stay in York because of the charm and history of the city, the festive narrow streets with their colourful Xmas decorations, the street market, and just the fun of strolling through this postcard-like setting. Still, we really looked forward to our next stop. Edinburgh, which we had been told was a do-not-miss destination. We soon found out why!

 

Comments

cissie.retired
2012-12-07

Hello from Toronto...our weather today reflects York's rain and drizzle. Not quite wintery as it was yesterday. Glad to read how well you are faring as independent travelers, enjoying the places you pick each time. I was particularly interested in the quietness and sleepiness of these places, yet they are steeped in history.
Lovely to hear from you and I'm so happy the trip is turning out wonderful..we here are enjoying the travelogues and blogs just as much.
Be well,
Cecile

The Sunnies
2012-12-08

I have not been getting any notifications of your incredible travels as I have in the past, so I simply go onto your site to get the updates of your most recent adventures. Your time in York sounds lovely, including the thrill of going back to your old kitchen! See? We ARE really one and the same, even across the ocean! I hope your journeys continue to find you both in good health and in happy spirits! It certainly sounds as if you are both loving every minute of this trip! May the joy continue!
I want to wish you a Happy Chanukah.....enjoy your upcoming journies and we hope to hear many more good things from you very soon!!!!!

Love and hugs,
The Sunnies in Dresher

Hope Springman
2012-12-09

Fantastic blog!! I feel like I'm there and it sure brings back wonderful memories of my last trip to England! We lit the second Chanukah light tonight and I thought of you. Hope the holiday brings you the light of peace, good health and safe travels. Love, Hope

2025-02-08

Comment code: Ask author if the code is blank