A Day of York

Before I get started with my daily update, I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has commented, given suggestions, etc., on the blog or via email the past few weeks (it's been 2 already!).  It's been such an encouragement and I really have felt connected back home.  Crazy how different traveling is these days!

Ruins from St. Mary's Abbey

Today our schedule actually went pretty much according to plan.  After talking over everything we would like to accomplish last night, we put together a list and were able to check everything off.  It makes my planning heart happy!

Bootham Bar, one of the many gates in the wall around York.

We started out with breakfast at our B&B.  Let me just say that I've eaten enough smoked salmon on this trip that I'm probably part fish now.  And I'm not getting tired of it.

Exploring the wall.

After breakfast, we set out to catch a hop-on, hop-off bus.  We like that it helps us orient ourselves in the town and gives us some good background information.  We jumped off at the train station to make seat reservations for tomorrow (and make sure we are headed the right direction) as our trip involves a couple switches to make it to Stratford-Upon-Avon.

A view of the Minster, and a gorgeous house, from the wall.

We took the bus around the rest of the route, where we got off to follow a guided walk from Rick Steves.  The walk covered some old ruins surrounding Yorkshire Museum and followed along part of the Roman Wall the surrounds the old city.

This is what we do.

We got off the wall, saw a couple other sites listed in the walk, and did a tiny bit of shopping.  Our first stop was a shop called Octopus (Sister--this will forever sound in my head as it did in your senior project).  The shop was full of little treasures and both Christine and I walked away with some great finds.

Our sandwiches at tea.  They appear larger in real life.

I also purchased my shoes and am in love.  (Shocker!)  Plus, they were actually 20% off the listed price, which I consider a victory.

Tea sweets!

Next stop was tea for lunch and we got a little bit more than we bargained for.  We weren't able to locate our planned destination and ended up at a tea room tucked away behind the wall and the Minster.  It was a chaotic old house under renovation.

Victorian York, inside the York Castle Museum.

And the tea involved A LOT of food.  Just in terms of sandwiches, we each got a cheese, ham, roast beef, and smoked salmon.  There was no way to finish it all.  I don't even know if the pictures do it justice.

Carousel--that we didn't ride.

After tea/lunch, we took the bus to York Castle Museum.  The museum featured a variety of exhibitions including a look at changes in how homes operate over the years, a recreated Victorian town street, a feature on the '60s, a look at clothes through the years, and the York Castle Prison.

Clifford's Tower, all that's left of the 13th-century castle.

Next up was a trip to the Minster, the cathedral.  We had hoped to be able to take a tour of the church, but instead got there in time to attend Evensong.  The music and church were absolutely breathtaking, and it was really nice to sit down and center ourselves.  Sometimes while traveling I find myself getting caught up in lists and schedules.

York wall--watch out for the archers.

We stopped for a light meal, since lunch was ridiculous, at a pub.  I had a salad and Christine had a beef pie (and we both had cider, of course).  Our waiter encouraged us to go out drinking (though he gave no real recommendations), but we decided to head back instead.

Inside the Minster.

Now we're unwinding from the day and resting up for the travel and adventures we'll have tomorrow.

The front of the impressive Minster.