On Monday, we went to York for the day. I first went to York when I was about 12 on my first visit to the UK, and hadn't been back since. G had never been. I have lots of half-remembered memories about that trip, and it was interesting to see what came back to me. In York we met my mom, who is currently on tour in the UK, and she was able to fill in some of the memory gaps and details from that first trip as well.
Maybe it's the North American in me, but I love cities with medieval streets. There's nothing quite like them back home, where pretty much the oldest permanent structures date from the 1700s. It may be cheaper and more efficient to have straight roads and concrete, but it certainly isn't as charming.
We paid a visit to York Minster and climbed all the way up the tower, as has become our habit when traveling. On that first trip to the UK, I remember going to the top of several cathedrals, but not in York. So there's a new memory added. I hope I never get tired of climbing to the top of things and looking down at the tiny world below.
I remember walking on the city walls on my first visit - this time, as we walked on the walls, I imagined what it would be like to have such a monument in my backyard.
Like so many old European cities, York is a fabulous place to explore on foot, and that is my favourite kind of exploring. The old part of the city is compact enough that it is easy to get around, and it's not overwhelming for just a day trip. Of course, there's more to any place than what the tourists tend to focus on, and I certainly wouldn't mind spending more time there.
A crafter's visit to York would not be complete without a stop at Duttons for Buttons, but that adventure is for another post!
I'm so pleased you enjoyed my home town. I miss it a lot. But York is not very good for wheelchair users because of all the cobbles and the pedestrian areas so you can't get a car very near to anything. York is a lovely place to visit, but it just isn't somewhere I can live anymore. It's nice to visit my family several times a year though. Glad you enjoyed Duttons. I have many lovely memories of hunting around in there.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I've fallen into the obvious trap of not even considering how wheelchair users might get around... Oops! Consider me reminded. It's so unfortunate that your home town is now difficult to navigate :(
DeleteIt sounds like you had a ton of fun. I love the cobbled streets too. They are very charming and when I think of a European town the cobbled roads are the first think I imagine them having.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to York, but the pictures look a lot like several towns I've been to when visiting my parents in Cambridge. The cathedrals can make your brain hurt a little, when you think about the fact that somebody had to build them...
ReplyDeleteYour post has brought back lovely memories for me, I lived in York for three years while I was at Uni there. I did the Minster climb a few years ago, your photo from halfway up is awesome!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, these photos are all so beautiful, you have really made me want to visit that amazing place my self!
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