Leaving York

Then there is the River Ouse (Yorkshire). Apparently there is more than one Ouse; not surprising as it means 'water'.

I’m always fascinated by the structures one finds alongside of bridges.

At some point we needed a sit-down and found another tea shop and had a cream tea:  scones with either whipped or clotted cream and strawberry jam.  I couldn’t finish my share – far too rich!

We went to the Jorvik museum where we looked at the bones that archeologists found in the 1970-80s in a find that went all the way back through the Viking period, which is between when the Romans left in about 430 and when the Normans came, in 1066. I’d not appreciated that there was a Viking era of actual residence here– I’d always thought of them as the hit and run type; sack and pillage and leave. So I learned something new.

Finally, Bill pulled out all the stops and took us along to ‘What a street!”

Then we headed to find a pub to eat.  There was lovely Tudor pub called the Punch Bowl, but it was full.

There were two to choose between. I thought naming your place ‘Ye Olde Starre Inne’ was pushing the quaint-e-ness a bit far, but as the Punch Bowl was full, that’s where we ended up – having fish and chips and peas, only about a million calories.  Hopefully I burned a few of those walking the streets of York.

I know it is nuts to try taking photos out of a train window – it’s all moving so fast –

but it was the colours that I mainly wanted to show you.

The English country side is really lovely and you don’t always see this from the roads.

Also, I managed to snap Durham as we slowed to stop at the station there.  On the right we have Durham Cathedral (Norman, not Gothic. York Minster is Gothic). On the left in similar stone, Durham Castle, home of Durham University College. Yep, that's the place that made Bill Bryson their Chancellor.

We should go back for a visit some time - it's only 15 minutes from Newcastle by train.

Walls of York

The big thing about York is its walls and bars;  bar walls - that is, to say that the entrances through the walls are called bars, ie Micklegate Bar, Monk Bar or Bootham Bar.   

Monk Bar, top and bottom

We went up the stairs beside Monk Bar,



and strolled along part of the wall peering down into the back gardens of some spectacular homes behind the York Minster.



Jan  told me she would rather garden than read; wish she could rub some of that off onto me…

I can't tell you how excited I was the first time I saw these arrow slits for myself. I was sure I was on a Robin Hood film set.

In spring the banks on the outside of the wall are covered with daffodils; it’s one of the prettiest sights I’ve seen.

There are all sorts of old structures from the medieval period around,

more than I could possibly tell you about.

I’m sure you could look it up and read all about it if you were so inclined. York seems to be very well documented and photographed on the Internet!

We took them along to the York train station to explain about tickets and seats and all; I was relieved to hear that they were going to turn in the rental car and get the train from York to London – far easier was to travel and trains are an essential part of the culture, not to mention that Kings Cross Trains station is to die for.  But then you've seen it before - remember Platform 9 3/4?

More of York

So what else is there to see and do in York? Well, there is Betty's. Bill ordered the ‘house tea’(I learned something new there) and toasted teacakes.Jerry said just what I’ve always thought –English tea cakes are exactly like American hamburger buns except they have raisins in. They seemed so familiar I found myself reassuring them that toasted teacakes are a very traditional British food.

Barry (at the York Minster) had told us about the soldiers' names scratched in the glass at Betty's.

We found them downstairs near the loos.

Then we had to go see the Shambles.

It’s an old street in York that used to be lined with Butcher’s hooks; the hooks are still visible in places.

It’s all very pricey tourist tat now, aimed at Richamericans.That’s not too foolish, when you think about it.If you have the money to travel abroad, you can’t be too poor, can you?

The main appeal of the Shambles is that the tops of the houses seem to almost come together at the top and the cobbled street makes you think you're in the 14th century.

The trapezoid shape of this window reminds me of some of my cheaper handkerchiefs.

Meeting Up in York!

I don’t do much with Facebook – my email and my blog get all my time and effort – but I am grateful to FB for putting me in touch with various old friends.  Jan and I worked together in Oklahoma City for many years but we lost touch when I left for Utah.  She contacted me a few weeks ago via Facebook as she and her husband Jerry were coming over to Britain for a vacation.  I confess to having had mixed feelings about this.  There are any number of people who have come across, practically demanded that I travel to London and be their tour guide and then disappeared as though they never knew me.  My fault, I suppose, for being too accomodating.  However, I'd been really fond of Jan and thought it was at least worth a go.  Between Bill's and my other commitments and their itinerary, York looked like the best place to meet up and so we did.

I love the train stations on the NE railway line.  I think of them as Victorian industrial cathedrals; I'm sure that's not an original thought.  We met up at Bootham Bar on the basis that it was midway between their B&B and the train station; also Bill reckon it afforded a shelter from any rain. 

Jan hasn’t changed much at all and we spotted each other immediately.  I introduced Bill and then let him and Jerry sort themselves out – Jan and I had 20 years to catch up on!  Not that we did of course, but by the time we were inside the Yorkminster, Bill said I was talking ‘Okie’ again.  I never recognise it, but I’m sure he’s right; I’m just susceptible that way.


We only spent the day there, walking with a few tea breaks.  I think we managed to show them the essential sights and of course I'll be sharing those with you.  We might have squeezed in another museum or two, but we weren't sure what would really interest them, we just enjoyed talking with them a lot and also, they needed to save their strength for London.


Jerry was brave enough to rent a car and drive for most of this trip, something I certainly wouldn't have recommended, but I'm sure it was memorable for them and figuring out public transport can be daunting - not to mention having to carry your luggage everywhere.  They had good things to say about nearly every B&B they used, all but one having been recommended by Rick Steves, so I thought I'd pass that tip along.  Funny enough, some of the B&B people don't seem to know who Rick Steves is, which I found interesting; do they ever wonder why their business has suddenly picked up?

Anyhow, we had a great day out with Jan and Jerry and are looking forward to keeping in touch in future.