July 2, 2008: York

The centre of York is completely dominated past times the Minster - a cathedral that was built betwixt 1220 together with 1480. It's a stunning edifice - every bit striking an representative of gothic architecture every bit y'all tin imagine.

The within is exactly every bit impressive every bit the exterior - massively high ceilings, wonderful stained drinking glass windows together with an astonishing amount of detailed stonework - the chapter menage inwards especial was studded amongst hundreds of intricately carved faces - it's footling wonder the structure took to a greater extent than than ii hundred years.

We also went for a brief wander through the foundations of the minster (where photos were prohibited) - in that location are withal remnants of the massive Roman basilica that was originally situated here, every bit good every bit sections of the Norman cathedral that was replaced past times the structure of the minster. The roman ruins are especially impressive - either incorporated into the foundations of the cathedral, or only built around, in that location are plenty of columns together with stonework that remain, including a withal surgical operation culvert that drains H2O from the foundations downwardly to the river Ouse.

We followed upward amongst a brief stroll through the museum gardens, stumbling across the ruins of the 13th century St Mary's Abbey.

All this history left us both hungry, together with nosotros stopped inwards to Betty's, something of a York institution, for some lunch. It's basically a fancy tearoom, amongst lots of people enjoying traditional high teas.

Cindy insisted that nosotros needed to endeavour whatsoever vegetarian local delicacies nosotros could find, together with hence both of us opted for the Yorkshire Rarebit. I mean value nosotros were both imagining this every bit basically a fancied upward cheese toastie, but it turns out that it's to a greater extent than similar an entire block of cheese melted over a minor slice of bread. The ale together with worcestershire sauce gave the cheese a flake of flavour, together with the apple tree together with love apple tree chutneys cutting through the grease a little, but the overwhelming impression was an overdose of cheese.

We decided to comprehend our inner tourists together with conduct keep a trip on York Boat, a 45 infinitesimal river cruise promising to demo us the sights of York. Of shape the river doesn't actually become especially about the minster or the wall, together with hence the sights are a footling limited. Still, nosotros got glimpses of one of the UK's oldest schools, St Peter's, together with some pleasant river scenery.

The boat dropped us off towards the southern goal of town, together with hence nosotros wandered across to banking concern check out Clifford's Tower - all that remains of the twelfth century York Castle.We didn't conduct keep the unloose energy to climb the stairs, together with hence nosotros exactly mosied our agency dorsum through town, admiring some of the wonky Tudor buildings along the way.

Where nosotros headed? Back to Betty's for afternoon tea - although this fourth dimension nosotros went to Little Betty's, the slightly less crowded spinoff. Rather than tackle the total high tea, nosotros settled on the cream tea - a pot of tea together with a couplet of scones amongst jam together with cream to share.

I'm non sure I actually empathize the indicate of the nice afternoon tea tradition (I for certain don't agree inwards - sloshing my tea across one-half the tabular array well-nigh immediately), but it was a pleasant plenty seize amongst teeth to eat. We headed dorsum our accommodation for a quick snooze, together with settled on a pleasant but uninspiring burger chain (Gourmet Burger Kitchen) for dinner.