sweet nothings...

This last weekend I have been in the lovely town of York. I travelled down there early on Friday morning, and came back to Edinburgh late Saturday afternoon. A couple of days is just perfect for a city visit though I think, any more than that and I start to want to escape somewhere more green with fewer crowds and traffic again! Two days lets you explore and see what there is to see, you can afford to eat in nice restaurants and do a few touristy things too.

York was just the right size for getting around by foot, is mostly pedestrianised, and is surrounded by the old city walls. The place is packed with viking/Roman history, and amazing old buildings in 'the shambles' that look as if they are stuck together higgilty piggilty, sagging in the middle and leaning out over the pavement at strange angles.

There is a massive cathedral, York Minster. I climbed up the main Tower. I have done this in almost all big cities I have been to, I find the highest tower or spire and clamber and puff my way up to the top with my camera, you can get some great birds eye view pictures, and an idea of the scale and layout of a city which you can't get from down among the buildings and streets.

The journey to York was only two and a half hours from Edinburgh and cost only £10!! I couldn't believe it! When I arrived the train station was amazing, it was crecent shaped, with a beautiful and dramatic ironwork ceiling which seemed to swoop off endlessly into the distance.

It is a small enough city to allow you to walk everywhere, but big enough for there to be plenty to explore and keep you busy. My feet were aching after all the walking and climbing, and I was completely exhausted, but very happy It's the best feeling and I love it so much! It recharges my batteries to get away and see new things every few months. Good opportunity to take lots of new pictures too!

York seems to have lots of nice pubs and about million tea shops. Every street corner has one, and there seems to be one between every shop. One even had a huge queue snaking down the street waiting to get in! They really know how to have a cup of tea there!

I discovered that York has a 'Hotel Chocolat' shop too! It probably still has my face and hand prints all over it's windows. I did not believe that such a place really existed. I used to order chocolates from this place occasionally from the internet, and they would appear as is by magic from some heavenly chocolate land far far away. I practically threw myself to my knees and kissed the carpet, and had to get escorted off the premises But not before I had staggered around the shop with wide saucer eyes, lovingly touching everything on the shelves with wonder and amazement, and had bought a bag of kirch soaked chocolate covered cherries oh my god! It's just as well there is not one of these shops in Edinburgh I think!