York
/Working from a list of general experiences is my preferred way to travel. Things like eating in a pub, visting a cathedral for example. This allows for flexibility, which is key when traveling, as I found out last weekend. This theory relies on the assumption that the same experience can be found in many different places. One of the troubles with this is the fact that you need a general knowledge of the area to be able to substitute places on the fly. Occasionally something is must see and is only in one place (eating at a certain pub, or seeing your favorite band in concert). Having flexibility allows me to be happier at the end of a trip, knowing I saw and did all the activities I wanted, even if they weren’t at the places I thought they’d be.
York is how I naively expected all European cities to be, narrow roads, busy streets, small shops, and many historical buildings. It is a great place to walk around (most of the city center is for pedestrians) and relax for a day. We climbed (literally climbed) to the top of the Minster. When it was built people must have been smaller, the stairs were very narrow and steep. From the top we got our bearings on where we should go next. The ruins of St Mary’s Abbey Church are part of a park on the riverfront. The ruins are nice but also sad. The church was ruined during the dissolution of the monasteries (begun by Henry VIII). It was a great trip. (extra photos)
