York

The other day, Steph and I set off on our first travel expedition outside of the wonderful city of Hull. Our journey took us to the beautiful town of York. The day was sure to be full of excitement, and waking up 5 minutes before we were supposed to be at the bus stop started our day off true to this thought. We made it to the bus stop, never-minding our disregard to typical morning hygiene, with not more than 2 seconds to spare. Fumbling for 2.40 pounds from my trusty money belt, we entered the bus and picked our seats. Is it sad if the 2 minute run from our apartment to the bus stop took all of our energy? Needless to say, the bus trip allowed us to catch our breath before waiting 2 hours at the train station.

Seeing as how this was our first train trip, we didn't know what to expect (hence the early arrival). Who knew it was so easy? Homeless men and terrible-2's stage toddlers made the chilly wait near unbearable. Trucking on, however, we boarded the train easily before Steph promptly fell asleep. Staying true to our typical nature, the train had to make a 10 minute stop somewhere in between Selby and York for whatever reason. This would not have been a problem besides the fact that the train was supposed to arrive at 10:00 sharp...allowing a perfect amount of time to make the 10 minute walk from the station to our free 10:15 guided walking tour. Our early morning luck didn't carry over and we missed the tour by 10 minutes, despite trying to catch up to the group with a like-minded Jersey couple. Although, erroneously joining 2 separate tours before being told they were private, paid tours made up for our disappointment with a little humor.

After exploring the city, we walked through the museum gardens and headed along the historic city walls. We walked along these ancient wonders as they wrapped around the York Minister. Not ones to stay on course, we were quickly drawn to the awe-inspiring monument and paid for our entrance. I need not describe it here, for any explanation would fail to give the church its deserved credit. All I can say is if you are ever in the area, it would be a crime not to pay the 8 pounds to enter the gorgeous gothic church. Us big spenders also paid the extra money to climb the roughly 300 step tower for a spectacular view of York. Needless to say, Grandma Donna would most likely have struggled.

After about 3 hours in the beautiful church, we went for lunch at a delicious cafe near-by. Macaroni and Cheese and a Ham and Cheese Panini with Mustard Mayonnaise warranted the splurge. This hot food was welcome energy that helped propel us to the next destination of the Castle Museum. Surely worth it for museum enthusiasts, the Castle Museum did not entertain Steph and I as we thought it might. Although interesting, we decided that we are not history museum people. Joe would've loved it though. We then wandered around the town watching street performers and stopping by various shops and cafes. Steph didn't stray from her usual style and wound up being treated with 2 treats (twice the daily allotment)--gourmet hot chocolate and a chocolate and caramel candy bar (do you guys think its pronounced KAR-MAL or CARE-A-MEL)? I only got a lousy ice cream cone that was awful to say the least (when you throw away the ice cream so you can enjoy the cone...you know its bad).

We were much too tired to carry out our other plans, including a haunted tour, and decided to head home early. An hour train ride (or nap for Steph) and a 10 minute bus ride got us home and into warmth. Looking back, is it cool for college kids to fall asleep at 8:30 on a Saturday? Whatever the answer, York demanded an early retirement and we cannot wait until the day we get to return to the beautiful city.