On Wednesday of this past week we drove to York. Dave has been looking forward to going there since we came to the UK. Aunt Marian took a train there because our rental car only seats 5 people. She and Grandma Sherwin have a cousin once-removed there in York that she stayed with. Our family stayed in a Travelodge hotel.

We loved York! What a great city full of history. 

We arrived in the early afternoon and met Aunt Marian to do a walking tour. The city provides a free walking tour twice a day. It was great! Our guide was really knowledgeable, and it was a good way to get a feel for the city.  

Behind us is one of the gates in the medieval walls, into the old city.

The art museum. Dave took this picture. I think it's fun that it captured 4 of us all spread out. Tyler on the left, Josh in the background in blue, Janae walking along the fountain edge, and me on the far right. 

A tree planted upside down in Victorian times! It was dead, so someone uprooted it and turned it upside down. There is now a fern growing from the roots!  In the museum gardens. 

A corner of the city walls. This shows the Roman walls down low, then the medieval walls above. Also, some stone caskets. Apparently, there are so many caskets and remains in York that they're in some people's yards. Our guide said that one of her neighbors has one in her basement with a skeleton in it!!!

The remains of the Abbey church of St. Mary's, which used to be about 3 times as long as these remains are!

Once a palace, now part of the local university.

Walking along the city walls.

More of the city walls.

A view of the York Minster from the city walls.

View along the wall towards one of the gates.

I noticed this sign on a wall as we were walking along the city wall. Wow! Interesting.

This gate has a working portcullis. The last time that they dropped it down was for the queen's visit. It took 20 minutes to lower it, but 3 weeks to raise it back up. Needless to say, they haven't lowered it since!

The first brick house in York.

Previously the apartments of the priests of York Minster. Now college housing.

These apartments are the oldest in York, they think. They're probably from the 1300s! Seriously, I can't believe that they're safe!

An old little church, maybe from the 1100s, tucked back in the middle of some homes.

Notice the box pews in this old church. People could pay to reserve them for their family, and sometimes they would bring portable heaters to warm themselves. 

The Shambles street

The walking tour was over, and we wandered down The Shambles street. We got some fabulous chocolate, and then later some hot chocolate. :)

Mm such nastiness.

A view of the York Minster

Statue of Constantine the Great. He was the last Roman Emperor here in England, before the Roman's left. He converted to Christianity, and therefore put an end to the persecution of Christians that had been going on for many years. Look him up on Wikipedia. He was quite a leader!

Around 4:30 Aunt Marian was picked up by cousin Elaine to go to her house, and we headed to our hotel to check in and get some dinner. At the hotel after dinner, we each did some "business" on computers, and the kids and I played a new game called Yahtzee Hands Down, a card game. It was pretty fun. We also watched an episode of "Murder She Wrote".