Much time has passed since my last batch of posts, but I have not been idle. In February, I've been quite busy at work; let that be my prime excuse for not getting much writing done (never mind the occasional video gaming :p).
Even though the chill of winter has lingered throughout England, I still found myself yearning to leave hibernation and get back to exploring the outside world a little more. So, a couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to visit the city of York.
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| The Shambles of York. |
It's been years since I last visited this city, and it is far bigger than I remember. It is quite characteristic with its towering Minster and its wall that envelopes the city. The city wall has a number of old gatehouses along with, with turrets and narrow arches. Pedestrians still use it to traverse around the city. The Minster is still quite an impressive cathedral; its exterior is so finely detailed and shows apt architectural prowess. Its interior is no less impressive, with its immense space, its mighty stained-glass windows, and the occasional ornate carvings of stone. We took the time to climb up the Minster's tower (well over two-hundred steps in a narrow spiral staircase; quite a draining experience), which provided an excellent bird's eye view of the surrounding city. We also went beneath the cathedral to check out the crypt/vault. It's not quite as creepy as it would sound; it merely housed some old pillars, statues, and a collection of finely-polished gold and silver artifacts.
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| Exterior view of the York Minster. |
York is also home to a place called Clifford's Tower, which is an old round structure on a steep, tall hill. It is the ruin of an old castle keep. There's little more to it than a single empty courtyard and a wall to climb on, offering another fine view of the city. I've always felt it was a cool landmark though. It is especially noteworthy for its history, which is long and violent.
Aside from revisiting these interesting sites, I was also intrigued to see the Jorvik Viking Festival, which was occurring that week. I would come to learn the the majority of shows/attractions wouldn't occur until the next day (on a Saturday, when it would be crowded as hell). At best, we stumbled across a group of actors dressed as Vikings, showing off Viking wares and weaponry to visitors. A few stalls in a tent provided some interesting wares and paraphernalia for sale. It wasn't quite the rip-roaring affair I thought it would be (as it likely was on Saturday), but at the least, I managed to get this picture:
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| A Viking. |
The fellow told us that the ship in the square was built in the same manner as a genuine Viking vessel, and they have sailed in it all over various rivers, oceans, and seas. It goes to show that Viking ship-crafting was indeed something superior.
It was an exhausting day, and it led to an exhausting week all last week. Work on my writing projects haven't been as fruitful as I want. I am working on an exciting short story which I will probably post here when it is done. So, stay tuned!
