February in a flash.

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.

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.

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:

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!