Surviving Mai Tai Tom's "Royal" Blunder - England/Scotland 2022
Jul 1st, 2022, 07:40 AM
#43
Original Poster
"Tom, that Tower moat superbloom is at its height at this very moment, a veritable Impressionist painting"
zebec. love to see one of your photos. Tracy will be jealous.
thursdaysd - Thanks for the link
zebec. love to see one of your photos. Tracy will be jealous.
thursdaysd - Thanks for the link
Jul 1st, 2022, 01:27 PM
#45
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Did he explode too? I thought it was William the Conqueror... disgusting thought.
I also heard that Richard the Lionheart actually did have an enlarged heart.
That said, I'm loving your TR, MaiTai.
Jul 4th, 2022, 11:06 AM
#46
Original Poster
We hopped an early train from London to York. After getting settled in at a beautiful B&B, we walked into historic medieval York and dined at the birthplace (maybe) of the guy who tried to assassinate a king. Then we climbed (barely) to Clifford’s Tower, hit the York Castle Museum that details York through the centuries, visited a quirky pub with a cool name and nearly lost Kim and Tracy at a complicated crosswalk. We had a great dinner that night. Happy 4th Of July!!! Story with photos in link below and story without photos under photos.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...it-up-in-york/
CHAPTER FOUR: Stepping It Up In York
Day Four: Where’s Boris Johnson?, An Explosive Pub, My Life’s In A Shambles, Stairway To Heaven, Tower of Power, Checking Out York’s Past, A Change In Plans, Walking In Circles, I’m Trembling (Part One), Old Tom, Near Death Experience and Going Italiano
I’d booked four tickets at 9:06 a.m. for our train to York. As usual, I cajoled my traveling companions to get to King’s Cross station an hour early because I have an inordinate fear of being late to a train (same with planes). The good news is since we purchased first class tickets, we were able to enjoy free coffee and cookies. This is the same lounge where we had a Boris Johnson hair sighting in 2017.
On the 2 1/2 hour train trip we were offered a choice of a Bacon Roll with Brown Sauce, a porridge pot, a pan au chocolate (I talked her into two) and another dozen cups of coffee.
At the York train station this sign seemed to tell me, “Even though you’ve consumed copious amounts of coffee, I think you can hold it until you reach your lodging.”
We took a taxi to our lodging for the next three nights, the St. Raphael Guesthouse (photo from next day). The location on a quiet street, and a short walk to the city walls, was perfect.
Asking our hosts directions to town they replied, “just make a right at the top of the street and within 5 minutes you will arrive at the Boothham Bar.” I thought a pint sounded pretty good, but was told that Bootham Bar is actually the 11th century arched gateway into town. I subsequently learned that “in 1501 a door knocker was installed as Scots were required to knock first and seek permission from the Lord Mayor to enter.” It was also “sometimes used to display the heads of traitors, [including] the heads of three rebels opposing Charles II’s restoration were placed here in 1663.”
Another five minutes and we arrived at The York Minster, where we had reservations to visit on our final day in York.
Before we could start seeing the sights, we decided to grab a light lunch. The personable Danny, who worked at St. Raphael Guesthouse, had suggested we try the Guy Fawkes Inn, an inn that “supposedly” is where Guy Fawkes, the man behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot to assassinate King James I, was born.
We were too hungry to kill anyone, so we settled for a very good lunch. Two dishes stood out. Mary said her fish sandwich was the best she ever tasted (and as we all know by now, Mary was born with gills), while I reveled in my cheese toastie with spicy hummus (a dish that I am now imploring Tracy to make at home).
Less than five minutes from the Guy Fawkes Inn we entered the Shambles, which is what my friends called my dorm room at San Diego State. The Shambles is one of five Snickelways (narrow passageways between buildings) in York. There are lots of shops in what is called the “most haunted city in England.”
In a nod to Harry Potter we passed The Potion’s Cauldron, which is appropriately located at 9 3/4 Shambles.
Next we passed by Margaret Clitherow’s House. For sheltering a priest during the anti-Catholicism period in Elizabethan England, she was executed. It’s thought that Guy Fawkes witnessed her execution, which is why he turned to Catholicism and his future attempt to assassinate the King.
Turning the corner was a half-timbered building that simply stated “Old Tom York Gin”. I’m old, I’m in York and I like gin. Coincidence, I think not.
A “broody sky” silhouetted The York Magistrates Court. Thank you Tracy.
A short distance later we were gazing up at Clifford’s Tower, and I mean UP. My legs wanted to go on strike, but my brain vetoed that idea. We had been told by an ex-RAF gentleman (Julian) we met the train, that Clifford’s Tower had recently reopened after an extensive £5 million renovation that significantly altered the interior of this 800 year-old building, which is all that’s left of York Castle.
As you can see, the work did not include an elevator. Although only a mere 55 steps to the top, we had to admit they were a steep 55 steps.
Local Yorkshire citizens were seen taking bets if this guy could make it. Although odds went off at nearly 70-1, I triumphed.
Entrance fee to the tower for two people totaled £17.50 (for old people you save £.50 ). Inside the tower there are new aerial walkways that offer a much better viewing experience for the visitor, according to our train friend Julian.
There is also lots of information about the history of Clifford’s Tower, and some of it is quite disturbing. In March of 1190, there was anti-Jewish rioting, and York Castle sheltered nearly 150 Jewish people inside “the King’s Tower,” which is the site of Clifford’s Tower.
On March 16, the Jews determined they could no longer hold out against the mob. After setting fire to the wooden structure, “many of them killed themselves rather than waiting for the mob to attack or surrender and be forcibly baptized. The father of each family killed his wife and children before taking his own life.” Although promised amnesty if they left the tower, any Jew who did that was killed by the mob.
After reading about that tragedy and other tower history, we climbed atop the aerial walkway for interior views and wound up a stone stairway to the top.
The clouds made for some pretty shots looking over York.
Below we saw our next destination, the York Castle Museum (£14, but only £13 for old codgers like us). Similar to the Museum of London, this museum details life through the centuries here in York.
Rooms decorated like they would have been back in the 17th and 18th century were highlighted
Some were quite colorful.
There is a section detailing the history of children’s toys and other fun stuff. It was here Tracy asked me if I wanted to take a three-hour tour on the carrousel. I replied, “Only if I can be with MaryAnn.”
How the hell do you get on this thing? Sadly, there was no spokesman around to give me an answer.
I don’t know why Tracy pointed this sign out to me.
Kim said we should visit Kirkgate, which I assumed was a time portal to the Starship Enterprise. Instead, it is a perfect replication of an old Victorian street.
We passed by shops from a bygone era.
For a moment one felt like you were actually back in Victorian times, except for the iPhone camera shots.
For you car aficionados, this is a Colibri motorcar by the Norddeutsche Automobile-Werke … circa 1907. Coincidentally, we were now walking at an accelerated pace.
I found it slightly amusing I had no pence to execute this machine, while the rest took stock of the torture devices.
The post World War I area was interesting, and once again that group from Liverpool was featured in the 60s section.
Of course, this is just a small capsule of what we saw there.
The museum is done well, but we all agreed the city museums are probably more intriguing for locals to learn about their ancestors and predecessors. Kim added about the first half of the museum, “It was like going through your mom’s attic.”
After the museum we stopped at a restaurant highly recommended by Danny at our B&B. We did not have reservations for our final night anywhere, and this place (Rustique) only had reservations at 5 p.m. The menu looked great, so we took the bait and made reservations for the “Before Sunset Dinner” that night.
Then came a little Keystone Cops comedy with the four of us. I had told the gang about a pub my buddy Andy had recommended, The House of Trembling Madness. It was a little bit of madness getting there as Mary’s GPS directions took us on a circuitous route. We did pass by the Shambles Market though.
Somebody was happy after an evening with Mrs. Brown, but we were still lost.
Unfortunately, then I got involved, and my GPS took us in an entirely different direction. I started off the other way and, well, it wasn’t going very well for me either. We received a text from Mary shortly thereafter saying they had asked someone and were now sitting at the bar. I followed suit and when I got in the general vicinity, I also asked a person where the House of Trembling Madness was located. We should really do that more often.
You get to the Trembling Madness on Stonegate by first going through a liquor store and then up a set of stairs in the back.
The bar is quirky, and the beer was good with a very accommodating staff. The liquor store downstairs had an airplane sized bottle of Old Tom York Gin. I’m old. I’m Tom. I like gin. How could I pass that up?
We walked back to the St. Raphael Guesthouse for a quick nap before dining at Lucia (13 Swinegate Court East), an Italian restaurant that had been recommended by our hosts. I made online reservations before the trip as they said it gets busy.
Lucia is a very engaging spot with pink flowers and white marble inside and an inviting patio area outdoors. We were seated inside.
All of our meals here were exceptional. Here are a couple of dishes to whet your appetite. And here is a link to our review of Lucia.
We strolled back to our b&b, looking forward to the following day. We’d see some more York sights including a morning walk through some lovely gardens that included the ruins of an ancient abbey, walking the city walls (a couple of times), visiting a historic old church, have an adventure trying to pick up our rental car, finding another bit of Madness and enjoying our second great Lucia dinner.
There would also be a parade that would march through town, and it was during part of the pomp and circumstance where one stupid tourist made a major mistake in judgement that had many York citizens looking on in total bemusement while one York police officer took charge of the situation.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...it-up-in-york/
CHAPTER FOUR: Stepping It Up In York
Day Four: Where’s Boris Johnson?, An Explosive Pub, My Life’s In A Shambles, Stairway To Heaven, Tower of Power, Checking Out York’s Past, A Change In Plans, Walking In Circles, I’m Trembling (Part One), Old Tom, Near Death Experience and Going Italiano
I’d booked four tickets at 9:06 a.m. for our train to York. As usual, I cajoled my traveling companions to get to King’s Cross station an hour early because I have an inordinate fear of being late to a train (same with planes). The good news is since we purchased first class tickets, we were able to enjoy free coffee and cookies. This is the same lounge where we had a Boris Johnson hair sighting in 2017.
On the 2 1/2 hour train trip we were offered a choice of a Bacon Roll with Brown Sauce, a porridge pot, a pan au chocolate (I talked her into two) and another dozen cups of coffee.
At the York train station this sign seemed to tell me, “Even though you’ve consumed copious amounts of coffee, I think you can hold it until you reach your lodging.”
We took a taxi to our lodging for the next three nights, the St. Raphael Guesthouse (photo from next day). The location on a quiet street, and a short walk to the city walls, was perfect.
Asking our hosts directions to town they replied, “just make a right at the top of the street and within 5 minutes you will arrive at the Boothham Bar.” I thought a pint sounded pretty good, but was told that Bootham Bar is actually the 11th century arched gateway into town. I subsequently learned that “in 1501 a door knocker was installed as Scots were required to knock first and seek permission from the Lord Mayor to enter.” It was also “sometimes used to display the heads of traitors, [including] the heads of three rebels opposing Charles II’s restoration were placed here in 1663.”
Another five minutes and we arrived at The York Minster, where we had reservations to visit on our final day in York.
Before we could start seeing the sights, we decided to grab a light lunch. The personable Danny, who worked at St. Raphael Guesthouse, had suggested we try the Guy Fawkes Inn, an inn that “supposedly” is where Guy Fawkes, the man behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot to assassinate King James I, was born.
We were too hungry to kill anyone, so we settled for a very good lunch. Two dishes stood out. Mary said her fish sandwich was the best she ever tasted (and as we all know by now, Mary was born with gills), while I reveled in my cheese toastie with spicy hummus (a dish that I am now imploring Tracy to make at home).
Less than five minutes from the Guy Fawkes Inn we entered the Shambles, which is what my friends called my dorm room at San Diego State. The Shambles is one of five Snickelways (narrow passageways between buildings) in York. There are lots of shops in what is called the “most haunted city in England.”
In a nod to Harry Potter we passed The Potion’s Cauldron, which is appropriately located at 9 3/4 Shambles.
Next we passed by Margaret Clitherow’s House. For sheltering a priest during the anti-Catholicism period in Elizabethan England, she was executed. It’s thought that Guy Fawkes witnessed her execution, which is why he turned to Catholicism and his future attempt to assassinate the King.
Turning the corner was a half-timbered building that simply stated “Old Tom York Gin”. I’m old, I’m in York and I like gin. Coincidence, I think not.
A “broody sky” silhouetted The York Magistrates Court. Thank you Tracy.
A short distance later we were gazing up at Clifford’s Tower, and I mean UP. My legs wanted to go on strike, but my brain vetoed that idea. We had been told by an ex-RAF gentleman (Julian) we met the train, that Clifford’s Tower had recently reopened after an extensive £5 million renovation that significantly altered the interior of this 800 year-old building, which is all that’s left of York Castle.
As you can see, the work did not include an elevator. Although only a mere 55 steps to the top, we had to admit they were a steep 55 steps.
Local Yorkshire citizens were seen taking bets if this guy could make it. Although odds went off at nearly 70-1, I triumphed.
Entrance fee to the tower for two people totaled £17.50 (for old people you save £.50 ). Inside the tower there are new aerial walkways that offer a much better viewing experience for the visitor, according to our train friend Julian.
There is also lots of information about the history of Clifford’s Tower, and some of it is quite disturbing. In March of 1190, there was anti-Jewish rioting, and York Castle sheltered nearly 150 Jewish people inside “the King’s Tower,” which is the site of Clifford’s Tower.
On March 16, the Jews determined they could no longer hold out against the mob. After setting fire to the wooden structure, “many of them killed themselves rather than waiting for the mob to attack or surrender and be forcibly baptized. The father of each family killed his wife and children before taking his own life.” Although promised amnesty if they left the tower, any Jew who did that was killed by the mob.
After reading about that tragedy and other tower history, we climbed atop the aerial walkway for interior views and wound up a stone stairway to the top.
The clouds made for some pretty shots looking over York.
Below we saw our next destination, the York Castle Museum (£14, but only £13 for old codgers like us). Similar to the Museum of London, this museum details life through the centuries here in York.
Rooms decorated like they would have been back in the 17th and 18th century were highlighted
Some were quite colorful.
There is a section detailing the history of children’s toys and other fun stuff. It was here Tracy asked me if I wanted to take a three-hour tour on the carrousel. I replied, “Only if I can be with MaryAnn.”
How the hell do you get on this thing? Sadly, there was no spokesman around to give me an answer.
I don’t know why Tracy pointed this sign out to me.
Kim said we should visit Kirkgate, which I assumed was a time portal to the Starship Enterprise. Instead, it is a perfect replication of an old Victorian street.
We passed by shops from a bygone era.
For a moment one felt like you were actually back in Victorian times, except for the iPhone camera shots.
For you car aficionados, this is a Colibri motorcar by the Norddeutsche Automobile-Werke … circa 1907. Coincidentally, we were now walking at an accelerated pace.
I found it slightly amusing I had no pence to execute this machine, while the rest took stock of the torture devices.
The post World War I area was interesting, and once again that group from Liverpool was featured in the 60s section.
Of course, this is just a small capsule of what we saw there.
The museum is done well, but we all agreed the city museums are probably more intriguing for locals to learn about their ancestors and predecessors. Kim added about the first half of the museum, “It was like going through your mom’s attic.”
After the museum we stopped at a restaurant highly recommended by Danny at our B&B. We did not have reservations for our final night anywhere, and this place (Rustique) only had reservations at 5 p.m. The menu looked great, so we took the bait and made reservations for the “Before Sunset Dinner” that night.
Then came a little Keystone Cops comedy with the four of us. I had told the gang about a pub my buddy Andy had recommended, The House of Trembling Madness. It was a little bit of madness getting there as Mary’s GPS directions took us on a circuitous route. We did pass by the Shambles Market though.
Somebody was happy after an evening with Mrs. Brown, but we were still lost.
Unfortunately, then I got involved, and my GPS took us in an entirely different direction. I started off the other way and, well, it wasn’t going very well for me either. We received a text from Mary shortly thereafter saying they had asked someone and were now sitting at the bar. I followed suit and when I got in the general vicinity, I also asked a person where the House of Trembling Madness was located. We should really do that more often.
You get to the Trembling Madness on Stonegate by first going through a liquor store and then up a set of stairs in the back.
The bar is quirky, and the beer was good with a very accommodating staff. The liquor store downstairs had an airplane sized bottle of Old Tom York Gin. I’m old. I’m Tom. I like gin. How could I pass that up?
We walked back to the St. Raphael Guesthouse for a quick nap before dining at Lucia (13 Swinegate Court East), an Italian restaurant that had been recommended by our hosts. I made online reservations before the trip as they said it gets busy.
Lucia is a very engaging spot with pink flowers and white marble inside and an inviting patio area outdoors. We were seated inside.
All of our meals here were exceptional. Here are a couple of dishes to whet your appetite. And here is a link to our review of Lucia.
We strolled back to our b&b, looking forward to the following day. We’d see some more York sights including a morning walk through some lovely gardens that included the ruins of an ancient abbey, walking the city walls (a couple of times), visiting a historic old church, have an adventure trying to pick up our rental car, finding another bit of Madness and enjoying our second great Lucia dinner.
There would also be a parade that would march through town, and it was during part of the pomp and circumstance where one stupid tourist made a major mistake in judgement that had many York citizens looking on in total bemusement while one York police officer took charge of the situation.
Jul 5th, 2022, 07:00 AM
#48
Original Poster
"Oh I like that bit, its funny Tom!"
zebec, when I told jokes like that as a kid, my dad always used to say to me, "You need a new writer." Here is the link I put in for Lucia, the restaurant I wrote about that we dined at for our first two nights in York. The Cheesy Italian Herb Pinwheels ranks up there as one of my all-time favorite travel dishes.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/luc...-york-england/
We hit it out of the ballpark on restaurants in York. The first night we visited Lucia York for Italian food and liked it so much we went back the next evening. There is a lovely outdoor patio covered with a blue striped awning for al fresco dining, but on the first evening we sat inside in the white marble lounge area.
Our hungry table (even with only a half day under our belts in York, we tallied six miles of walking) shared an order of Cheesy Italian Herb Pinwheel with garlic butter. A thin pizza crust wrapped around Fontina cheese and herbs and then dipped in garlic butter and cooked to crunchy perfection. Wow! It was so delicious Tracy has been trying to replicate it at home, and I am the happy recipient.
On this evening, I went with the Slow Cooked Beef Shin and Saffron Risotto; pulled shin of beef slow cooked in an aromatic sauce, served with saffron risotto and parsnip crisps topped with sweet, tender pea tendrils. Pea tendrils are great! Who knew? We need to find these at home.
Our sometime pescatarian, Mary, ordered the Risotto Pescatore; King prawns, mussels, salmon and squid cooked with lemon and fresh dill risotto which she said was splendid.
Kim, unfortunately still was not feeling the love for lettuce, so he skipped his usual choice of Caesar Salad and went with a rib eye steak with peppercorn sauce and Truffle Chips (that’s fries for those of us outside the UK).
Tracy had the Marinated Chicken, Mushrooms and Pancetta Skewer served with chips and a peppery Rocket and Parmesan salad.
Tracy and I returned the next evening to dine al fresco under the blue awning.
While enjoying a glass of prosecco and the house red wine (Languore Sangiovese) we again ordered the Pinwheels, this time with crispy prosciutto. Yum!
I went with the Spaghetti Carbonara with cream, eggs, pancetta, Grana Padano and black pepper. Wow, it was as good as this photo looks!
Tracy started with a side salad of Rocket and Parmesan salad and topped that off with a main course of creamy Wild Mushroom Risotto with oyster, chestnut and button mushrooms, shaved parmesan and rocket. The servings were so large we really could have shared and didn’t manage to finish this delicious meal.
I would definitely make this a choice if you have a few nights in York. It was hustling and bustling both nights, so advance reservations are certainly recommended. Buon appetito!
zebec, when I told jokes like that as a kid, my dad always used to say to me, "You need a new writer." Here is the link I put in for Lucia, the restaurant I wrote about that we dined at for our first two nights in York. The Cheesy Italian Herb Pinwheels ranks up there as one of my all-time favorite travel dishes.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/luc...-york-england/
We hit it out of the ballpark on restaurants in York. The first night we visited Lucia York for Italian food and liked it so much we went back the next evening. There is a lovely outdoor patio covered with a blue striped awning for al fresco dining, but on the first evening we sat inside in the white marble lounge area.
Our hungry table (even with only a half day under our belts in York, we tallied six miles of walking) shared an order of Cheesy Italian Herb Pinwheel with garlic butter. A thin pizza crust wrapped around Fontina cheese and herbs and then dipped in garlic butter and cooked to crunchy perfection. Wow! It was so delicious Tracy has been trying to replicate it at home, and I am the happy recipient.
On this evening, I went with the Slow Cooked Beef Shin and Saffron Risotto; pulled shin of beef slow cooked in an aromatic sauce, served with saffron risotto and parsnip crisps topped with sweet, tender pea tendrils. Pea tendrils are great! Who knew? We need to find these at home.
Our sometime pescatarian, Mary, ordered the Risotto Pescatore; King prawns, mussels, salmon and squid cooked with lemon and fresh dill risotto which she said was splendid.
Kim, unfortunately still was not feeling the love for lettuce, so he skipped his usual choice of Caesar Salad and went with a rib eye steak with peppercorn sauce and Truffle Chips (that’s fries for those of us outside the UK).
Tracy had the Marinated Chicken, Mushrooms and Pancetta Skewer served with chips and a peppery Rocket and Parmesan salad.
Tracy and I returned the next evening to dine al fresco under the blue awning.
While enjoying a glass of prosecco and the house red wine (Languore Sangiovese) we again ordered the Pinwheels, this time with crispy prosciutto. Yum!
I went with the Spaghetti Carbonara with cream, eggs, pancetta, Grana Padano and black pepper. Wow, it was as good as this photo looks!
Tracy started with a side salad of Rocket and Parmesan salad and topped that off with a main course of creamy Wild Mushroom Risotto with oyster, chestnut and button mushrooms, shaved parmesan and rocket. The servings were so large we really could have shared and didn’t manage to finish this delicious meal.
I would definitely make this a choice if you have a few nights in York. It was hustling and bustling both nights, so advance reservations are certainly recommended. Buon appetito!
Jul 5th, 2022, 09:24 AM
#49
Nice food porn, Tom. It's a while since I've been to York, but if I go again this place will be high on my list. BTW pea tendrils or pea shoots have been popular here with chefs for a few years now, and they are very easy to grow, if you have a bit of old guttering.
<<"Quays, how else can you pronounce it?"
Much to my chagrin, I have always pronounced it "QWAY," as I did that day on the train.>>
You reminded me of when years ago we were placing an advert, by phone, to let a seaside house we owned, which was near the "quayside". To our chagrin this was printed as "near the keyside" but it was a good spelling lesson for our kids!
<<"Quays, how else can you pronounce it?"
Much to my chagrin, I have always pronounced it "QWAY," as I did that day on the train.>>
You reminded me of when years ago we were placing an advert, by phone, to let a seaside house we owned, which was near the "quayside". To our chagrin this was printed as "near the keyside" but it was a good spelling lesson for our kids!
Jul 5th, 2022, 02:46 PM
#52
Easy to grow pea shoots, here’s mine - an old tomato punnet as container (lid acts as greenhouse while waiting for shoots), seedling raising mix with a bit of perlite. You’ll have shoots in a fortnight. I’ve got a mix in there.
Jul 7th, 2022, 12:50 PM
#54
Original Poster
What was going to be a relaxing day checking out more York sights nearly turned into an international fiasco when I attempted to enter a locked museum that was on our list to see. It would be our second encounter with the same Royal family member in the past five years. Bookending this little incident was a day where we’d stroll through more lush gardens, the ruins of a once important abbey, walking part of York’s City Walls, seeing where the man behind the Gunpowder Plot was baptized, getting on track at the largest railway museum in the world and getting a second chance on the walls as the skies turned blue. What could have been a disaster turned into another fun day in York. I've done some pretty stupid stuff, and this one ranks right up there. My thanks to the York police force for not locking me up. Story with photos in link below ... without photos, below photos.
We started with fruit and bread, then …
… Eggs Benedict and some pancakes, and we were on our way.
We took a back alley shortcut and within about five minutes we were at the entrance to the Yorkshire Museum Gardens.
The gardens were established in the 1830s and it’s a quiet respite in what can be a very crowded town. Lots of colorful flowers and plants for Tracy to take photo upon photo.
A nice backdrop here are the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey, which at one time many centuries ago “was one of the most largest and most important abbeys in England.”
The garden and abbey is free to visit.
Whenever oversized chairs are included in our trips, you get can bet photos will be taken … no matter how goofy they are.
We walked by the 13th century ruins of St. Leonard’s Hospital, which at one time was one of the largest hospitals in Northern England.
Our first disappointment of the day was when we learned that King’s Manor, a 15th century building originally constructed for the abbots of St. Mary’s Benedictine monastery, was closed due to Covid. It now comprises the York University archeology department, and we had been told not to miss it as it houses a collection of Henry VIII artifacts (although I could not confirm that online).
Above the doorway is the Coat of Arms for Charles I, the son of James I and VI in Scotland (remember, he’s the same guy). He stayed here a couple of times in the 1630s. Charles also introduced the unicorn (supporter of Scotland) into the Royal Coat of Arms (the lion is the supporter of England).
Onward and upward onto the city walls of York. We entered at the Bootham Bar. Even on a rather overcast day, the views of York Minster in the distance with the greenery surrounding the area was quite spectacular.
There was a lovely outdoor seating area that we learned was part of the Gray’s Court Hotel. From the wall, Tracy chatted up the hotel gardener who was working in the hotel herb garden.
After exiting the wall at Monk’s Bar on our way to the Treasurer’s House, we stopped by the hotel where the concierge gave us a whirlwind tour of the hotel. We guessed it was above our pay grade.
A few minutes later we learned that the Treasurer’s House is closed on Thursday and Friday. Yes, bad planning on my part, but this must be the only attraction closed on those particular days.
We continued on towards the York Minster and made our way to another sight on my list, the York Mansion House. So far the day had been relaxing, and to to tell the truth, a little boring. That would soon change.
As we approached St. Helen’s Square where the York Mansion House is located, a crowd was gathering. Soon both sides of the street were awash in people waiting for some type of parade to begin. But I still wanted to visit the Mansion House.
Standing in the square, I saw some movement inside the Mansion House. “Great, there’s people in there,” I told my cohorts, “I’ll go over to make sure it’s open while you stay here.” In a few minutes, they were very happy they had stayed put.
I wove my way through the masses, darted across the street (it’s not very wide, so “darted” might be an overstatement) and soon I was standing at the front door of the Mansion House attempting to open it in vain. Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, someone asked Mary what I was doing. After her reply, she was told, “He can’t go in inside, Princess Anne is in there!”
Oblivious to my predicament, I was approached by a York Police officer, who looked and sounded like he was in command. He inquired, “What are you doing? You can’t go in there it’s closed.” He was friendly enough, but he had that look in his eyes that said if I did something stupid I would soon be face-planted in St. Helen’s square. I was hoping beheading was not still legal in York.
I told him my story, and I think at this point he realized I was not a senior citizen terrorist. (The bruises and bandaids on my arm from getting out of a taxi in a hurry in London may have given me away.) “Come back tomorrow,” he said sternly but politely, “it will be open then.”
As I walked back to Kim and Mary, I saw people giving me quite a perplexing look. I had not seen local European citizens stare at me this way since I accidentally drove on the pedestrian town square in Trevi, Italy. “What’s going on I asked?” I was then told the “visitors” I had seen in the Mansion House were actually Princess Anne and her entourage. Oops.
This episode was not our first run-in with the princess. While visiting Edinburgh in 2017, we were shut out of a visit to Holyrood Palace as she was in residence. Then we saw her later at an event at Princes Garden. When Tracy got a little too close while taking a photo, Anne’s security guard gave Tracy what can only be called “The Look.”
On this occasion, Princess Anne was in York to review the troops during the Freedom Of York Parade. That duty would have normally been taken care of by the Duke of York, but as we would find out, Prince Andrew is persona non grata in York these days and has been stripped of his Freedom of the City title. The people were genuinely very receptive and appreciative to Anne. Kim and Tracy got some nice photos of Anne walking with the Lord Mayor of York.
I think she’s saying here to a military person, “Did you see that idiot trying to get into the Mansion House? What an idiot!”
After taking photos of her reviewing the troops …
… Tracy and I ducked into St. Michael-Le-Belfrey church in case the locals came after me with pitchforks. This is the church where Guy Fawkes was baptized in April of 1570.
It was constructed between 1525 and 1536, and has a beautiful gilded reredos completed in 1712.
The stained glass window on the right has a panel showing St. Michael in action (panel on the left). I always have to have a St. Michael sighting on trips, because, after all, he did save my life in 2010.
We walked back through town …
… and eventually came upon St.-Martin-Le-Grand, a church that would not be open while we visited.
In 1942, the church was leveled during a bombing raid and was restored in 1961. The clock replaced the original one built in 1668.
We passed by The House of Trembling Madness and decided to take a long walk to the National Railroad Museum, since it was located in the vicinity of where we would pick up our rental car. The museum happens to be the largest railway museum in the world.
The museum is free, and if you like trains this is a place to get on track.
Of course, there are more than trains here to peruse like these signs taking you to other destinations.
Not knowing the cost of a ticket, I asked the gang, “What would be the Scarborough fare?” Not surprisingly, I was met with the sound of silence.
None of us are big train aficionados, but this museum held our interest.
The saloons (salons) of queens were on display. This one was Queen Mary’s, wife of King George V.
The Queen Elizabeth saloon, one of nine royal carriages at the museum, operated between the 1940s and 1970s had armor plating to provide protection from bombs. On an overnight excursion, the train was put inside a tunnel as an additional precaution.
My favorite train on display was Gladstone.
It was built in 1882 for Queen Victoria, and many believe this is the “jewel of the entire collection.”
Coincidentally, so was Topaz.
The Duchess of Hamilton is a preserved 1938 steam locomotive.
I wondered when you climb aboard the Mallard, do you have to duck?
Finding the Europcar rental location was so difficult, even the information desk at the nearby train station had no idea where it was located. Finally, we found it in a warehouse with a very, very small sign. It took us an additional ten minutes to find the door, but that wouldn’t be the only part of the wait. The rental guy needed to see all the potential drivers driver’s licenses not once, not twice, but three times. Luckily, that was a charm, and after nearly an hour, our chauffeur Kim took the wheel and drove us to St. Raphael.
The skies had cleared and it was now a gorgeous afternoon, so while Kim and Mary rested, Tracy and I decided to replicate our wall walk to see how everything looks on a sunny afternoon.
It was well worth the effort. The day was warm, and the York Minster glowed in the sunlight.
Seeing the Fat Badger reminded me we hadn’t eaten lunch. I asked Tracy if shew wanted to eat here, and she replied, “We don’t need no stinkin’ Badgers.” Her having to see Blazing Saddle 100 times paid off.
The Great Gatsby crowd was outside enjoying afternoon tea (and other libations) at Gray’s Court.
Part of the Minster was under scaffolding, but it still looked grand. We’d see the interior tomorrow.
We walked by a memorial to those who perished in the Anglo-Boer War.
Where was this booth when we were climbing Clifford’s Tower yesterday?
Many of the stores were stocking up on Platinum Jubilee items.
The Queen was featured everywhere.
We liked this sign to enter Harkers, but we had a sister restaurant to visit
We texted Kim and Mary to meet us at the Trembling House of Madness’s other York location.
This one is a little more upscale, with a nice dining area, too.
Ah, gin and tonic after 100 miles of walking tastes good.
We headed down to Fossgate for dinner at a restaurant called Cosy.
There was a line to enter, but we thought it sent out a strange type of vibe and Cosy didn’t seem very cozy to us, so we bailed.
After much discussion, we split up for dinner. Mary and Kim went to Forest, while we made our way back to Lucia and scored the last table on the patio. Another wonderful meal there, described here.
On our way back, we took a couple of photos, and after settling in for the night thanked my lucky stars that my brief encounter with the York police turned out the way it did.
Meanwhile, Kim and Mary had a lovely meal at Forest and then enjoyed a good night’s sleep. Upon awaking, Mary came to the realization she’d left her purse at Forest the previous evening, complete with their passports and credit cards. Hopefully, the purse and all its belongings would still be there?
Tomorrow, after we found out about Mary’s purse, we’d join a tour at England's largest Gothic cathedral, check out a medieval guild hall, have a spot of tea in its courtyard, finally visit the scene of the near crime (sans Anne), take a little river walk and have the best steak I’ve ever eaten in Europe. We’d then have the perfect ending to our stay in York
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...ing-the-walls/
CHAPTER FIVE - Incident In York & Hitting The Walls
Day Five: Five-Star Garden, High Chairs, No Manors, Hitting The Wall, Not On The Money, A Crucial Mistake In Judgement, Running Into An Old Royal Friend, Fawkes’ Church, Getting On Track, Elusive Europcar, Can I See Your License Again, Hitting The Wall (Part Two), Trembling Again, Not A Cosy Place, Return To Italy & Where’s My Purse?
The morning started innocently enough with a tasty breakfast spread at St. Raphael’s Guesthouse.CHAPTER FIVE - Incident In York & Hitting The Walls
Day Five: Five-Star Garden, High Chairs, No Manors, Hitting The Wall, Not On The Money, A Crucial Mistake In Judgement, Running Into An Old Royal Friend, Fawkes’ Church, Getting On Track, Elusive Europcar, Can I See Your License Again, Hitting The Wall (Part Two), Trembling Again, Not A Cosy Place, Return To Italy & Where’s My Purse?
We started with fruit and bread, then …
… Eggs Benedict and some pancakes, and we were on our way.
We took a back alley shortcut and within about five minutes we were at the entrance to the Yorkshire Museum Gardens.
The gardens were established in the 1830s and it’s a quiet respite in what can be a very crowded town. Lots of colorful flowers and plants for Tracy to take photo upon photo.
A nice backdrop here are the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey, which at one time many centuries ago “was one of the most largest and most important abbeys in England.”
The garden and abbey is free to visit.
Whenever oversized chairs are included in our trips, you get can bet photos will be taken … no matter how goofy they are.
We walked by the 13th century ruins of St. Leonard’s Hospital, which at one time was one of the largest hospitals in Northern England.
Our first disappointment of the day was when we learned that King’s Manor, a 15th century building originally constructed for the abbots of St. Mary’s Benedictine monastery, was closed due to Covid. It now comprises the York University archeology department, and we had been told not to miss it as it houses a collection of Henry VIII artifacts (although I could not confirm that online).
Above the doorway is the Coat of Arms for Charles I, the son of James I and VI in Scotland (remember, he’s the same guy). He stayed here a couple of times in the 1630s. Charles also introduced the unicorn (supporter of Scotland) into the Royal Coat of Arms (the lion is the supporter of England).
Onward and upward onto the city walls of York. We entered at the Bootham Bar. Even on a rather overcast day, the views of York Minster in the distance with the greenery surrounding the area was quite spectacular.
There was a lovely outdoor seating area that we learned was part of the Gray’s Court Hotel. From the wall, Tracy chatted up the hotel gardener who was working in the hotel herb garden.
After exiting the wall at Monk’s Bar on our way to the Treasurer’s House, we stopped by the hotel where the concierge gave us a whirlwind tour of the hotel. We guessed it was above our pay grade.
A few minutes later we learned that the Treasurer’s House is closed on Thursday and Friday. Yes, bad planning on my part, but this must be the only attraction closed on those particular days.
We continued on towards the York Minster and made our way to another sight on my list, the York Mansion House. So far the day had been relaxing, and to to tell the truth, a little boring. That would soon change.
As we approached St. Helen’s Square where the York Mansion House is located, a crowd was gathering. Soon both sides of the street were awash in people waiting for some type of parade to begin. But I still wanted to visit the Mansion House.
Standing in the square, I saw some movement inside the Mansion House. “Great, there’s people in there,” I told my cohorts, “I’ll go over to make sure it’s open while you stay here.” In a few minutes, they were very happy they had stayed put.
I wove my way through the masses, darted across the street (it’s not very wide, so “darted” might be an overstatement) and soon I was standing at the front door of the Mansion House attempting to open it in vain. Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, someone asked Mary what I was doing. After her reply, she was told, “He can’t go in inside, Princess Anne is in there!”
Oblivious to my predicament, I was approached by a York Police officer, who looked and sounded like he was in command. He inquired, “What are you doing? You can’t go in there it’s closed.” He was friendly enough, but he had that look in his eyes that said if I did something stupid I would soon be face-planted in St. Helen’s square. I was hoping beheading was not still legal in York.
I told him my story, and I think at this point he realized I was not a senior citizen terrorist. (The bruises and bandaids on my arm from getting out of a taxi in a hurry in London may have given me away.) “Come back tomorrow,” he said sternly but politely, “it will be open then.”
As I walked back to Kim and Mary, I saw people giving me quite a perplexing look. I had not seen local European citizens stare at me this way since I accidentally drove on the pedestrian town square in Trevi, Italy. “What’s going on I asked?” I was then told the “visitors” I had seen in the Mansion House were actually Princess Anne and her entourage. Oops.
This episode was not our first run-in with the princess. While visiting Edinburgh in 2017, we were shut out of a visit to Holyrood Palace as she was in residence. Then we saw her later at an event at Princes Garden. When Tracy got a little too close while taking a photo, Anne’s security guard gave Tracy what can only be called “The Look.”
On this occasion, Princess Anne was in York to review the troops during the Freedom Of York Parade. That duty would have normally been taken care of by the Duke of York, but as we would find out, Prince Andrew is persona non grata in York these days and has been stripped of his Freedom of the City title. The people were genuinely very receptive and appreciative to Anne. Kim and Tracy got some nice photos of Anne walking with the Lord Mayor of York.
I think she’s saying here to a military person, “Did you see that idiot trying to get into the Mansion House? What an idiot!”
After taking photos of her reviewing the troops …
… Tracy and I ducked into St. Michael-Le-Belfrey church in case the locals came after me with pitchforks. This is the church where Guy Fawkes was baptized in April of 1570.
It was constructed between 1525 and 1536, and has a beautiful gilded reredos completed in 1712.
The stained glass window on the right has a panel showing St. Michael in action (panel on the left). I always have to have a St. Michael sighting on trips, because, after all, he did save my life in 2010.
We walked back through town …
… and eventually came upon St.-Martin-Le-Grand, a church that would not be open while we visited.
In 1942, the church was leveled during a bombing raid and was restored in 1961. The clock replaced the original one built in 1668.
We passed by The House of Trembling Madness and decided to take a long walk to the National Railroad Museum, since it was located in the vicinity of where we would pick up our rental car. The museum happens to be the largest railway museum in the world.
The museum is free, and if you like trains this is a place to get on track.
Of course, there are more than trains here to peruse like these signs taking you to other destinations.
Not knowing the cost of a ticket, I asked the gang, “What would be the Scarborough fare?” Not surprisingly, I was met with the sound of silence.
None of us are big train aficionados, but this museum held our interest.
The saloons (salons) of queens were on display. This one was Queen Mary’s, wife of King George V.
The Queen Elizabeth saloon, one of nine royal carriages at the museum, operated between the 1940s and 1970s had armor plating to provide protection from bombs. On an overnight excursion, the train was put inside a tunnel as an additional precaution.
My favorite train on display was Gladstone.
It was built in 1882 for Queen Victoria, and many believe this is the “jewel of the entire collection.”
Coincidentally, so was Topaz.
The Duchess of Hamilton is a preserved 1938 steam locomotive.
I wondered when you climb aboard the Mallard, do you have to duck?
Finding the Europcar rental location was so difficult, even the information desk at the nearby train station had no idea where it was located. Finally, we found it in a warehouse with a very, very small sign. It took us an additional ten minutes to find the door, but that wouldn’t be the only part of the wait. The rental guy needed to see all the potential drivers driver’s licenses not once, not twice, but three times. Luckily, that was a charm, and after nearly an hour, our chauffeur Kim took the wheel and drove us to St. Raphael.
The skies had cleared and it was now a gorgeous afternoon, so while Kim and Mary rested, Tracy and I decided to replicate our wall walk to see how everything looks on a sunny afternoon.
It was well worth the effort. The day was warm, and the York Minster glowed in the sunlight.
Seeing the Fat Badger reminded me we hadn’t eaten lunch. I asked Tracy if shew wanted to eat here, and she replied, “We don’t need no stinkin’ Badgers.” Her having to see Blazing Saddle 100 times paid off.
The Great Gatsby crowd was outside enjoying afternoon tea (and other libations) at Gray’s Court.
Part of the Minster was under scaffolding, but it still looked grand. We’d see the interior tomorrow.
We walked by a memorial to those who perished in the Anglo-Boer War.
Where was this booth when we were climbing Clifford’s Tower yesterday?
Many of the stores were stocking up on Platinum Jubilee items.
The Queen was featured everywhere.
We liked this sign to enter Harkers, but we had a sister restaurant to visit
We texted Kim and Mary to meet us at the Trembling House of Madness’s other York location.
This one is a little more upscale, with a nice dining area, too.
Ah, gin and tonic after 100 miles of walking tastes good.
We headed down to Fossgate for dinner at a restaurant called Cosy.
There was a line to enter, but we thought it sent out a strange type of vibe and Cosy didn’t seem very cozy to us, so we bailed.
After much discussion, we split up for dinner. Mary and Kim went to Forest, while we made our way back to Lucia and scored the last table on the patio. Another wonderful meal there, described here.
On our way back, we took a couple of photos, and after settling in for the night thanked my lucky stars that my brief encounter with the York police turned out the way it did.
Meanwhile, Kim and Mary had a lovely meal at Forest and then enjoyed a good night’s sleep. Upon awaking, Mary came to the realization she’d left her purse at Forest the previous evening, complete with their passports and credit cards. Hopefully, the purse and all its belongings would still be there?
Tomorrow, after we found out about Mary’s purse, we’d join a tour at England's largest Gothic cathedral, check out a medieval guild hall, have a spot of tea in its courtyard, finally visit the scene of the near crime (sans Anne), take a little river walk and have the best steak I’ve ever eaten in Europe. We’d then have the perfect ending to our stay in York
Next - CHAPTER SIX - Final Day In York: Minster, Merchant & Mansion
Day Six - Phew!, I Forgot My Tux, Hitting the “Pavement,” Medieval Merchants, I Hope She’s Not Here, Not Even Close To Sunset Dinner and Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Day Six - Phew!, I Forgot My Tux, Hitting the “Pavement,” Medieval Merchants, I Hope She’s Not Here, Not Even Close To Sunset Dinner and Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Jul 8th, 2022, 06:32 AM
#56
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Oh, poor Mary. While I haven’t lost a purse I left items all over Rome a few years ago and amazingly got them all back. I went to Role but apparently left me little brain at home!! It’s awful when you know something was left and you have to wait to find out if it’s still there.
so happy you weren’t arrested…one does not tangle with Princess Anne. I suspect she is all business (brother Andrew woulda done well to learn from her but insists on being the most embarrassing Royal family member).
so happy you weren’t arrested…one does not tangle with Princess Anne. I suspect she is all business (brother Andrew woulda done well to learn from her but insists on being the most embarrassing Royal family member).
Jul 8th, 2022, 11:22 AM
#58
Princess Ann is a tough old boot. You may remember some people tried to kidnap her many years ago and she ended up in our local hospital being checked over. Straight forward sensible lass.
She also used to visit my next door neighbour as they had a mutual love of horses, but no longer.
She also used to visit my next door neighbour as they had a mutual love of horses, but no longer.
Jul 8th, 2022, 11:54 AM
#59
Original Poster
bilbo - The people of York we talked to were unanimous in their liking of Anne ... and their utter disdain of old Andy. Next time we're in England, I'm going to see if she'll have dinner with us. I mean, she is like an old friend now.
As far as "railroad" is concerned, you and me need to compile a "British/American" dictionary. A sure best seller!
As far as "railroad" is concerned, you and me need to compile a "British/American" dictionary. A sure best seller!
Jul 8th, 2022, 12:03 PM
#60
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Enjoying your report and photos! Especially love the Princess Anne stories!
What is your itinerary? Places you stayed and how many nights? We are thinking of Scotland and Ireland for possibly 2023. Want to visit England again at a future date. Both my husband and I were in England in the 1970's. He stopped over in London for a short visit on his way to Russia for a business trip. I only visited London for a couple days. So we need to see more of England, too. We've never been to Scotland and Ireland.
What is your itinerary? Places you stayed and how many nights? We are thinking of Scotland and Ireland for possibly 2023. Want to visit England again at a future date. Both my husband and I were in England in the 1970's. He stopped over in London for a short visit on his way to Russia for a business trip. I only visited London for a couple days. So we need to see more of England, too. We've never been to Scotland and Ireland.
