A Summer Interlude

It seems that summer finally arrived this weekend, to coincide with the visit to York of old friends, so I turned into a tourist in my own city. J grew up here, and has been back many times, so didn’t need a guide, but somehow, I seemed to turn into one, spouting bits of trivia as we walked round.

It’s amazing how walking slowly round, and actually taking in the sights, rather than dashing from shop to shop and cursing the tourists really makes you see the city with fresh eyes and appreciate just how beautiful, historic and extraordinary York is.

History is all around you here. You look up at the Minster, and it’s incredible to think it’s stood here for over 500 years. In my mind, no other cathedral comes close. We posed by the statue of Constantine, who was proclaimed Roman Emperor in the city, and walked down Stonegate, which was the main street of the Roman city. We popped down some snickleways, past Barley Hall, which they’d never seen before, and walked down by the river. The sun was shining, boats were going past, and we stopped for a while at a favourite café that serves Belgian pancakes and waffles. I felt like I was on holiday, and it was heaven. There are definitely worse places to live.