York, Day 2 (finally!)

On Day 2 we moved out of the Roman York and into the Viking York and also back to the Medieval York. Here's another picture of the Shambles - it gives a better impression of how close the buildings lean in together over the street:

Then we went to York Castle. Now tell me it's not a lovely (if somewhat creepy, just sitting up there all alone and menacing) structure.

And some pictures from the inside:

(These stairs were treacherous, so after making the descent from the wall there was much speculation on how many armoured soldiers have fallen down them or collided on them - and subsequently fallen down, in the past. I imagine a scene quite like the one in Robin Hood: Men in Tights in which the knights topple like dominoes.)

(This is the Castle Museum, photographed from the castle walls)

(And I really don't know what this building is, but it's pretty, don't you think?)

After the castle, we went to the Castle Museum, which is a more interactive approach to living in England through the ages, with replica living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and, yes, full streets (!) from different eras. Then there was the Jorvik (the Viking name for York) Museum, which recreates the settlement as it was in Viking times based on archaeological finds. In fact, the museum itself is built over an archaeological site (this seems to be a common thread here). Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of it, but take my word for it - it was really fun (think Star Trek The Experience meets the Vikings and a group of enthusiastic archaeologists who want to have fun with sets).

After that it was off to lunch for a Sunday Roast, then to one of the many haunted houses (this one actually had a tour, as opposed to just a sign out front saying, "York's most haunted"). The house itself was home to a glass painter, so I really only took pictures of some of the stunning stained glass work:

Right across the street from the haunted house, and oh-so-conveniently placed, is Little Betty's Cafe. It's a second location of the famous (and delicious) Betty's Tearoom, but in addition to having a storefront bakery, there's a full-service, full-menu tearoom upstairs. So we went for tea, and it was just about everything a tearoom should be. Quaint, quiet and classy.

(Check out the tower of treats, served in the traditional English way! The top one is a Fat Rascal - it's a local food kind of like a citrus scone. The middle one is mine - sultana, or raisin, scone with cream and jam, and the bottom is a chicken salad tea sandwich. I also had the most delicious cup of hot chocolate ever - it was made with hot milk and real chocolate shavings, frothing, fresh whipped cream and topped with chocolate shavings that were so hot they were melting into a chocolatey goo all over the whipped cream!)