The sun rises early in London this time of year and for some reason I was wide awake about 5.30, even though we didn't need to set off till 10. At least I was well organized by then.
We had our first experience with British national rail, which was very fast efficient and perfectly on time. Only criticism would be that the overhead racks are not big enough to fit most bags so they all end up in a pile near the door. And some of the other passengers make a heck of a lot of noise.
Whatever, the train rolled into the splendid York railway station a bit after one. York station, when it opened in 1877, was the largest in the world and it is a beautiful structure still today.
Our hotel is an easy and pleasant 10 minutes walk from the station. We are right across the road from a fine. medieval chuch, St Olaves, and a statue of the Nowegian saint gazes across at us through our window.
York is a huge and welcome change from London, there are lots of pedestrian only streets, the street scapes with mediaeval, Tudor, and architecturally sympathetic more recently buildings (William Morris would approve of them I think), are largely intact, and the pace of life is vastly more relaxed.
We went for an orientation exploration walk, through the garden past the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, said hello to the squirrels, declined the chance to view the interior of York Minster at 10 pounds a head, walked along a section of the old city walls, found our way through tiny winding streets filled with houses with crazy bowing beams and angles, then back home for a rest before dinner, and a stroll along the banks of the Ouze with it's long boats and their little chimneys smoking away in the dusk.
It seems to be a lovely city. We are looking forward to exploring further tomorrow.
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