Day Three

I love being on vacation! We slept in until almost 11am. Fabulous! Steve rounded up some food for a wonderful brunch and then Ian and I set of for York. We spent several hours touring the city.

First we visited York Minster. A medieval cathedral built on the ruins of a Norman church which was built on the ruins of a Roman basilica. Underneath the current cathedral floor you can see remains of the roman and norman buildings as well as the current crypt. Fascinating.

We climbed 275 stairs to arrive atop the Minster tower. I'd like to add that I found the English method of organizing tours up these tiny little stairs quite a breath of fresh air! You didn't find people going up at the same time others were going down these narrow steps..unlike some French cathedrals I've known. I do love organization.

Next we walked along the old Norman city walls that extend a couple miles around the interior of York. There were some remains of the moat that also kept intruders away from the castle (since destroyed) and its' citizens. Here's Ian peaking out from the top of one of the watch towers.

One of the most interesting things we saw today was a street known as The Shambles. It's a narrow street of shops where the buildings are literally leaning out into the street. Every building was crooked and sloped...I have no idea how the people live inside.

As we left the city to drive back to Navenby we came across the ruins of St. Mary's Abby...an old Norman abby destroyed during the reformation. It was in the middle of a beautiful park. As you walked along paths you could see random ruins, structures, and even stone coffins along the wayside.

Tomorrow is our last day in the country before we head for the wilds of London. We are going to try to make it to a Sacrament meeting in Lincoln before meeting up with a friend who will be giving us a guided tour of Lincoln Castle. Ian is already snoring away and I'm exhausted from a long day of sight-seeing.