OUR DAY IN YORK

We left Harrogate about 9:30 a.m. for a late morning tour of York Minster.  The Minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York...second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury.  I'm not completely sure how all of that works but, in this case, coming in second is still quite impressive.

Much of the Minster dates to the 13th and 14th centuries, but Christendom has roots here from 180 CE--or so the story goes.  The first recorded church on this site was a wooden structure built in 637 CE for the specific purpose of baptizing Edwin, King of Northumbria.  If Wikipedia is to be believed, the destruction and resulting construction never stopped after that, with each iteration being a bit larger and a little more grand.  I'm convinced that a detailed tour of the Minster would take days and, no doubt, leave your head spinning with names and dates and deaths and births.  It is beautiful and...

towers over all of York.  We were turned loose later in the day, but could always find our bearings by referencing the Minster.

Considering (again) that we are on a tour titled "Quintessential Britain," today has been designated as Fish and Chips and Mushy Peas day.  We have waited a good number of days for the quintessential fish and chips, and now is our time.  I'm really not a fish person, but I do know that if you take a fresh piece of mild white fish, dip it in a goodly amount of well-prepared batter, and gently lower it into a fresh, and bubbling oil, the result will be quite good...and it was.  Ditto the chips.  I had been a bit worried about mushy peas, but they were really good.  I haven't mushed any since I've been home, but I just might give it a try.

This afternoon we're on our own (so to speak) to wander at will, or wander with Peter.  We choose Peter who points out various historical buildings, shopping areas, museums and parks, before we unfold our city map and give it a go by ourselves.  We have a friend who loves anything to do with railroads, so we walk to the Railway Museum (Per Trip Adviser, the Number One attraction in York) to see if we can actually find it, and when we do, purchase a little something for him.  We're successful on all counts!

This is Sunday, so those of us who wish are meeting back at the Minster for Evensong.  I have really looked forward to this experience and it doesn't disappoint.  We didn't realize that the Minster Choir was on a summer break, and so this evening, our choir will have come all the way from Kentucky.  I would have loved to hear the Minster choir, but the Kentuckians were wonderful!  The Dean of York Minster is a woman--Vivienne Faull, and she delivered the sermon.  Between her accent, the acoustics and the sound system, I didn't understand it all, but I know she got a word or two on women and equality worked into it.  Good for the Dean!

This will be our final night at The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate.  She does resemble an aging grand dame on the outside, but her interior has held up remarkably well.  Her large public rooms are elegant, and her dining room adds just a touch of formality to our meals.  Unfortunately, plumbing appears to have been an "add on" and pipes (maybe a little like my wrinkles) run helter-skelter over her well-maintained but fading face.

This evening, a young Indian couple are celebrating their wedding at The Majestic and it is a perfect setting.  Beautifully dressed women and handsome young men fill the main floor rooms and wide hallways.  Tons of kids--all dressed in their best--are skittering up and down the wide curving staircase, laughing all the way.  We can hear the music and quietly smile at the pure joy seeping through this grand lady and our evening.  A perfect day's end.