A Place called York

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It is quarter to eight in the evening and the sun is just about beginning to set. It has been largely overcast through the day. The room at the York Mariott is nicely opulent without being overbearing. There is a great view of the lush greens of the race course…lusher from the fresh spate of rains that have been hitting the area since the past two days. England can be wonderfully picturesque - only if it didn’t rain that incessantly.
 
The room is dimly lit and I am enjoying the view as well as the latest at Athens (the controversies included!).Munching in fresh green salad and smoked salmon. Just finished chatting for the nth time (at the suggestion of an old boss who is now a dear friend) with my husband who has spent his 29th birthday in a strange land all alone (he is back ‘home’ in London). We have a phone connection…we are grateful to British Telecom for wiring us up finally! We also have the ‘alien-to-all-Indians’ concepts such as heating and vacuuming all figured out. We have been to the Supermarkets (Sainsbury’s) and the (would-you-believe-it) Hypermarkets (Asda). Also figured that there will be no driver (unless you count the guy who runs the tube as one), no maid and yes you do your own laundry (including the endless piles of ironing).
 
Movies are an expensive proposition here (what isn’t in London…), a ticket could cost you £8. Yet Sudeep and I have not missed a single one (The Village, 13 Going on 30, Bourne Supremacy) and I am sure I am going to watch each of my Bollywood ones too.
 
We are continuing our tryst with cuisines of the world. Strongly recommend ‘Kasbah’ - just down the road from the Hampstead tube (Northern Line).Great ambience, good service and yummy food…a wide range of Lebanese fare - goes beyond Hummus and pita bread. The chilli paste they serve with the main course is finger-licking good. Though there are a multitude of Indian restaurants that serve Chicken Tikka Masala (this dish did not originate in India!), one place has been consistently liked by most recent Indian arrivals - Chowki on Denman Street (Piccadilly Circus).
 
But we are having a blast. Its fun being together and discovering a place. Its funny when you run up a bill of £50 on a horrible meal and pay under £2 for a delicious one. It’s a place known for its beer but we are going wild with the wines. We call home as often as we want, we are living in a fancy area and we have a well-furnished apartment. Its tough, sometimes frustrating (racial slurs on the underground are not uncommon) and its not home yet but it will be … soon.
 
Though I am here to fulfil an organizational commitment, York is hardly the place one would associate with work. One of the oldest cities in the UK, York is a curious pot pourri of the ‘modern’ and of ‘long long time ago’. Broad motorways merge into beautiful pebbled paths at turns you wouldn’t expect. Huge double-decker buses and horse drawn carts are here. As is the Marks & Spencer that shares space with the Old Station Building (magnificent and grand).
 
York is fairly well known in the ‘touristy’ circles, largely due to the walled city. There is plenty more to keep you occupied. For the avid golfer, York has enviable 18 -hole greens. Tons to shop. Monks Cross Shopping Park has the typical London high street stores - which are open 7 days a week.
 
For the history buff in you, there Castle Howard, The Abbey (which is a World Heritage Site), Treasurer’s House, Ormesby Hall…it goes on. You could easily plan a weekend in York - but I can guarantee it will not be a quiet one.
 
Hotels are expensive in York (start upwards of £80 a night per person excl of taxes) but there are decent B&Bs around and also a Student’s Hostel.
 
York is two hours train run from London’s King Cross. Trains leave every half hour so the connection is decent. GNER offers great service on board as well.
 
Happy Yorking!

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Comments

[anonymous]

hey punj
that was nice..what about people in york -- sure have some fnny, nice , surly ones -- pics would be real nice 2..keep blogging