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Published: August 17th 2012
York Minster
The highlight of York by far.Goddamn passport issues.
Having already wreaked havoc with earlier holidays this year to
Turkey and
Norway, my own passport issues had now reared their head and meant that I couldn't travel overseas on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Weekend.
Four-day weekends are oh so rare in the UK, so when they come around I would usually append a few days leave onto them for a proper trip away.
Without getting into detail, I wasn't completely sure if I would be able to travel overseas for the long weekend until quite late on, so I didn't have anything organised for quite a while.
Just because you can't travel overseas doesn't mean you can't have a decent holiday of course. I've said many times that I haven't done as much travel within the UK as perhaps I probably should have, so now I had the perfect opportunity to improve on this record.
So I decided that while New York City is one of my favourite cities in the world, a trip to the city that lent NYC its name would be a trip worth making. A city with such a rich history, it was something I had always wanted to do.
Due
High Altar
The awesome inner sanctum of York's Minster. to the issues mentioned above, the whole trip was rather hastily organised but I had managed to get Davies to come along with me and had also managed to append a short trip to see my friend Jenni in Leeds. I had always thought that Leeds should be visited, although more because it is one of England's bigger cities than because of the city's attractions.
After a two hour train ride, we arrived in rainy York. It was pissing down and was typically British weather for a weekend of British jubilee celebrations. I mean, I even packed an umbrella for a trip away for the first time ever. Good thing I did too.
Our hostel for our stay in York seemed more like a nice, boutique hotel than a hostel judging by the carpet, the reception and the decor. It certainly had a classic, early 20th-century feel to it.
The building was certainly an old one as well, judging by the crooked, creaky floors and the half-timbered ceilings in our dorm.
The bathroom in our dorm was a bit random though - it was completely built of plastic and was as if a portable bathroom had just been
Merchant Adventurer's Hall
Guildhall of the merchant's association back in the day. plonked in the dorm. It was completely self-contained.
York has a reputation as an attractive, historic place, the kind of place that you imagine in your head when you picture medieval England.
The first place that we walk through is the wonky old cobblestoned street known as "The Shambles", which looks like a street on medieval movie set - or indeed the real thing. A lot of the old town is pedestrianised and is delightful to walk around. Very pretty.
It seems in York that "gate" means street and "bar" means gate. Thus the gate tower that houses the Richard III museum is called Monk Bar.
In this setting, the Richard III museum is rather authentic and interesting.
King of England between 1483 and 1485, and the subject of a Shakespearean play, Richard III was accused of murdering two pre-teen princes who were sons of Edward IV, the previous king. The museum is set up like a court where an audio soundtrack of a mock trial is played on loop with the prosecution and defence both giving their cases. The museum also presents you other facts surrounding the case and encourages you to make your own judgement at
Monk Bar
One of the gates in the city wall and home of the Richard III Museum. the end. For the record, I thought he was not guilty. It was never conclusively proved that the princes were actually murdered and several people had claimed to be the grown-up princes after Richard III's death so I guess we will never know. The museum also documents The War Of The Roses, the history of Monk Bar itself, and other really bizarre, random, historical facts that have nothing to do with medieval England.
From Monk Bar, we gain access to the city walls and proceed to walk around them. It is a pretty cool walk, giving you some great views of the city and interesting insights into what the city used to look like, with pictorial information boards at various junctures of the walk. In terms of city walls however, it's no
Dubrovnik.
Two more attractions in the city are the Treasurer's House and the Merchant Adventurer's Hall, and we decline to go inside either as the entry fees were pretty expensive in relation to what you could possibly see of interest inside them. The Clifford Tower - an old ruined defensive tower that was part of York's old castle - seemed like a bit of a rip-off too.
When
York Minster Interior
The impressive interior of York's Minster in York, you it is only appropriate to eat some Yorkshire Puddings, so we do just that along with a Sunday pork roast as part of a late lunch while taking a break from the sights.
It was then time to explore what is undoubtedly York's highlight - the Minster.
The second most important church in England, it is England's largest medieval cathedral and the probably the best church in England I have seen. The gothic architecture is wicked.
The cavernous interior is possibly even more impressive than the awesome exterior. The high altar is like a church inside a church and is hidden behind a choir screen covered in statues. Going inside the high altar is like getting access into something exclusive and looks like something out of Harry Potter. Underneath the high altar is the crypt containing the old Roman and Norman foundations of the church.
I don't know if was the gothic architecture but the place did seem a little more intimidating compared to the large Catholic churches that I have been into. I think the statues and gargoyles contribute to this rather menacing atmosphere. From the huge-ass stained glass windows, to the intricate carvings and
Choir Screen
These intricate statues adorn the screen that fronts the high altar. the sheer size of the place, it was definitely impressive.
We then went up to the church's tower which is a bit of a rip off. The top of the tower is caged, which I don't quite understand why, and prevents you from taking any meaningful photographs. There are some great views and close-ups of the church's exterior from up there though. The staircase is certainly narrow and people must've been a lot smaller back then - I was a wee bit dizzy after the descent.
After coming out of the Minster, we drop by at the free block party thrown by the local community to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Unfortunately, the rain had rather spoiled the party and it was shifted inside the belfry opposite the Minster. Like a local school fair, there was tea and cake and we could catch up with what was going on back in London with the royal flotilla on the Thames being beamed onto the big screen. It seems it was bucketing down just as much there as it was here.
While some people were still tucking into some afternoon tea after queuing up at Betty's famous tea rooms, other
St Helen's Square
With Betty's in the foreground. people around town were dressed up and getting on the lash.
As I have said several times before, the British have this thing about getting as smashed as possible, as early as possible, whereas the Europeans on the continent still seem to have a good time, while taking their time. There seemed to be a plethora of hen do's in town too.
Something else that I have also mentioned before is how uniform UK cities can look. All the shops, bars, and restaurants are all chains, all the same chains. Just like
Newcastle,
Belfast and Derry - places that I have visited this year - the effect of the dominance enjoyed by all these chains is that it makes places look very generic, which is sad. This might go a little way to explaining why I am always underwhelmed by UK cities - because they all seem the same, serving the same food, and the same drinks as they do in London, with less variety. I'm not wowed by anything in UK cities because I have seen, eaten and drunk it all before.
Back at the hostel we meet some loud but friendly Scottish guys in our dorm - they
Stonegate
One of the main streets in medieval York. were definitely going to have a night out tonight.
We on the other hand were heading out to dinner where all the restaurants seemed to have London prices - perhaps because the place is a bit of a tourist trap.
We end up at a bistro that served up some pretty average fare and played nightclub music to boot, which doesn't really aid digestion. I tried a local Yorkshire Terrier - a beer not a dog - and though it was nice enough, it was perhaps a bit too bitter for my liking.
We moved on afterwards to the oldest pub in York - Ye Olde Starre Inne. Apparently it was once used as a morgue. It seemed nice enough, a pretty standard pub though.
Back on the streets of York it was a busy night and there were stags and hens stumbling around everywhere. As per usual for Northern England, all the guys were dressed in polo shirts (despite the cold) and all the girls were wearing miniskirts (despite the cold). It was all pretty (un)classy. So it's not just Newcastle then. Just to reinforce my point, I don't think I have ever seen a queue to get into
The House Of Trembling Madness, York
One of the best pubs I've been to in England. a Revolutions before tonight.
We weren't really up for a big one tonight and we were pretty knackered from all of the walking we had done that day so we settled for an early one.
It wasn't a great night's sleep as I drifted in and out all night, probably in anticipation of our Scottish friends, who duly arrived back rather loudly, which was always going to happen. Once in the dorm, something was hilariously funny to them as they kept cracking up for what seemed like forever.
My mood the next morning wasn't helped by the fact we didn't have any hot water in our bathroom. After walking all over the hostel, I did finally manage to find a bathroom with hot water.
We finish off the rest of the city walls after checking out of the hostel, before walking back into the city centre and having lunch at an awesome pub with an awesome name - The House Of Trembling Madness. You enter the place through a bottle store selling more varieties of beer, wine and spirits than you can shake a stick at. Upstairs is a cool-half-timbered drinking room where they had Kwak and Belgian trappist
Ruins Of St. Mary's Abbey
In the Museum Gardens of York. beers on tap. My friend Al recommended the place saying that the pie he had here was the best he has had in the UK. I followed his lead and ordered the pie, but I wouldn't go as far as saying it was the best I've had in England. I generally don't like the pies over here - they're just not pies as we (New Zealanders) know it. It was certainly the biggest pie I've had in England however - it was massive. About a good fifteen centimetre diameter I'd say. The pub itself had a pretty cool, relaxed atmosphere and is perhaps the coolest pub I've been to in England.
We chilled out in the well-kept Museum Gardens, literally sleeping off the pie and beer I had for lunch, as well as catching up on the lost sleep from the night before. There are some interesting things in the Museum Gardens including the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, and the Hospitium, which was being used as a wedding venue on the day.
With the old buildings, the cobblestoned streets, the city walls, and the number of ghost tours being advertised, it would be fair to say that
Shambles
Probably the most medieval street in York. York is the most authentically medieval place that I've been to in the UK. Maybe not the liveliest place, but is still pretty cool. They could do with improving the 3G coverage in the city too. First world problems.
I think I like the Yorkshire accent though.
When I travel I think I do it to try and experience how people live in the places I go to - the food they eat, the things they do. I like to see the things that are different and unique in the places I visit - I seek diversity. In most places in the UK, things are done in almost the same way as they are in London. When I don't experience something that is too different from my everyday life, I find it boring - which is probably why I am often underwhelmed by any place I visit in the UK.
After lying in the OYC sun all afternoon, it was time for Davies to head back to London and for me to head to Leeds.
Still tired after a two-hour nap outside, I chugged down a Red Bull and a Guinness in preparation for a night out in Leeds.
York In One Picture?
An old pub, a hen party, and a purple man all in one shot. Jenni would be picking me up from the train station and we were heading straight out to one of Jenni's workmate's birthday drinks. If a night out with Jenni was going to be anything like the night I first met her in
Oslo, then there was a fair chance it would get messy. This was the other reason I took it easy in York the night before...
I had pretty low expectations of Leeds.
The Lonely Planet lists nothing of interest to see and others who I had talked to about the place all said it was a shithole. As Jenni walked me away from the station, there didn't seem to be anything to suggest otherwise.
The first bar we end up at is a place called Mook, hidden away in a cobblestoned alley. It was swanky and I got to meet a lot of Jenni's workmates there, who were all pretty cool. In particular I got talking to Matt, who was a little friendlier than the others.
After a while Matt, Jenni and I headed to a place called Maven. Now this place was cool. A classy cocktail bar with a decent view, the place was themed,
Maven, Leeds
A speakeasy in every sense of the word. Apart from being illegal. and operated like, a
speakeasy. There is zero promotion or advertising done for the bar - its existence and location is completely reliant on word-of-mouth. Walking up a flight of stairs there is no noise or anything to indicate the that there is even a bar up here, but as soon as you push open the double doors with a giant "M" emblazoned across the front of them, you are greeted by polished charcoal bar with an extensive cocktail menu and barmen dressed in 1920s fashion complete with braces, who knew how to do their stuff.
I had a couple of very nice whiskey cocktails that I'm sure Bond would have approved of.
Perhaps the best bar in Leeds, it was definitely its best kept secret.
A bit drunker now we meet up with Jenni's other workmates again at a place called Bad Apples. It is here that my recollection gets a bit hazy - but I remember talking to another of Jenni's workmates who was a nice guy, but seemed a bit dim. I do not remember what his name was, or what he looked like.
We end up at a R&B club called Chilli White, which was
Clarence Dock
Recently regenerated area of Leeds. rammed. All the decor, was unsurprisingly, white. That is about all I remember.
When Chilli White closed, Jenni and I manage to get a taxi back to her place near Hyde Park. The fact that I remembered to bring my bag with me was a minor miracle.
I was pretty hungover the next day though not as much as Jenni who didn't get up until 2pm, a bit worse for wear.
After chilling out and catching up a little I then followed Jenni to the casino where she worked. The casino is in a newly regenerated area next to the Clarence Dock and is also where the Royal Armouries is located, the weapons and artillery museum that is Leeds's number one attraction. It was just closing up when we got there however.
The area around there is pretty flash-looking and brand-spanking new. It reminds me of Auckland's viaduct area. Jenni tells me however, that the apartments built there while nice, are white elephants that no-one is buying.
After bidding Jenni farewell and thanking her for her hospitality, I then follow the river back towards the train station, past the old industrial warehouses where a lot of new restaurants, bars,
Victoria Quarter, Leeds
Leed's city centre is actually rather pleasant. cafes, and office buildings have been built. There is a band playing some decent M.O.R rock on a balcony right on the river - it seems to be a random gig much like the U2 one on an LA rooftop in 1987. Except these guys weren't U2. They are good enough though, for quite a few people to stop by on the nearby bridge to have a listen.
Leeds is known as a bit of a shopping mecca in the north, and this is reflected by the number of shopping malls and arcades, both old and new. The new ones are flash and modern, while the old ones are fantastically decorated.
The pedestrian Victoria Quarter is nice to amble around and provides yet more shops for people to peruse.
The town hall is quite imposing but to be completely honest, there really isn't that much to see here.
So is Leeds a shithole?
I think it depends how you look at it.
As a tourist destination, yes.
But with the largest university in the UK located here, it has a young, energetic vibe and decent nightlife - so in this case, no.
And that pretty much ended
City Walls
Most of the York's walls date back to the 12th and 14th century. my tour of Yorkshire, and two months of manic travelling that has taken in journeys to Turkey, San Francisco, Northern Ireland, Spain, Norway, and Yorkshire. Crazy.
I don't know where my next travel destination is now, or indeed when I will go anywhere. With a promotion at work, the European Football Championships, Wimbledon, and the Olympics coming up, it seems like a good time to hang around in London for a while.
I do have a hit list of destinations for this year though, that I am determined to get through - so watch this space.
Cheers,
Derek
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