York. The first bit.

 We parked the Fonz car by St Mary's Abbey ruins. We parked there because we can get into a car park now. Rusty van could not be taken into a car park because he did not fit.....so we always had to park on the street.......

 St Mary's Abbey. Once the richest abbey in the North. Established in 1088. We cut through the grounds past the Yorkshire Museum   to the town centre.

 Catholic church of St Winifred. This church was designed in the Goth revival style. A copy of the 13th and 14th century style. The main door carving is the most detailed vitcorian carving in York.

 This church was completed in 1864 at the cost of £10,000.

 The original church was where the Judges lodgings now stand. A church dedicated to St Winifred has been in York since medieval times. And then on we went noting as we walked the traffic into the city centre and loads of school trips with mobile phones. I was stunned by the volume of people. When I planned this visit in my head I forgot how popular York is to tourists. Don't knock it! I am one myself today.
Still do not like people. Being josttled made me remember why.

 Next ....we came to York minster. This is a Cathedral of York and one of the largest in Northern Europe....The minster is the seat of the Arch bishop of York the second most important office in the church of England. There were sooo many people here it became completely impossible to get a picture without some one else in it. I expect I am unwanted in some pictures of other strangers looking at the days photos now.

 This Gothic style of church arrived here in the 12th century. Building began in 1220.

 1472 it was declared complete and consecrated. We would love to have gone inside to see the kings and queens of England screen. It used to be donation entrance fee. Now it is full blown barriers and entrance fee.....£10.00 for adults and £5.00 to go up the towers and across the roof.....I have been up the tower and across the roof. It is totally scary and fantastic all at once.  the minster is very beautifuk and the famous rose window is well worth it's fame. Even so there is no way we were paying....so on past we went.

 The chapter house was begun in 1260.

 The reformation led to much looting of the minster's treasures and the Civil war caused more damage. In 1644 the city was besieged and fell into the hands of Cromwell. tombs windows and alters were destroyed. The minster was saved from further damage by Thomas Fairfax ( known as Black Tom and Born at Denton Hall near Otley. His grandparents are my fave effigies in Otley church)

 Our plan was that we had no plan...just to wander about and see what we found. I had a map with me but I knew we would get lost anyway so we did not bother with it ......

 We crossed in front of the chapter house and found Guy Fawkes house which is now a restaurant( it was last time we were here years ago as well)....
It was here I was born. It is here that they serve the best pie in the city of York. The family of Guy Fawkes are from Otley too.

 We were kind of heading towards the Shambles and all that area of the market and Disney shop
." You come all the way to York to look in a Disney shop? you can do that anywhere..." stated Lee.

 So on we went through the throngs of tourists and mobile phones....

Past all the old fave pubs from the old days when I visited York on the way back from Whitby....

 Like this one The Old Starre.  This was a real fave where I loved to drink wine and buy lunch. Those days are long gone. So we kept on in the direction of the Shambles.
Lots of history here....not just mine. The pub dates from 1644 and the cellars were used to treat the wounded during the civil war......There is a ghost. There is always a ghost! this one is a cat which was bricked into the wall. These were put there to ward off evil spirits....in this case it made one......

 As we walked we notice a lot  of empty shops. Alot of the ones now still open were new to me. I have not walked around York like this for alot of years, so shops and pubs had changed.

 Like this teddy bear tea rooms for example.

 Ah! the Punch bowl another old fave. We did not go inhere either. Though I wanted too so badly.

Oh boy would I have loved to shop for an hour and then get a glass of wine.............