After a tumultuous week of an insane amount of work, we finally got to Thursday and Study Tours. This weekend, SLU paid for groups of us to go to various destinations for 2 days: Edinburgh, York, Bath, and Cardiff. The Econ class, meanwhile, got to go to Cyprus. Lucky bastards. I ended up being assigned to York, which worked out perfectly. It is the most beautiful medieval city, its history very much thriving and alive. York is very proud of its Roman, Viking, and Medieval roots, all of which contribute to its unique architecture and feel.
Sam, Lusia, Madi and I wasted no time getting down to business. Thursday afternoon when we arrived we walked part of the city wall and spent some time figuring out the city in general. We went for dinner at a historic pub named The Golden Fleece. Apparently, it is one of the most haunted buildings in York. But it was cozy and the food was great! And for anyone who is interested, try Copper Dragon when you get a chance! After that, we opted for a ghost walk. Before arriving, none of us knew just how haunted the city was supposed to be. Fortunately or unfortunately, we failed to see any ghosts. However, we did get a nice little tour of the city, along with some entertaining stories. We then returned to our amazing hostel. It was recently voted "#1 Hostel in the UK," and it was not at all hard to see why. It was like staying in a fancy hotel. The rooms were all wood, and there was TV, as well as a communal washer and dryer. Needless to say, we were impressed!
On our first full day in York, we continued to get things accomplished. We began the day at the Richard III Museaum, which is located in the Monksgate Bar. [A "bar" is one of the main gates of the city wall.] The museum was only 3 rooms, but it was set up like a modern-day trial of Richard III, epitomizing the sardonic British humor. We then went to the super touristy Jorvik Viking Centre. York takes its Viking roots very seriously, as evidenced by the ridiculousness of the centre. It even contained an automated ride through a Viking village. The whole thing is very well done, but I definitely enjoyed getting to the serious part of the museum where I could just read about the Vikings in peace. For our last outing of the day, we visiting the impressive Yorkminster. The cathedral itself is stunning, a marvel of Gothic architecture. It is much bigger than it appears, too. The four of us got split up and could not even find each other at one point. We also climbed up the tower, which offered us stunning views of York. That is, before the rain/hail started. Strange as it seems, for all its glory, I found Yorkminster rather imposing and somewhat unfriendly. I greatly prefer some of the other, smaller, more intimate churches I have visited, such as All-Hallows-by-the-Tower.
What are four single girls to do in York on Valentine's Day? Why, have a classy dinner and get drunk, of course! Pasta, bread, cheese, wine, chocolate. We covered all of our bases. The result was us going to a random club, where in true sisterly fashion we took turns buying pitchers of various mixed drinks. Somehow, we ended up at a gay bar where we got our faces painted. Needless to say, it was the ultimate girls night!
Nothing stopped us from seizing the day in the morning, however. I started off by going to the Mickelgate Bar Museum. Like the Richard III Museum, it was located in one of the standing bars along the city wall. This one was much better, however, it terms of the set-up and the historical content. It focused on the War of the Roses, followed by the uses of the bar over the past few hundred years. The whole thing was very interactive: there were games, you could try on armor, and their was even a replica of the head of Richard of York, who lost the War of the Roses and whos head was impaled on the spikes of Mickelgate and decorated with a paper crown.
Just by chance, this weekend began the Viking Festival in York. Ergo, I had to participate in the interactive Viking extravaganza. I saw a skirmish between the Vikings and the Saxons, as well as heard some Norse stories from an aged warror. I think everyone there had a good time. But then, just about every one of them was under 10 years old. Oh well. Needing to relieve myself also got me into the York Castle Museum for free. Although I felt guilty and therefore did not venture very far into the museum itself, I did get to walk along its replica Victorian road, "Kennington Street." The Yorkshire Museum, however, was much better. Telling the history of York, the museum is very interactive as well, geared towards children as well as adults. It was very easy to go through, and the plethora of artifacts from the area definitely add to the idea of those in York being very proud of their myriad history. My favorite experience of the day, however, was visiting Clifford Tower. The tower, the only remains of a Norman castle, is an English heritage site, and is therefore very well preserved. Although the original stonework is all that remains, it was incredible to be a part of history. Standing on the wall of the tower, looking out across the city of York, was a transportive experience: just the idea of those who lived in the castle, defenders of the city, once standing in the same spot and looking out over the city they loved, is incredible. I loved the medieval mystique of York, and have now been even more inspired to explore more of the UK outside of London!
