The A -Z of My Favourite Travel Destinations

Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

3841

Abstract

ut a certificate. If there’s a tower, I must climb!</p><figure id="530e"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*mVLwCNNmLF5k9zPf.jpg"><figcaption><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/York#/media/File:York_Micklegate_Bar.jpg">Micklegate Bar</a></figcaption></figure><p id="e12a">Next stop, the Shambles. We ambled up the Shambles where we stopped for a coffee — only £2.25 — that sounded cheap — but when I did the conversion, it was over $6 AUD. Luckily, we weren’t hungry so we didn’t eat.</p><figure id="ddb0"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*IDI8N9NZ0LGjAwjl.JPG"><figcaption><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/York#/media/File:Walmgate_Bar.JPG">Walmgate Bar</a></figcaption></figure><p id="c249">I wandered off on my own as I wanted to buy a notebook — I’ve filled up my first travel journal — and see Fairfax House. I love old houses especially when they are furnished as they were 200 years ago. I was definitely born in the wrong country and the wrong century. I loved this house and imagined myself living here way back then. It had a sad history but that’s what makes places all the more interesting to me.</p><figure id="09f3"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*eK9dEpA-dBl5FWVF.JPG"><figcaption><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/York#/media/File:MonkBar.JPG">Monk Bar</a></figcaption></figure><p id="4a00">Fairfax House was beautifully decorated without being gaudy (Chatsworth House was too decadent for my tastes) And the furniture was aesthetically pleasing to me. ( I love antique furniture.) The table was not only set for dinner but had foods they may have eaten back in the 18th century.</p><figure id="71aa"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*HkgNfaZQC4qZ6zQw.JPG"><figcaption><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/York#/media/File:Bootham_Bar.JPG">Bootham Bar</a></figcaption></figure><p id="0f03">On my early morning walk, I had discovered a 3-course early bird special — £10.95 which we had booked for 6 pm. The restaurant was called 60 Below at the York Minster Hotel just around the corner from our B&B. The food was plentiful and first class so I was congratulated for going on my morning walk and choosing well. It’s not often I do something that pleases everyone.</p><figure id="bafc"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*wcaSP3qkzkpSRwrA.JPG"><figcaption><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/York#/media/File:Fishergate_Bar.JPG">Fishergate Bar</a></figcaption></figure><p id="27ea">After dinner, we joined the Ghost Tour. It was pathetic. This is coming from me who can be scared by her own shadow. Thankfully, it was short so we had an early night ready to drive to Scotland straight after breakfast at 8.30 in the morning.</p><figure id="9320"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*6cCqckMLaGYYUdYi.JPG"><figcaption><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/York#/media/File:Victoria_Bar.JPG">Victoria Bar</a></figcaption></figure><p id="3d27">The only two bars I can remember seeing were Bootham Bar which we had to walk through to get to the Minster and Monk Bar which wasn’t too far away from our B&B. I love churches and castles and cathedrals and as it turns out city walls too!</p><div id="e835" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/castles-churches-and-cathedrals-c0453e819ba4"> <div> <div> <h2>Castles, Churches and Cathedrals</h2> <div><h3>…of Canterbury, Córdoba, Cong, Colmar and Carcassonne to name a few</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resiz

Options

e:fit:320/1*H3J4wPWenWtj_-70-ZpRmw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="f697">Here are some other writers taking on the A-Z challenge of their favourite destinations. <a href="undefined">Dan Carlson | Meandering Naturist</a></p><div id="9d72" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-z-travel-naturist-edition-g-is-for-gavdos-greece-232c14fd0089"> <div> <div> <h2>A-Z TRAVEL — Naturist Edition: G is for Gavdos, Greece</h2> <div><h3>The little Bohemian island that time almost forgot</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*vKxNtdJCXGSOor0ULWHYgw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="0a6f"><a href="undefined">Robert G. Longpré</a></p><div id="fd7a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-a-z-of-my-favourite-travel-destinations-nanning-china-aca53bfe65dd"> <div> <div> <h2>The A-Z of My Favourite Travel Destinations — Nanning, China</h2> <div><h3>February 2007 — In time for the Chinese New Year celebrations.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*ybX2F885yq-Ofz73wNttIg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="5fe9"><a href="undefined">Darren Weir</a></p><div id="3e97" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/jordans-majestic-wadi-rum-5dcfcb28f2bf"> <div> <div> <h2>Jordan’s Majestic Wadi Rum</h2> <div><h3>A to Z of my favorite travel destinations — W is for Wadi Rum</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*UQ7VK0ZPwbU7h_mb-_wHJg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="ca07" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/my-first-ever-x-factor-travel-awards-4fa163cb1df5"> <div> <div> <h2>My First Ever X-Factor Travel Awards</h2> <div><h3>A to Z of my favorite travel destinations — X is for the X-Factor</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*Imz5hJ64nSfZubcOiM1UFQ.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="b062"><a href="undefined">Michael Rhodes</a></p><div id="afe4" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-a-z-of-my-favorite-travel-destinations-joshua-tree-national-park-b0b2e803e1c5"> <div> <div> <h2>The A-Z of My Favorite Travel Destinations — Joshua Tree National Park</h2> <div><h3>Our National Parks are Special to me, and this one is unique and was the site of an unauthorized cremation of Gram…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*BdbNTrnvoVKI6hbG49TIow.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="0a37">Thanks to <a href="undefined">Sam Millichap</a> who started this whole crazy fun travel alphabet challenge.</p></article></body>

Home to the Yorkminster, the Shambles and Fairfax House

I was having a swim the other night while my friend sat on the edge of the pool. We were discussing what place I could write about as my favourite Y destination. A few came to mind. In Australia, Yeppoon, Yallourn, Yass and Young — none of which are memorable or extraordinary. Then I thought of the United States’ national parks of Yellowstone and Yosemite — both wonderful destinations but I’ve been to neither. New York? I did love NYC but could I present it as York, New. Suddenly it dawned on me — I could write about York in England. I had visited York with my sister and niece and had loved it!

I cannot find any photos of York so all photos are taken from Wikimedia Commons.

On our first day in York, I woke up early and went for an hour’s walk. (I was an hour early for breakfast! )This is unusual behaviour for me, but I really enjoyed the fresh morning air and no crowds. I didn’t want to walk too far and managed to find my way back to our B&B on a pathway through the hospital and church grounds then through a park. The path ended on the corner of our street — phew! I didn’t want to be late for breakfast — full English if you please.

Our first time in a city, we go HOHOing ( hop on hop off bus) to get the general lay of the city. As usual, we did a complete circuit learning snippets of York’s grisly history. Out of all this violence rose Yorkminster which was our first stop. Of course, I had to climb the 275 steps to the top of the tower and enjoyed the 360-degree views. There’s nothing I love more than looking down from above. I’m going to love Heaven! 😆

The Minster itself defies description. One of my travelling companions remarked sotto voce “If men could build this with rudimentary tools 500 years ago, how come our husbands can’t even make us a decent cup of tea?”

I had to stifle my laughter as there was a church service in progress.

We headed down to the crypt expecting to see graves of famous ( or infamous) people but instead we took a trip through time assisted by audio on earphones. It was fascinating! The tower had to be reinforced with concrete and steel to prevent its collapse. Underneath the Minster were the remains of a Roman fort — The Minster had been built on the site of a Roman settlement — I’m not sure if it was a fort or not.

After emerging from the crypt, I headed to the chapter house to collect my certificate for climbing the tower. I would have done it even without a certificate. If there’s a tower, I must climb!

Next stop, the Shambles. We ambled up the Shambles where we stopped for a coffee — only £2.25 — that sounded cheap — but when I did the conversion, it was over $6 AUD. Luckily, we weren’t hungry so we didn’t eat.

I wandered off on my own as I wanted to buy a notebook — I’ve filled up my first travel journal — and see Fairfax House. I love old houses especially when they are furnished as they were 200 years ago. I was definitely born in the wrong country and the wrong century. I loved this house and imagined myself living here way back then. It had a sad history but that’s what makes places all the more interesting to me.

Fairfax House was beautifully decorated without being gaudy (Chatsworth House was too decadent for my tastes) And the furniture was aesthetically pleasing to me. ( I love antique furniture.) The table was not only set for dinner but had foods they may have eaten back in the 18th century.

On my early morning walk, I had discovered a 3-course early bird special — £10.95 which we had booked for 6 pm. The restaurant was called 60 Below at the York Minster Hotel just around the corner from our B&B. The food was plentiful and first class so I was congratulated for going on my morning walk and choosing well. It’s not often I do something that pleases everyone.

After dinner, we joined the Ghost Tour. It was pathetic. This is coming from me who can be scared by her own shadow. Thankfully, it was short so we had an early night ready to drive to Scotland straight after breakfast at 8.30 in the morning.

The only two bars I can remember seeing were Bootham Bar which we had to walk through to get to the Minster and Monk Bar which wasn’t too far away from our B&B. I love churches and castles and cathedrals and as it turns out city walls too!