I am in York on what is apparently the museum tour to end all museum tours. I really like the city. It’s old. Really old. Like AD71 old. Roman centurion old. And before Constantine showed up, people were living here, so it’s even older than that. So, for thousands of years people have been living on this scrap of land between the Foss and the Ouse. So it’s prime museum turf.

Add onto that the contentious history of monarch and church, and well, there is quite a story to tell.

I started with York Minster, the church of St. Peter. It’s huge. And so much stained glass. Every panel full of meaning and history it all kind of blurs together. And of course I could never tell if I was in the east transept, south whatchamacallit, or the chapter house. Seriously turned around in that place (well, any place actually, but why quibble).

The tower is there for the climbing. 274 steps I think they said. My landlady referred to the climb as inexorable, but I’d be mad if I didn’t make the climb, right?

So up we go. The climb up is broken in two sections. Connecting them is the outdoor walkway across the edge of the roof.

Crazy, right? Totally bizarre. So up another really skinny spiral staircase to the top of the tower.
Insert bad self portrait here:

The bells rang 11:00 and I had the wherewithal to record a bit if it. Tried to capture the chiming of noon from inside the minster, but who knew that was when some cleric would jump on the PA to make announcements? Anyway, climbing down those same spiral stairs was terrifying. Going up was a snap in comparison.

I spent the whole morning in the church, and I am still amazed at all the glass.

Posts to come?
Three museums, lots of walking, how old is that house, and oh-yeah- tomorrow night is the Mystery Plays!