York, England

We visited both Alnwick Castle and York on the tenth day of our trip, but I had to give the castle it's own post because, well, it was just so grand. And I would have written a seriously long post last time if I hadn't! By now, Zach was taking all kinds of medication to help him recover, and he stayed at the hotel as I trekked the old streets of York alone. 

Before our Globus tour guide, Anne Marie, let us loose to explore on our own, she said that York Minster, the largest gothic cathedral in northern Europe, took 250 years to complete. It is also a cathedral which holds the Archbishop's throne. She then took us to Stonegate, a street filled with shops and bakeries. After pointing out a lot of streets that ended in "gate," Anne Marie explained that "gate" was the Viking word for "street." This section is kept free from all traffic to preserve the medieval architecture. 

I visited many shops and stumbled upon York's Chocolate Story, a specialty museum. Anne Marie mentioned that the Kit Kat, a favorite chocolate bar of mine in the Sates, was first made in York! How cool is that? Let me just say I tried the best Kit Kat I have ever had! They also have a guided tour of the shop. They not only tell you about the history of chocolate from ancient beginnings to present day, but also about how it is made. I bought a Kit Kat for me and a king size one for my sick hubby, along with some other chocolate bars. 

As our time neared its end in York,  I came across the Minster Gate Book Shop. It had at least four levels of books! There were many 1st editions to modern day books. Definitely a book heaven. I found a copy of Pilgrim's Progress from 1914 and purchased it. I wished I had time to look even more through the collections. 

I was sad to leave the cobblestone streets of York but anxious to get back to my husband. Still not feeling all too well, he did enjoy the Kit Kat and some other chocolates I brought him. He was pretty happy with both!