National Railway Museum, York

We left Aprille's at 9:30 with just what we thought we would need for a single night. We'd made a reservation at a hotel in York, the Bootham Guest House, and we thought we'd take about three hours to get there, and three hours to drive back tomorrow.

We drove east through leafy Bakewell and on to Chesterfield: new territory for us. Chesterfield was nothing to write home about, and we managed to make a wrong turn. Soon enough though we were on the M1 northbound, which took us north to Sheffield and then on to Leeds; although we can't really say we saw those cities: just the exit for them. two cities we can't really say we saw. We stopped at a couple rest areas: had lunch on the grass at Wooley Edge, which was another one of these great Moto rest areas with a bookstore and free wifi.

We arrived in York around 1:00, and went to the National Railway Museum. Just before we got there, we could see the medieval walls of the city ahead of us, which was very exciting!

We parked in a large lot that appeared to be a former railyard, and indeed the museum itself seems to be in a former station. The first thing we saw, to Will's delight, was Mallard, the world's fastest steam engine. There was however, a bit more in this museum than we could see. After visiting many engines, and viewing a film about the Shinkansen, we roller-skated through the "Warehouse:" thousands of pieces of railway objects. We experienced railway satiation!

We walked into the old city for the rest of the day. We walked along the tops of the walls, up to the immense York Minster, and through the city's narrow tiny streets. (These streets though are packed with expensive little shops!) York Minster wanted £8 per adult to go in, so we stood just inside the door and admired the space but went no further. We lit a candle for Fletcher, and Wren. (Do all cathedrals charge you to enter now?)

After 4:00 we retrieved our car from the NRM and drove to the Bootham Guest House, on Bootham Crescent. It's about five minutes' walk outside the old city, on a street of row houses. Our instructions, emailed to us, told us to unlock the door with a code, and find an envelope inside on the table. This in turn contianed a parking pass and the key to our room: #8. We ascended the narrow stairs, up and around, floor after floor, to find this was the very top room, on a floor of its own, under the roof. Its window was a big skylight, and to Will and Galen's delight, there were separate beds for each of them.

Then we went out to look for dinner. In the old city we ate at a pub called The Hole In The Wall. Afterwards we walked around the inner town some more. Walks seem very popular here: there were ghost walks advertised, walks about the Roman history, the Viking history, and medieval history, and we saw a few groups following their costumed leaders. We also saw a memorial to the Yorkshire dead in the Boer War (quite a long list), and, across from a statue of Constantine, a column from the basilica of the original Roman headquarters here.

Back at the Guest House (we still have not met our hosts), it was a hot night. We slept with the ceiling fan on, and the skylight wide open. Oddly, we still have not met the proprietors. Presumably they will seek us out, so we can pay them. Perhaps at breakfast tomorrow.