Two blogs in one day??? Well, unlike yesterday, we got back from our day trip before midnight. I really really wish that I had made York (and even Chester) a place we went to early on in the trip while we were fresh. But now my ankle gives me about 13,000 steps before it craps out, and all because we have been averaging about 20,000 steps the past week. It's about had it.
So today our one thing we had planned was tickets to York's Chocolate Story tour. As long as we were in York for the tour at 4:00 we were good. So we took our time getting ready. I iced my ankle and wrote yesterday's blog this morning while Jeff ventured out to visit another game/comics store here in Manchester.
We didn't get on a train until noon to get to York, an hour and a half train ride on the Transpennine Express. Better than North rails but the Wales train still holds first in comfort and cleanliness.
Meanwhile, York has been the coolest city by far! Unfortunately we had just enough time to have lunch, for me to go into a Christmas shop, and then it was time for our tour!
I loved this store so much and the fact that I didn't go broke upon exiting speaks of my self discipline
Unfortunately they didn't allow photography or videos on the tour, so no photos of that, but it was about an hour with lots of free samples of chocolate. York Chocolate Story is about Rowntree chocolate company, the family that became one of the most famous chocolatiers in the world, bringing tasty treats to all classes and families. They're the creators of KitKat, Aero (famous here in the UK and quite yummy), Smarties (which is different here in UK) and Rolos! They were taken over by Nestle in 1988, but they're still the fourth largest candy company in the world. And their tour used a mix of a tour guide, live demonstrations, and short little movies as well as little samples of different kinds of chocolate (chocolate nibs, 100% cacao bitter chocolate, a KitKat, their first type of chocolate they sold in the 1800's). The tour was kinda packed, and I think they overbooked it, but all in all I would recommend it!
By the time we were done with the tour it was about 5 and shops were closing up. Jeff was able to hop into a comic shop but by the time we had made our way to a used book store it was closed, as were 90% of the shops. And the cathedral. And the museums. And the library. :( Lesson learned.
So here are the rest of the photos we managed to take. Jeff was the photographer today.
[... I mean, if you *insist*.]
The Shambles, the REAL Diagon Alley! Very cute.
I'm feeling a little down that my bum ankle is keeping us from seeing this beautiful town, but I know this isn't something I can just "push through". The more I try to walk on it today, the longer it will take to recover and the less likely I'll be able to walk tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, we have an easy day planned of checking out the Trafford Mall, but I suppose we could always do another day in York instead. We'll see!
Jeff! Today's lovely photographer, what have you to say?
Between Angie's ankle and my lack of being observant, it was a bit rough. But a good day none the less. One thing that I did miss out on the opportunity to try was Yorkshire Pudding, which is a bread. Not to be confused with a Blood Pudding, which is a sausage. Or a Jelly Pudding, which is Jell-O. Or a Figgy Pudding, which is a cake.
I enjoyed the chocolate tour and got to try Xocoatl (choh-coh-AH-t'sh), the form of chocolate that the Aztecs consumed as part of their daily life and rituals. It was bitter liquid, but when there's nothing else in your world that contains caffeine, I can see why Motecuhzoma / Moctezuma / Montezuma drank 50 cups a day.
Thankfully, there were no transit hiccups today and I was able to get us onto the right train even when they changed the platform five minutes before the train was scheduled to arrive.
Tomorrow is our last full day in the UK. I'm sure I'll have some thoughtful observations then.
Comments
Post a Comment