london and york

Some of this is a repeat as I didn't think the other London post had worked. We have now explored London and York. Tomorrow we will be picking up our rental car and heading out to the countryside, landing in Keswick tomorrow night for 6 days of enjoying the Lakes District. 
As usual when being a tourist in a city, we have walked ourselves silly and our feet are not happy with us!!!  However, we have loved every minute of it.  In London, a highlight was going to see The Jersey Boys, a musical about the life of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (younger generation may have to google them) - it was great fun!  Another highlight, totally unexpected, was seeing the Queen and her major entourage (horses, cannons, fancy carriages, brass marching bands, Royal guards, City police, machine-gun toting security and all) as they headed to the Parliament so she could deliver the Speech from the Throne.  Very cool!!  Charles and Camilla were in their fancy carriage, too. Shon got some great photos.
 Shon and I also went to St. Paul's Cathedral, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and Regents Park in between wandering the streets and parks - so much to see and do.  Wayne and Nancy did their own thing much of the time as they had never been to England.  We all met cousin Catherine for a drink after work one day - such a friendly person!  Our accommodation near Kings Cross station was perfect - small studio rooms so we had our own kitchens to make breakfast and keep other food chilled.  It was only a 4 or 5 block walk to the underground (The Tube) that links to everywhere in London.

Kings Cross train station in London

Wayne with cousin Catherine

Yesterday morning, we took the train from London to York - a peaceful, relaxing 90 minute ride through lush green countryside dotted with sheep, cattle and power plants.  York has been a delightful surprise!  We are staying in a working convent, called Bar Convent.  Bar because it is next to Micklegate Bar, or Gate, one of the entrances to the old walled city.  You can walk on the wall from dawn to dusk.  Most of the roads inside the wall are narrow and a couple are full of well-preserved half-timbered buildings from medieval times. This city was started by the Romans and has been continually occupied since then.  In the 1970s, a re-development uncovered excellent items, including houses,, from the time when the Vikings ruled this area and had a city of 10,000 citizens here. We toured a very good museum built to tell their story.  Another famous building here is the Yorkminster Cathedral - stunning building!  This afternoon, Shon and Wayne headed to the National Rail Museum, largest in the world, while Nancy and I went shopping - nice clothes here but no room in the suitcase.

The Shambles, a Medieval street in York

Inside Yorkminster cathedral

Evening cruise on the Ouse River near York