York

As we transitioned between our canal boat ride and our walking trip, we spent about 48 hours in York. Clifford's Tower, pictured above, is all that remains of one of York's castles. It sat right across the street from our apartment. It was non stop entertainment to watch kids and drunk partiers try with varying degrees of success to scramble up that very steep hill. 

This street called the Shambles was in the Harry Potter movies. 

Some of the city walls remain, and you can walk on portions of them. We went up near dusk, which the signs say is when they close. 

We scrambled down just in time...

Before I saw a guy lock this door right behind us. 

The next day we headed to the National Railway Museum. So many trains! This one is from the 1850s. 

Lots of opportunities to see the innards. 

This locomotive was rescued from a scrap yard and then cut open to reveal the inside. 

The Mallard was the fastest steam locomotive, built in 1938. 

Then we spent a couple of hours exploring the York Minster.

We learned that the stained glass windows were removed during World War II so they wouldn't be damaged. 

They are constantly going through restoration. 

The semaphore saints can be moved around to change what they say. Right now they say, "Jesus

is here." 

There are many stories being told in these windows. For example, the top row of bigger windows in this one depicts God's seven days of creating the Earth, and the row ends with two panels of Adam and Eve.

We couldn't resist all these characters.

See the cat and mouse? 

We ended our tour of the cathedral with a climb up the spiral stone staircase to the top. Amazing views all around.