Easter already!. During my first year of university I had a mate who went to York in north England on a gap year. I can't remember exactly what she was doing there (teaching I think) but I do remember the many emails saying how nice the place is. I've kept that in the back of my mind ever since and now I was heading there myself :) It probably would have been easier to take the train, but bugger that - I'd rather drive! I picked up a Ford Focus, collected Lisa's ass, and we were on our way for the 3-hour drive south into incredibly black skies - great.

Despite the forecast of nothing but rain all Easter, it pretty much held off. As per my mate's emails from back in the day, York is indeed a really nice little city. The city of York itself is around 2,000 years old, founded under the name of Eboracum in AD71 by the Romans. They stuck around for a while before the bloody Vikings took a fancy to the place and kicked the Romans out in 866, and renamed the city to Jorvik. Around 1000, Jorvik became known as York, and its extensive history continued.

Nowadays, York is home to just under 200,000 and not a Viking in sight. York's many narrow back streets are great to wander through and get lost in. Many of the buildings, like the one in the left shot above, lean right over the footpath and road - pretty unreal!

One of York's coolest features is its city walls that run for miles around the city centre, and you can walk right along the whole lot. Back in the day this was the city's primary defence, and used to be surrounded by a moat which has long since been filled in. The walls have been here in one form or another since Roman times, and were subsequently modified in various ways over the centuries.

What's inside the wall now looks no different to what's outside of it since the city has rapidly expanded since those days.

Hmmm, army truck inside the wall? I guess you just never know when you might be invaded by somebody regardless of your big wall ;)

The northern-most corner of the wall meets up with the bloody huge York Minster - the second-largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe.

A church of one form or another has existed on this site since the 600s, but this big guy didn't really come into being until the 13th century with various bits and pieces modified and tacked on over time.

Christ everywhere you go in Britain there's always a friggin' Scot playing the fucking bagpipes - I just can't get away from them! I'd rather listen to your nails on a blackboard! Apparently it is legal to kill a Scotsman with a crossbow within the bounds of the city walls if you're an Englishman. Whether or not that's true (or even used to be true) I don't know but that's just what I heard.

Wow these guys are a long way from home. Canterbury (and the CCC brand) is my home province in New Zealand - best part of the world.

We were tempted into a fudge shop with offers of free samples, and walked out again with £15 worth of fudge - that's how they get you! The fudge man was clearly buzzing on copious quantities of sugar, and doesn't appear to have slept in at least a couple of weeks.

Hahaha! I like Willy (and no comments from the Australians about Ewan thanks).

Black Jesus hahaha!