walk the wall

There aren't many places that I know of where you can take a walk along and within an hour, you get to view a great historic city from every angle, York is the first one that I encountered.

The city wall runs along the old town. Walking on it, you could feel its stronghold presence in its days as a core military, political and economical base which hosted and served "unwelcomed guests", including Nordics, Anglos, Normans and Romans.

Modern urban developments blend in nicely with the ancient city, injecting a new life into the old. People of all ages, all races and from all over the world live under the harmony of this blessed city.

Everybody holds a piece of the history, every walk has different footprints, every building records some kind story. No matter where you are in the city, whether in a pub, at a junction, inside a shop or simply walking down the street, you'll see and hear the history is repeating itself yet moving forward at an elegant pace.

If you've never been to York, make sure you pay a visit; if you have been, make sure you go back again.

There are simply too many history and rich stories waiting to be heard, remembered and taken away to every corner of the world ...

York Minster Exterior

York Minster exterior on a sunday morning, mingling with tourists, prayers, students and locals.

The ancient history it's sitting on does not in any way weighing it down, instead, it injects a strange amount of energy into this magnificent masterpiece of architecture and art, opening its doors welcoming people from all corners of the world.

It's not common that in a holy place like this, photography would be ever allowed, but it does, even flash is allowed! I've travelled many places and visited a numerous minsters and cathedrals, none, before York Minster, allows any kind of photography, unless they commissioned you to do so.

Not that it stopped me in any way to snap a few, but the fact that you could take time to adjust exposure, compose your framing and try alternative approaches is a luxury in every way! Ask any travel photographer or even a tourist with a camera, they could tell you that.

Having said that, if any photo comes out a bit shakie or incorrectly exposed, there would be no attendant to blame to BUT yourself!

Guess there is a downside to every upside :)

Eboracum - Jorvik - York

York, an old town with significant value in the history of England, greeted me on the 30th of March, the very same evening when I was brought into this world 8,000 miles away, exactly 26 years ago.

It is my first time to celebrate birthday traveling. I couldn't think of anything better than to do what I love doing on such a special occasion ... well I could, but for now, this is as good as it gets!

Since the weather wasn't particularly great, I ended up spending most of the day indoor, and where could be a better place to be than the none-other-than York Minster?

This is my favourite shot of the interior from the bunch, slightly different approach in the post processing, oh, not to mention it was my first go at Adobe Lightroom.

I must say, I really like the program!