Of [Old] York and Tea Time

So I finally went to an English tearoom this past weekend when we visited the city of York with the International Office. And now I am wishing that I had chosen to go to university at York instead of Warwick. The town was just so charmingly old-fashioned with cobblestone streets, small mom and pop bakeries, hat shops, and even a barbershop with the old red and white sign. A different feeling from Coventry. Yet, no need to fret over something like that now.

I fell on the stone sidewalks, I still got the bruise on my knees

Back to the tea room; York is full of them. And I must say, for the price of the tea (a pound fifty a pot) and the price of scones and cakes (2 pounds and up, depending if it's a scone or a cake slice), it would not normally be worth the money. Yet, the selection of tea was extremely varied, everything from your usual English Earl-Grey tea, white tea, green tea, fruit teas, and many more. Considering it is meant for one person, you get quite a substantial pot, enough for three good cups.

We got the apple and cinnamon which tasted something like mulled wine except not as sweet and without the lightheaded quality (and residual bitterness) of alcohol. Though I have never been much of a tea aficionado, I did enjoy the experience of being in the room, with it's small, family-like coziness, the old-fashion coat racks, the lace in the windowsill, flower boxes...it was something out of a Victorian novel, where ladies in big skirts and hats are talking of gossip or beaus while nursing their tea. We weren't wearing big skirts, fancy hats, or lace gloves, but the peace and tranquility of the room did have that residual influence. And it was nice.

Being a coffee-addicted American, after an afternoon of walking along the walls of the city of York, visiting York Minster, and seeing ruins such as Clifford's Tower, having a warm cup of apple tea and a scone (or a Yorkshire pudding, in Allison's case) put a very nice, relaxing English touch to the whole day.


The old walls of York, we walked along almost the entire thing, which circled the whole city.


Clifford's Tower, part of what used to be York Castle. This is also where 150 Jewish people killed themselves. It had a wonderful view of the city.


York Minster, the largest Gothic Cathedral in northern Europe apparently. There was a man sitting outside it with a piano who was playing ABBA and the Beatles. It was wonderful background music while admiring the cathedral.