Festive musings

This Saturday was meant to be the day where I nailed all of my Christmas shopping. However, this was all done on Tuesday and Thursday. In the first instance school was quite rightfully cancelled. After skidding my way to work and ultimately abandoning my car due to snow and ice I arrived to find out that school was closed. Further bad weather was forcast for Thursday and we found out on Wednesday afternoon that school would be cancelled the next day. I baked, I shopped and I ran - all not in any particular order. The upshot is, I had a free Saturday.

Being recently single, I find that I have a lot more time to fill So towards the end of this week when I was contemplating how to spend my Saturday, I turned to the fantastically titled 'I never knew that about England', a book that I have seldom read since it was given to me as a gift when I left St. Aidans school.

And that's how I decided to go to York. I went there on a residential trip in 1996 when I was still at primary school. To be honest I'm not sure that I've been there since. It really is a lovely place, the shambles, carol singers and brass bands playing seasonal tunes would make it difficult for the most ardent Scrooge not to feel a wee bit festive. Having left the train my first foray was into the Oxfam book shop where I managed to buy a copy of Bagehot's 'The English Constitution'. For any political historian, or political scientist, this book, published in 1872, is THE text for understanding the development of the British political system. I don't know what particular date this one was published, but it has a particularly handsome jacket and is a very easy read - so much so that it is difficult to realise that you are actually reading mid-Victorian prose.

I also bought 'Fast Cakes' by Mary Berry. My flatmate, Christian is an avid baker and I've recently taken up the hobby, making gingerbread and scones so far. Hopefully this book will give me a few more ideas.

So, having been to the bookshop I went for a pint in a pub which I forget the name of but it was recommended in my GBG (which was safely tucked in my bag). I also went to the city gallery (and saw a fantastic painting called 'Return to the Front' - or something like that. It shows soldiers in 1916 at a train station, waiting for a return to the trenches), had fish and chips and enjoyed a directionless meander round the maze-like medieval streets. A return to Manchester made me realise how great this city is, but how it does face a shortfall in terms of character. Surely this is the price that is paid for industrialisation. Prior to the 'revolution' of 1780-1820, York was the principle city of the north. However, given that it had little involvement in the spinning and weaving industry it effectively de-industrialised and retained a relatively stable population. The same can be said for Chester - another nice city, and somewhere ripe for a visit in 2009.