Day 5 (May 5th, 2001)
Today I am going to Castle Howard, a private estate about 40minutes bus ride from York. There is again beautiful scenery along the highway. There is a Chinese couple on the bus as well and I can over hear them guessing where I am from and whether I can speak Mandarin or not. From their accent, I know they are from Taiwan. Well, they concluded that I am from Mainland China. hmm...I don't look like Taiwanese??..
Castle Howard and its 1,200 acre of estate is impressive from the time I stepped off the bus. Right beside the road is an access roadway that leads to a locked gate and the entrance (the old guard house). The guard house itself looks like a nice 5bedroom house. Behind the locked gate, off to a small distance, is a big pond that extended to the left and disappear behind a peninsula of thick trees. This "Castle" is not a castle made of stones with tower gates, ramparts, and citadel. Rather it is just a large mansion. It was first built in the 18th century. A big fire burnt down half of the building and the present mansion was rebuilt in the 1960's. Pass the guard house (entrance fee was 6pounds for student) is a large paved stone courtyard about half a soccer field big. The souvenir shops are on the right. Walk across the courtyard to the other end and down a path comes to a door on the side of the mansion. This is the entrance to the castle. Walking through the door seems like walking into a different year and a different world. Up a flight stair and around a corner, I came to a corridor along the front of the house. There along the corridor are displays of rooms for different members of the Howard family. At the end of the corridor and around a corner I come up to the display room, or should I say the armory. There are four sets of complete plate armors standing erect on the side of the room. On the wall hang swords, axes, shields and numerous other weapons. They are also found on stands set beside the plate armors. Don't know whether they are sharpened or not...they are off limits to prevent accidents. I am a big RPG gamer. In the games there are always fighters or paladins in shinny plate armors wielding long swords and shields defeating enemies. Seeing the real thing is a dream come true for me, just a bit disappointing that I can't touch it.
Out of this room and down more corridor and flights of stairs. Along the walls hangs portraits of the Howard family and other significant figures to the family. There are also displays of fine china, jewels and sculptures. I have to mention the number of volunteers working in this Castle as guides. They are very knowledgeable and very courteous. Highly professional volunteers. However, all of them are pass their 50s at the least. So I am guess that they are retired person helping the tourism industry.
There are also a lot to see outside the mansion on the property: a Patio beside the pond (feel more like a lake), paths in the forest in the back garden, and a central garden with beautiful flowers and trees. I sat in the central garden for a while and just enjoy this beautiful mansion and looking at peacocks running freely in the garden. Don't need to say too much. Just enjoy the moment.
Late afternoon, I left Castle Howard, back to York and take a train to Edinburgh. When I arrived in Edinburgh at 8pm I couldn't find a empty hostel!! Finally at High St. Backpackers I found a bed. The reception girl said it's always busy on friday and saturday nights because there are a lot of outside people come into the city to party. The room is small and space is tight. A couple beds seem to be occupied by long term tenants. They have curtains set up, walls decorated with various souvenirs, and their own bed sheets... Anyways, I went to the lounge looking for travel information and I found this four day hop-on hop-off bus tour from Edinburgh to Inverness to Kyle to Fort Williams. That up the Scottish east coast line, around the top and down the west coast line. Around Inverness there is the famous Loch Ness monster and a couple famous castles too. A place I have to go. Looks like I will sign up for this tour, but tomorrow will be the city of Edinburgh.