Around York

(2nd day)

In the hotel room, there was not much to do except watching TV (cartoons channel all the time, sigh). We ate some fruits and at the same time, I be the fruit-feeder to the boys whose eyes were so glued on the TV screen.

Looking at the beautiful blue sky outside the window, KS and I started to feel restless very soon. We couldn't stand to waste the time just like this. So we decided to drive to the York's outskirts for sight seeing though the time was slightly after 4 pm by then. Well, we were not too worried about going out that time, knowing the sky won't turn dark till 9.30 pm.

From the booklet we got, we noticed a lavender farm that is 14 miles from York town. Also, there is Castle Howard 3 miles from the farm. Sounds great! We didn't need to think much for this distance. Furthermore, the boys were thrilled about going to castles. They really think they will see the king and queen and prince and princess and most importantly, ARMOURER there!

The way to our destination is very straight forward, not many tricky turns to gamble our luck.

About 30 min driving or so, we bumped into an unknown small town that is very near to the lavender farm. Strange, I saw nobody around the neighbourhood. It's just so quiet out there. I wonder if they had gone to sleep at that time, 5 pm?

I like the way they deliberately let the grass to grow up to the wall. Cool !

Even the most simple design, like the 1st house we learnt to draw in kindergarten age looks so elegantly beautiful.

This house is more resemble to the modern design. I like the bricks and stones that used to build the wall. If I have the chance to build my own house, that's the kind of wall I want it to be. I made it very clear to KS since that moment on wards (hehe...)



I think this remote town is a very pleasant place to live in, if one is not scared of boredom. From here, we made our turn and drove to the place where we suppose to go.

5 min later, we reached the lavender farm. It's called Yorkshire Lavender, the North of England’s Award Winning Lavender Farm, Gardens, Herb Nursery.

As with many things in life, it wasn't what the founder and his family had planned for. It was prompted by the death of his wife Lynne, fourteen years ago from cancer. Since then, Yorkshire Lavender became a family project for him and their children. I think there must be a very touching love story behind all this.

Admission is free, car park as well, yippe...

That's the 1st time I have ever been to a lavender farm. This farm is nearly 60 acres set in the Howardian Hills Area. I was so happy to see the flowers scatter all around the hill. Seeing this purple patch, I can still smell its distinct and heady scents, so refreshing.

Lots of bees are bustling around the lavenders. So much that I could simply catch one with my bare hands.

Lavenders are not the only plant here, there are also many other flowers and herbs too. All of them mix and match to present a beautiful scene to the visitors.

Out of all the plants in the farm, Vincent was particularly interested in the one that grow taller than him (in front of him). He thought it is wheat. I didn't know what exactly is that, maybe some kind of grass?

He said he picked this from the ground there, asked me if he could take it home to make bread?

William has been sleeping in the car long before we reached the lavender farm. It's kind of hard to wake up a very sleepy child. KS got to carry him like this even after we got off the car. Isn't this picture a weird combination?

Ok, finally he was half awaken. As usual, the only person he wants is his mommy when he first open his eyes. So, it's my turn to carry him now.

A guy told me in excitement that there is a deer park a little bit down the hill there. So, we went to check it out. Ok, nothing too special about it! We said hi-and-bye very fast.

Standing at the top of the hill, the panoramic views over the Vale of York and beyond is spectacular. This is the landscape we have been driving through off the highway. Now, we have a better look at the land from a hill top.

It was until someone approached us and told us the farm would be closed around 5.30 pm then we quickly walked back to the entrance.

Near the entrance, there is a Tea Room / Restaurant that serve morning coffees, lunches and afternoon cream tea. It is an award winning EJ's Licensed Tea Room / Restaurant. I have no idea what this award is all about, but I guess this is a kind of quality assurance. I would love to taste its famous lavender scones with jam and cream, and home made lavender ice cream too. But too bad, it's just time to go.

To make our way out, we must pass the gift shop. At a quick glance, I can see they sell many 'Yorkshire Lavender' related products, range as well as practical gifts, books and mememtoes and specialist foods from the sister companies, The Lavender Food Company and Howardian Herbs.

As we have promised the boys when we left the hotel earlier, we would go to Castle Howard. This castle was not in our plan, but I myself was thrilled about going to the place as much as the boys too.

A large greenery field is there to welcome us. As soon as the boys got off the car, they ran so fast towards it. Such a nature call to them.

They joined some other kids who were playing round-and-round this tree.

This isn't an ordinary tree. In fact, the tree is empty inside. The children were so happy to take turn to squeeze themselves into the big hole there. For Vincent and William, they made-believe-play a rabbit, hiding in the secret place from the chase of the big bad lion.

It wasn't very hard to pull them away from that tree. Just tell them we would enter the castle will do.





Every castle in England seems to have a very interesting history and story behind. It would be a totally different perspective for one to tour the castle with and without knowing basic knowledge about the castle itself.




The construction of Castle Howard took more than 100 years before it could be said to have been finally completed, and spanned the lifetime of three earls and numerous architects and craftsmen.


As the house was built and decorated so the grounds were filled with lakes, temples, monuments and a grand mausoleum. A thriving estate grew up encompassing several villages and acres of farmland.



The story of Castle Howard is really one of incessant change. The house and grounds have grown and altered through successive generations of the family, and it is this essential dynamic, continued through the unbroken occupation of the house, that has made Castle Howard so special today.


The single most significant event since the day it was built has been the calamitous fire of 1940, which destroyed the dome and nearly 20 rooms, as well as numerous treasures. For the next few years much of Castle Howard was open to the skies, its once splendid rooms gutted shells.


It was until George Howard, who inherited the house, after the deaths in action of his two brothers in World War Two, determined that the house should be lived in once more, and made the bold decision to recover Vanbrugh's architectural masterpiece.

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It is largely due to his remarkable efforts that Castle Howard is today still home to the Howard family, and enjoys such popularity with the public welcoming nearly 200,000 visitors each year.

Too bad. The castle has been closed by the time we stood in front of its ticketing counter. Silly we, for not aware of its opening time is from 10 am to 5 pm.

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Anyway, since it was not in our original plan, we felt ok. Just that the boys were very disappointed about it. To cheer them up, we told them we would take them to another castle on the next day and it would be 'super-grand' (in their words : 超勁) than Castle Howard. Only then, they were happy again.

Before we left, William wanted to play in that "inside-empty" tree again. Just a simple request, why not? This time, he asked me to squeeze in the hole, then climbed up till to the upper opening, and then I must show up my head so that he could see me from the hole there. Cry, what's made him think his mommy can do that leh?

He really likes that hole so much. I forgot to ask him why?

Oh yes, a veteran marching band + young scouts were doing their rehearsal at that time too. I'm not sure what is it for?

Finally we drove off at around 6.30 pm.

Sheeps can be seen everywhere. I think they probably is the 2nd largest population after the human race in England.

Good-bye Castle Howard. I hope I will have the chance to come to visit you again some time in the future. Since you are still growing, I wonder how you will look like by then?

The time was around 7 pm something when we returned York town. We got very hungry by then. KS was craving for carbohydrate foods, precisely, he wanted to eat pasta, rice or noodle. Luckily, we remember we bumped into a Chinese restaurant somewhere near our hotel in that morning time. So, we drove quick to the restaurant for 'take-away' foods.

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I ordered fried rice and fried noodle. While waiting for the foods, I started a conversation with the girl who took my order just now. She is about my age. At first, we talked about the places in York town we've been just visited. Then, we proceeded to ask for the origin of each other. We were pretty shocked when we got to know both of us are Malaysian.

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Then I asked her : "Which part of Malaysia are you from?" She said : "Ipoh". "Oh, I'm from Kampar, a small town very near to Ipoh, do you know it?" Her mouth wide opened, in disbelieved : "OMG, sure I know that place, my husband is from Kampar too." It's my turn in the greatest shock. OMG, this is like one in a billion chance. Isn't this so bizarre! Since the, we felt like old friend already, that we talked so fast, hoping to catch up with each other in the shortest time possible. She told me she came to York town about 2 years ago, and life here is pretty boring. And I briefly told her about my life in HK instead.

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Since KS was waiting for me in the car that parked outside, worried if the police would come anytime, I just got to say bye to her after the foods were ready. Before we left, we shoke hands together. I wish her all the best. She, in return, gave me a full packet of shrimp-crackers, said it's little something for the kids. Boy, I really felt overwhelming at that time.

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There is no other words that can best describe all this but : 有缘千里能相会 (meant to be met even though a thousand miles away). I give things a thought, and I feel that some people, happen to be met in a very particular time and a very particular place, can truly add wonderful delicacy to life's experiences.

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When I told KS this, he felt the coincidence was remarkably unbelievable too. We wonder if we knew or seen his husband in Kampar before? Guess he is our age too.

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The fried rice and fried noodle were all very full-packed and ingredients-rich. Must be her special order, I guess. We were so full and content on that night. Thank you very much.

When I checked for the photos after we returned HK, I find that we did take a photo of this very special Chinese restaurant earlier that morning. It is called Jade Garden (翠园), located just opposite the Clifford's Tower.

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For whoever Malaysian who happen to read this, please take note of this Chinese restaurant if you will ever visit York one day in the future.