Romans, Vikings, Normans, Saxons, Tourists

Spent a memorable weekend learning about the tumultuous history of York, dating back 2000 years. Roman walls stand next to Starbucks and McDonalds. It looks a bit like a theme park but its all real. For 2000 years this place has changed hands every few centuries. The Romans did the best job ( what have they ever done for us....apart from the aqueducts, running water, sanitation, education, roads, law and order etc...you know the one). They loved walls and built them everwhere and they were built to last (no throw-away society then). After that it was all downhill and the worst time to live there was the medieval period... a mere 500 years ago. (apart from today perhaps). Its a tourist trap now but well worth a visit, if you can cope with all the others on the same mission.