I love Chester. I always have. It means a great deal to me. Most years my brother, CJ, and I go there. It's only a half hour drive from his home on The Wirral. This year was no exception.
Chester is a very old walled city famous for its Rows - first floor level shops and houses.
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| The Rows and a staircase up to them. |
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| I like people who smile whatever the weather |
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| I can remember when traffic drove through the centre of the city. Now it's all pedestrianised and much the better for it. |
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| This was at the entrance of the Cathedral. No explanation. Totally bizarre. |
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| This colonnade of shops comprisisng St Werburgh Row |
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| And a licensed TukTuk which was not what I was expecting in Chester |
It's a very pretty place! I'm glad to see good solid, accessible hand rails on the stairs, too. The tuk tuk is unexpected but it's probably really convenient :)
ReplyDeleteKylie it is a place of great beauty and antiquity. I'm used to tuk tuks in some New Zealand towns and cities but was rather surprised to see one there. I think they may be allowed to go where cars are prohibited in some streets. I loved the eyelashes on the tuk tuk's headlights.
DeleteI have only been there once but loved it. My cousin lives nearby in North Wales so it is her go-to town for major shopping. Love the pedestrianised centre with the lovely buildings, the city wall, the Roman history and the canal...everything in one place for the tourist to see !
ReplyDeleteHelsie it is , as you say, a tourist's dream but it's also a great place just to be and to shop.It is a city which still has a live and vibrant city centre.
DeleteI can see why you would enjoy Chester.
ReplyDeleteYes Red there is a lot to enjoy about it.
DeleteFabulous city; I used to go often. However, the last time I went I received a parking ticket for £20 for having pulled-up outside a dive shop for 2 seconds. There was no 'No Parking' signs or double yellow lines. I complained by way of an expletive filled letter, but paid up anyway.
ReplyDeleteCro I noticed that there were enforcement officers being very vigilant about vehicles in the non-vehicle areas but at £20 that must have been a long time ago. £10 for half a day's parking is common in UK cities now and when I was last in Brighton around 20 years ago I recall paying £12 for two or three hours in the central multi-storey carpark at the shopping mall. It stuck in my mind because I had to use my credit card at the exit and the machine refused the card (causing chaos for the queue behind whist I found one that would work - eventually).
DeleteNever been to Chester, I have dodged round it many times. That horse and cart look a little like a giant version of fairground tat. Fits in a treat.
ReplyDeleteAdrian in your pre-micro days you would have had a photographic field-day.
DeleteAs a young WRAF Plt Off, I parked the staff car in Chester and later had to ask a police officer to help me find it! Lovely place and I'd like to revisit - unlikely though.
ReplyDeletePotty you've made my day. I assume that you found a helpful police officer. As a Pilot Officer I hope to goodness you never had that problem with a plane!
DeleteIn those days 'girls' did not fly planes. I saw Those Magnificent MEN in their Flying Machines film in The Chester cinema at that time.
DeletePotty thank heavens that times have changed.
DeleteWonderful place from all I know about it - not that I've ever been myself! But I love cathedrals and cities with a lot of history, so I am sure I'd love Chester, too.
ReplyDeleteThe sign about smiling people reminded me of similarly nice, funny signs outside shops and cafés in Ripon. There was one drawn like a diagram: "Do you need Coffee? --> Are you Batman? --> Yes --> Liar! --> No --> You need coffee!"
Meike these notice boards are coming more common here now (I'm happy to say). They were all over Napier and gave me good opportunities for blog posts on occasion.
DeleteWonderful images of Chester. It has a great charm, and it shows in your photos. Love the horses and pedestrian walkway.
ReplyDeleteMersad
Mersad Donko Photography
Mersad there is far more to Chester than I captured on this occasion. I must try and get some of the old photos blogged.
DeleteI wonder if it would be okay to have a different chalkboard with these words written on it "I like people who say "Bugger it's raining again!" when it's raining!"
ReplyDeleteBy the way- according to TripAdvisor the number one "Cheap Eats" establishment in Chester is "NiceBites" in Chester Market Hall. But the overall best restaurant in the city is "Picanha by Fazenda" on Newgate Street. Have you been to either of them?
YP you could stick such a notice board outside your house and ask people to vote on it. I take it that it does occasionally rain in Yorkshire. I've eaten in neither of the places you mention. I'm never in Chester for an evening meal so, as far as the steak house is concerned, I'm unlikely ever to sample it. Which seems like a shame.
DeleteDriving around Chester can be a bit of a nightmare, so I always use 'Park and Ride'. I have seen the horse and cart but no TukTuks.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the nightmare bit Jenny but CJ doesn't walk distances and we go there so rarely that I just drive into the Grosvenor Shopping Centre Car Park and we make our way from there.
DeleteWow, nice pictures of a lovley place to visit.
ReplyDeleteThank you Maywyn.
DeleteAlways enjoy visiting Chester, It takes me just under an hour on the bus from my home. I took my 85 year old mother there a few weeks ago, she hadn't been there for years and particularly enjoyed the Roman Gardens near to the Amphitheatre. The Methodist Church just nearby is a good place for lunch. I've not seen the TukTuk there yet so must look out for it.
ReplyDeleteCath I remarked to my brother as we left Chester that it's a long time since I had been down to the river by the Roman Gardens and even longer since I had been in the garden and amphitheatre. I really must remedy that. Thanks for the reminder. I shall try and remember the lunch suggestion too. That is always welcome.
DeleteBrilliant photos with lots of "unexpected" :) I don't think Chester was among the places we visited back in the 70s. But I have received a few postcards from there in later years... (and one or two of those dating back a lot further than the 1970s!)
ReplyDeleteMonica there is so much of the City that we don't get to see in the short times wer are there. One day....
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