York & Rachel Semlyen

My trip to York was wonderful and very full, but even more important then discovering a great old and still vibrating city or understanding, finally familly and its history, was to discover a great lady.

I did met her already for an hour at King Cross station's Paul, but now, I had the occasion to discover more and more about her and her life and familly.

She is ten years younger then me and so full of life!

Not long time ago had she only stopped her walks on a horse! Very active, and so many interesting different things she had done!

A Jane Austin "pride and prejudice" ball in costumes for the York Hospice: I watched the video. It was as if I were there!

Founding a museum at Elvington Airfield, where French aviators stationed during the second war. We met first the English Association members showing old military vehicles and arms, dressed up like in the old times, then two days later, five of the French Veterans who were actually stationed there during World War 2.

The base is not far from the house she still lives, an old Mansion with wonderful chestnut trees on the way in, and she used to go with her husband, my second cousin I never met, there and listen to the birds. We set down there together, holding hands.

She was also for seven years guide to Travel Writers, showing them York: one can imagine, I could not have a better guide to show me the city. Through her, I discovered the city and its surrounding, with her and her familly personal history, and almost through her eyes, too.

First evening, we visited Chantal, a charming half French young lady and her teenager daughter, who prepared us a great dinner and entertained us with her stories: she arrived in UK a year ago. Last evening, we went to the theater and enjoyed a great performance.

So much to write about, so much happened in just a few days! More to come tomorrow. Meanwhile, you may see the first images uploaded to the Flickr image site, of York visit and of the Veteran's meeting, about which I'll have to write a whole story, it was so full with real life anecdotes.

She showed me a lot: old photos and the city and familly, but she also has a great gift of listening.

What I find even more enchanting, is the contact I opened with Rachel and her son that I feel will not break now but go on and on. Through them, I feel already: we are not alone in England: we do have familly!