Uneven floors, narrow creaking stairs and walls covered in bookshelves groaning with antiquitarian tomes, second hand paperbacks and discount bookends.
The Minster Gates Bookshop is on a narrow medieval street overshadowed by the bulk of gothic York Minster. Tourists hurry by, and miss this five-storey gem. Every inch of space is taken up with stock, there are even books outside in summer. It is easy to lose an hour or two in here.
And once you have dragged yourself away, purse lighter, bag heavier, in summer you can head to Deans Park, York's cathedral green. Or in winter hurry down the street to Little Betty's tearoom to read in front of an open fire enjoying a Yorkshire tea and Fat Rascal teacake.

8 Minster Gates, York, North Yorkshire YO1 7HL
+44(0)1904 621 812
www.minstergatebooks.co.uk
Google map: bit.ly/bV5Oc9

Little Betty's, Stonegate, YO1 8AS

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In an unexplored corner of Co. Tyrone, travel out a minor road from a typical rural market town. Climb towards Gortin & the boggy Sperrin Mountains. Take a right hand turn onto a country lane, a "loanin" in the local parlance. Keep going and on your left you will find a very lonely spot. Battered by the wind and surrounded by only bog & forest there lies a megalithic mystery.
What brought people to this lonely spot 5000 years ago, to lay these circles in the ground? Were their intentions mystic, or murderous? Whose grave lies alongside? How many more stones lie unturned?
Are you shivering just because of the Irish weather?
No one knows.

Take the Gortin road out of Cookstown, heading West. Cookstown is just over an hour from Belfast.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaghmore

www.megalithicireland.com/Beaghmore.htm

Google map: bit.ly/cT5m3N

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This blog is a font of information on the best food in Taipei. Use it to find the best night markets for traditional street snacks, the pizza you are craving so badly or simply to whet your appetite with the myriad of choice in this food-tastic city.

hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/

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A state-run arthouse cinema showing a range of different films. All films are shown in original version, with Spanish subtitles if required. Screenings are eclectic - I've seen some gems I'd never have watched otherwise, some bona fide classics and some "I'll go because it's in English and cheap" bilge. Listings can be found in Guia del Ocio, or with film notes at the cinema itself.
Tickets on my last visit cost just under 3€.
The main screen is a fabulous old salon, complete with balcony and boxes. The whole cinema is housed in a fin de siecle building which has starred in at least one Almodovar film.
As with any Spanish museum, morgue or meeting place there is a cafeteria serving coffee and snacks on site.

C/Magdalena.
M.Anton Martin.

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Tips by utterinertia all seem to recommend establishments owned by one company. By no means am I suggesting that they are poor examples of what is available in York, but I have my suspicions about how impartial the reviewer may be.

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