London

I know, I know, I have been slacking on my blog. A week ago, I was on the plane bound for London. I didn't get there until late, so I didn't get to really see much that night. That was the first experience I had staying in a hostel. I was surprised, it wasn't as bad as I had been expecting it to be. The first floor of our hostel was a bar and everyone was really loud, but I couldn't hear it from my room so I was happy. The first night stunk a lot (it seemed like the more you went up the stairs, the more it smelled), but it was bearable. There were also condom and other related items vending machines everywhere which I thought was weird because its not like you have a private room. Well when me and one other girl from the program got to the room, everyone was asleep. It sucked. Bumping around in the dark trying to find your bed was not fun. But it was clean, the beds weren't too uncomfortable, and ultimately the 4 hours of sleep I got weren't bad ones.

The next morning, I had to get up early to go to the Universal Studios London-The Making of Harry Potter. Best experience I had in London!! It was amazing. Everything they had displayed were the original props they used in the movies. The first step of the tour was a short video clip, then we stood at the entrance doors of the Great Hall. After a dramatic entrance, we entered the most amazing room of Hogwarts. The hall was so big, and the tables were set for dining, there was manequins dressed up in each of the four houses' clothes, and the professors were all standing up in the front. One thing I learned is there is a big crest in the fireplace. However, you never actually see it in the movie because the fire is always going. I am not really sure what the point of it is then, but it was cool.

 

The next part of the tour was all self guided. We got to go through and see about everything imaginable. There was wigs from the cast, sets from important scenes, and full rooms. The rooms were probably my favorite part of this section. There was the Gryffindor common room, the potions room, the Burrow, Umbridge's office, Hagrid's hut, and Dumbledore's office. They were all so amazing! This part is where I spent the majority of my tour as there was an incredible amount to see.

Next was the outside portion of it. There was the night bus, the flying car, Privet drive, and the potter cottage. Also was a place where they were selling butterbeer; it is one of the two places in the world they sell it. It was so delicious!

The last part was more the technical part. First was some of the molds and mast for characters, followed by drawings and mini models. These were really cool, but what followed was breathtaking. It was a huge model of Hogwarts. It was so intricate and large. It is what they use for the flyover scenes in the movie. I had already seen a picture from someone who went the day before, but pictures just don't do justice and I didn't get the real scale from them.

After that was Diagon Alley. That part was amazing! I felt just like I was in the movie. After that was the inside of Olivander's wand shop. Every box was named after a person who helped in the movie. It was really cool.

That concluded my trip at Universal Studios, and next was some siteseeing. I went to my hostel just to drop off some stuff, and headed straight out. I went to Big Ben/House of Parliament first. The Eye was also right across from that and I got some pictures. Next I went to Westminster Abbey. It was too late in the day to go in, but I did get some souveniers in their little shop for the first time since I have been here. Then I made my way over to Buckingham Palace. I was amazed at the size of it. After that I went over to the Arch, then took a train back towards the hostel. I stopped at a Turkish Cuisine restaurant. It was really good (also insanely expensive after taking into account the exchange rate, which killed me all weekend). I went to the hostel after that and finally found some people I knew. We went to a pub/restaurant where I got a coconut beer which I really liked. I also tasted Juli's beer and really liked it as well (I usually hate beer). It sucks, I think I am finally going to find beer over here that I like but not be able to drink it back home.

After that, we went and got a few drinks at a grocery store. I finally got carded for the first and only time since I have been here! The German girls thought it was so weird when they got carded. We went back to the hostel and hung out and drank what we had. Then most everyone had to go to the concert, but me and a few others didn't go. We went up to our room and played cards for a while. There was one guy from Michigan that is studying in Germany that was on my top bunk that played as well.

That was it for London, I didn't really have a lot of time. Honestly, it wasn't quite as cool as I had been expecting it to be and I am not dying to go back. It was also insanely expensive, and I wonder if all parts of England are like that.

We have our Spring break booked; Leave Saturday for Berlin, go to a concentration camp Sunday, and leave Monday for Ireland. Then, we are renting a car and driving the countryside, not even booking hotels since we don't know where we will be any given night. We will leave Ireland Friday, and stay in Antibes for the rest until Luke has to fly back Sunday morning.

Tomorrow I am going to Provence for a CEA excursion, and won't get back until Sunday night. Hopefully it won't take me a week to post about it, but no promises!