Tag: London

Harry Potter Studio Tour (a magical time, indeed)

On By notyouravggiraffeIn Travel1 Comment

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good, and that I had an amazing time while visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour! I was lucky enough to get to go as part of my summer job, and you’ll hear absolutely no complaints from me about it! If you’re a Harry Potter fan in any capacity, and you have the extra time, I can’t suggest this enough. You have to buy tickets in advance, (if only it were as easy as saying a simple accio, but alas, ’tis not possible) but with enough forethought, you can definitely get in on all the action.

As you enter, you’re greeted by a giant dragon hung from above

How to get there?

Unfortunately, you can’t apparate to the studio tour, much as I wish you could, and the floo network doesn’t connect, so you’ll have to use those good old muggle forms of transportation. There are a couple of ways to get to the studio, but the way that I went is fairly quick, and easy. It’s a little complicated on paper, but if you download CityMapper, it’s easy peasy to follow! I first took the tube to Euston (Northern line), and from there, I took the train to Watford Junction. If you don’t want to deal with the train, you can take the overground from Euston to Watford Junction as well, however, the overground itself can take around 50 minutes, whereas the train takes about half that time. You can use your Oyster/contactless payment on the train, but you can also buy train tickets specifically for the journey. From the station, you take a bus designated for the studios from bus stop four. The bus costs £3 for each person return, and must be paid in cash. You might need to show your email confirmation in order to get on the bus, so make sure that’s easily accessible! The bus drops you off right at the studio, so from there, entrance is Weasley done.

What can I see there?

*When you pick up your tickets, be sure to have some form of ID, as they’ll check it to confirm you aren’t a wanted wizard (no, delivery by owl is unfortunately not an option)!*

When you purchase your tickets, you will purchase them for a certain entrance time. It’s possible that you won’t be let in until that time, but it never hurts to try and slytherin a little early (I managed to get in 45 minutes before the time slot on my ticket). Try and book earlier slots if you can, as you’re allowed to stay in the tour for as long as you want once you enter, so there’s no time limit for when you have to exit (excepting closing time of course). I spent about three hours there, but I easily could have spent more than that if I had had the time, but either way, it’s better to allow yourself more time than less, because truly, it is ridikulus how many things there are to see! What I wouldn’t give for a time turner! (Are you getting tired of my puns and jokes yet?)

The best thing about the studio is that Leavesden is where a lot of the filming actually took place, so you can see the sets in the place where they would have stood during filming (or at least, in the general vicinity)! Unfortunately, the Great Hall does not come equipped with a magical ceiling, but the stone floors, and fireplaces, are entirely real. The tour starts with a short introductory film, which leads you to the Great Hall doors, which open onto the Great Hall, complete with costumes from each house – *Hufflepuff represent* – and from the professors (if it’s your birthday, you can push open the doors yourself!) top tip: sit in the front of the movie theatre if you want to get to the doors first and ensure yourself an easy way into the Great Hall. I absolutely love the attention to detail, and the stations dedicated to costuming, wigs, and makeup, as well as the information provided on how the sets were built, and how they created effects. All the original props are there, along with the sets for many of those iconic locations within the Harry Potter world (small tip: if you want a little extra free souvenir from your time at the studios, make sure to ask for a passport where you can emboss six stamps throughout the tour, and it makes for a fun thing to take home regardless of your age).

Fun fact: the tour is located on stages J and K, (conveniently) the initials for Harry Potter’s creator: JK Rowling.

Platform 9 3/4 at the studio tour
Don’t worry, I didn’t run into the wall 😉
Diagon Alley
Use some floo powder to get to Diagon Alley (but be sure to pronounce it correctly!)

At times it feels like there’s almost too much to see, but since you can take your time, there’s ample opportunities to see all that you want to see. I absolutely (Dumble)adore all the little nooks you can explore, along with Mrs. Weasley’s kitchen where you can cast your own spells to knit, or clean the dishes. If you fancy spending some extra galleons, you can do a green screen photo on a Quidditch broom, and take home a copy of it as a magical souvenir from your time at the tour! If you fancy an extra challenge, you can locate golden snitches hidden around the tour (give yourself some house points every time you find one), or even set yourself the challenge of identifying as many props or costumes as possible without reading the information cards.

There’s a cafe where you can buy butterbeer (and butterbeer flavored ice cream), both of which are siriously worth a try. The cafe leads out into a backlot complete with number 4 Privet Drive, the Knight Bus, and Hagrid’s motorbike, where you can of course take numerous photos (you can bet I did, part of the evidence is within this very blog post). Other highlights include the Hogwarts Express on platform 9 3/4, Gringotts, the Forbidden Forest where you can meet Buckbeak and Aragog, and finally, the complete model of the Hogwarts Castle. If you’re a Harry Potter nerd like me, then this is the perfect place to learn all about the way the films were made, and to see actual costumes and props from the set.

Hogwarts model at the end of the tour
Model of Hogwarts as you finish your tour

After you’re done, make sure to check out the store to stock up on all the Harry Potter gear you could possibly want. From (Ravencl)awesome wands, to (Gryffin)dorable attire, you can kit yourself out from head to toe, to become the best witch or wizard you can possibly be. You can visit the store both before and after your visit, so don’t stress if you’re in a rush to get into the tour.

Throughout the whole tour, your journey is accompanied by the soundtrack from the film, which if you’re like me, is something I love hearing (it 100% was my studying soundtrack in university so you know I get hype to certain tracks). It makes discovering the Gryffindor common room, or the Quidditch pitch, or even the potions classroom that much more magical. There is truly something for every Harry Potter fan on the tour, and you’ll definitely learn something new while you’re there. You have to book your tickets in advance for the studio tour, so make sure you don’t drag(on) your feet, and that you’ve got them booked online to avoid any potential disappointment! All I can say is that this is truly a magical experience, and if you are a Harry Potter fan, this is the place to go if you’re in London. (To end with one final pun) if I had to rate this experience, I’d give it a 9 3/4 out of 10 😉 Mischief managed, and nox on my very fun day at the studio tour!

Knight Bus located on the back lot of the tour
Hop on the Knight Bus to destinations unknown (nothing underwater, of course)

Additionally, if you’re looking to continue your Harry Potter adventure outside of the studio tour, be sure to go to the following locations (of which there are many more than I’ve listed), which are featured in the films!

  • Picadilly Circus: Deathly Hallows Part I, the golden trio apparate here when escaping the attack on Bill’s wedding.
  • Millenium Bridge: The bridge destroyed by the death eaters at the start of Half Blood Prince
  • King’s Cross Station: Although you can’t actually stand between platforms 9 and 10 without a ticket, you can still take a photo at the designated photo spot, complete with luggage and scarves to make the best pose possible.
  • Westminster tube station: where Arthur Weasley and Harry make their way through muggle public transportation, and the former gets caught in the doors in Order of the Phoenix!
  • Lambeth Bridge: The route the Knight Bus takes in Prisoner of Azkaban
  • Scotland Yard: Find yourself in the same place where the golden trio polyjuice in order to sneak into the Ministry

A new (abroad) adventure

On By notyouravggiraffeIn TravelLeave a comment

Quick little life update alert:

Since I can’t seem to get enough of traveling, and of living abroad, I couldn’t stay away for long. I was only in the US for six weeks before I turned back around, and headed to London. I’ll be working as an activity leader for Alpadia for six weeks, and I’m definitely excited to see what this new adventure brings me.

I’m sure if you’ve read my blog up to this point that you’re thinking “she’s back in London? Does she only travel there?” and you would have a point. HOWEVER, London made such an impression on me when I studied abroad my junior year, that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to truly separate myself from it entirely. In my opinion, there are cities we visit that we like, maybe ones we’d love to revisit, ones that we don’t like, and ones that resonate in a way that make them feel almost like a second home. For me, London sits comfortably within that last category, and at least for the time being, I don’t mind being drawn back to it again and again. There’s always something new to explore (new theatre to see), something happening, and I’m not sure I could ever get tired of it (although ask me in six weeks, maybe my idealistic holiday image of this city will change once I’ve worked here, who knows).

At the moment, I’m still getting to know what my job will entail, and what all I’ll be doing for the next several weeks (as well as recovering from the lengthy flight over here), but until then, I’m taking it all in, and relishing in the fact that I’m back in London, and can wander around the streets both as a tourist, and as someone who views them as familiar. I’ll do my best to update this blog with insights from London, and various other things that I find interesting (give me a shout if there’s something in particular about which I should write). Let the new summertime adventure begin!

February Holidays part III: Going back to London

On By notyouravggiraffeIn TravelLeave a comment

Ever since I studied abroad in London my junior year of university, I feel like part of me is always longing to go back to London. As soon as the pilot announced that we were beginning our descent, I could feel a smile forming on my face as I looked out onto the landscape. We touched down, and I went as quickly as I could through customs, getting my bags, and heading down to the tube. It’s super convenient to be able to hop on the Picadilly line from Heathrow and go really anywhere in London without much effort. It’s always interesting to me how easily I slip back into the ways of the tube, and how at ease I feel navigating my way around the city. It’s also nice because having been there before, I feel less stressed about seeing everything, and more relaxed with my time there.

Even though I’ve spent an extensive amount of time in London, I still enjoy wandering around, and doing a lot of walking. Some of my favorite sights to explore are Southbank, where you can walk along the Thames, by the eye, the Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre, the National Theatre, as well as see some great views of Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and Parliament. Walking along those familiar paths is so calming, and you can also walk across the Millennium Bridge (well known as the bridge the Death Eaters destroy in the seventh Harry Potter film) to St. Paul’s. I lucked out with the weather, so it was beyond pleasant to be out and about walking around the city the whole time I was there.

View of the London Eye and Big Ben

Some of my other favorite things to do in London include the many museums. Unlike a lot of other countries, the museums in London are all free (obviously special exhibits can cost some money, but the basic entrance doesn’t cost you anything). My personal favorites would have to be the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, and the V&A in South Kensington (you can easily spend most of a day here since it’s such an extensive collection, and the museum seems to never end). This time, I also checked out the Tate Modern, and the Design Museum for the first time – a 10 minute walk from Earl’s Court Tube Station. Most of the exhibits here are paid entry, but there is a cool free exhibit on the top floor called “design, maker, user,” which looks at the evolution of technology, among other things. It’s pretty interesting because it looks at the methods that go into designing advertising, street signs (typography), as well as the history of things we take for granted in our daily lives like cell phones, laptops, and even smart watches. I found it a super easy exhibit to follow, and full of interactive things.

Speaking of the V&A, one of my “must-dos” the past times I’ve been back to London has been to have tea, and scones with clotted cream and jam at their cafe. Since I studied abroad, I stand by the fact that the V&A’s scones are amongst the best in London, and they’re truly a treat. Scones just aren’t the same in the US as they are in the UK, plus clotted cream isn’t exactly a household item either. Whether you put the cream on first or the jam, you have to admit that it’s a delicious combination. I was able to nab this one with a friend from university, so I got a tasty treat, and a well needed catch-up. I managed to have two scones during my week, one at the V&A, and one at Caffe Nero, which I would have to say is second on my list of best (easily accessible/affordable) scones in London. Of course, I had tea with my scone, and one of the things I truly love about London is the accessibility of tea. I was even able to buy tea at McDonald’s, which is something I don’t think I could find in the US! In case you were concerned about my tea supply in France, fear not, I returned to the other side of the channel with 160 PG Tips bags so I’m 100% covered, and definitely a very happy camper.

Tea and scones at the V&A

Ironically, the majority of my time in London was spent in a theatre. I’ll admit, that was one of the things that drew me to London when I was choosing where to study abroad, and it is one of the big things that keeps me coming back (along with how at home I feel there). I managed to see seven shows in the six days I was in London, and logistically, I couldn’t really have seen many more. I lucked out regarding the availability of shows, as well as the costs for my tickets. Using rush, and day seats, I never paid more than 25 pounds. I won’t do length reviews of them all, but I can’t write about my time in London and neglect to talk at least a little bit about the phenomenal shows, and actors I got to see while I was there.

  • Tuesday, 19 February, 8:00pm – SIX: The Musical. A clever 75 minute musical about the six wives of Henry VIII, told by his “ex-wives.” All six women are total queens (both literal and figuratively), the songs are jams, and the band is all female as well! It’s such a fun show, tells what they dub “her”story, and made for a great first show in London.
  • Wednesday, 20 February, 7:30pm – Come From Away. Another musical based in reality, about the real life stories of people diverted to Gander (as well as its inhabitants) following the closure of American airspace on, and after, 9/11. It’s a really touching and poignant story, and deals with the events in a beautiful way – plus, it is at its core, truly a happy story about humanity.
  • Thursday, 21 February, 3:00pm – True West. My first play in London this time around. A Sam Shepard piece, essentially carried by two actors. I got to sit second row to see Kit Harrington, and Johnny Flynn deal with the struggles of sibling rivalry, as well as witness nine toasters pop up toast at the front of the stage (I think that’ll stick with me longer than any other part of the play… whoops).
  • Thursday, 21 February, 7:30pm – Pinter Seven. The Harold Pinter Theatre put on a five month “Pinter at the Pinter” festival, where seven Pinter plays were performed over the course of the festival. I caught the sixth, and seventh Pinter play. If you’re familiar with Pinter, I saw a slight ache, and the dumbwaiter. This was my first experience with Pinter, and although I don’t know that he’s really my cup of tea, I got to see Martin Freeman and Danny Dyer act the latter play, and that was something I couldn’t have predicted would have happened to me.
  • Friday, 22 February, 7:30pm – Jesus hopped the ‘A’ Train. I’ve never seen a play at the Young Vic, so this show gave me an opportunity to do just that. This particular play speaks to the criminal justice system, and again, deals with a serious subject in a way that doesn’t make you feel weighed down by the content the whole time. We did “lucky dips” tickets so we were guaranteed a spot somewhere in the theatre, but we didn’t know where we’d be seated, or if we’d end up standing. I’m pleased to say my friend and I got to sit together, and we had good seats as well!
  • Saturday, 23 February, 2:30pm – When we have sufficiently tortured each other. This was the only play that I knew I was seeing before I left France, as one of my friends had secured two Entry Pass tickets, and invited me to come along. We got to sit front row in the Dorfman at the National to see Cate Blanchett, and Stephen Dilane. This wasn’t my favorite play that I saw, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it – plus, it isn’t a play that I would probably have booked had I not already secured tickets. However, Cate Blanchett is phenomenal, and it was worth the price of admission just to be able to see her perform live.
  • Saturday, 23 February, 7:30pm – Company. I day seated this performance (ironically at the same theatre where I day sat The Ferryman last year), and got great seats in the dress circle. Company is a musical with little plot (in the sense that it’s mostly vignettes, and there’s no evident order of the scenes), but it’s a Sondheim musical, so it does have some well known songs. Not to mention, I got to see Patti Lupone perform “ladies who lunch,” as well as just see her onstage, and my younger novice musical theatre aficionado would not have imagined that happening. Also, this production did some gender bending, so Bobbie was played by a woman (which makes the whole “you’re turning 35, you should settle down” trope a little more REAL), and Amy became Jamie, but he smashed “not getting married” out of the park (also probably my favorite number as it was done hilariously). It was definitely a good final show for me.

I could go on forever about how great my week in London was, but I feel happy with what I was able to see and do while I was there. I met up with friends I hadn’t seen in almost two years, and got to have Choccywoccydoodah as well. If you’re a chocolate fan, this is a must for you. I also did some damage at Primark (of course) buying London, Paddington, and Harry Potter themed clothing and goods… I highly recommend stopping by their Oxford Street store if you want some well priced souvenirs, or themed clothing. I frequently think about London, but I don’t think I actively realized how much I missed it until I was seeing the familiar sights, hearing the voice on the tube announcing the next stop, or dining at the ever present Pret. I’m so glad I got to go back to my favorite city, and I’m already waiting for the next visit.

You can check out a little vlog of my adventures here!