The European Extravaganza!

Muggles, Lizzie Bennett & Wickham (!), and Guys & Dolls, oh my!

After visiting Christ Church in Oxford to see all the HP-related rooms, we headed off for the Bodleian library which holds the divinity school which was used for the hospital wing in the movies. There is also the Duke Humphrey's library which was used as The Library in the films, but we found that we couldn't actually see that one unless we went on a tour. We decided we hadn't travelled all this way (god, starting to sound like Ewan McGregor in his travel book...)to chicken out because of the £5 admission price, so £5 poorer, we found ourselves signed up for the 2 pm tour.

In the interim, I dragged Laura around the city of Oxford looking for the best Trinity regalia we could find. We ultimately decided that a bonafide Trinity College Oxford scarf is what I needed; I know what I'll be going as for Hallowe'en this year! We won't talk about how much it cost, but believe me when I say it's super cool! We'll have to take a photo of me "kitted out" in all this stuff at some point!

We also stopped into Blackwells and looked around, but soon enough we were on our tour of the library. Our tour guide was the real-life incarnation of Madam Pince! She was so surly and snooty and gave Laura the most aggregious look when she asked whether our bags would be locked up during the tour (since we had to leave them behind). Anyway... the tour was actually really boring (due in no small part to Pince, we think). Now we remember why history can be so dull! Blech! We did learn a few cool facts (like how Cambridge began when students defacted from Oxford because of killings that were taking place!), and the Library was awesome. They really have the books chained up (like in the Restricted Section!) and everything! Alas, we couldn't take pictures, it was verboten, and there weren't any postcards of the place, but we have the memories. Oh! And we also got to check out some places around the library that will be featured in the next film, so we'll have to keep our eyes peeled (we did take pics of those!).

After a scrumptious cream tea (with clotted cream!) we got on the train to London... We ate chicken cottage for dinner again, and then went to bed. Our hostel isn't as great as we thought it would be, but it is clean. The breakfast is pathetic, and we have a hard time finding a hot shower, but we're safe and it's mostly quiet (we've recently been overtaken by children)...

Not enough time to regale you with all our tales so far (sorry for the misleading title), but you'll hear all about London, Ewan,Platform 9 and 3/4!, and Wickham in our next update. It's a heck of a time!

posted by Steph @ 7:41 am