[HPFGU-Movie] Has anyone been to the locations of the Harry Potter films

[artsylynda at aol.com]

We just got back from a two week trip to England, and took the  train out of 
Kings Cross twice, actually.  They have now installed half of  a luggage 
trolley in a brick wall between platforms 9 and 10 and labeled it  "Platform 9 3/4" 
so people can have their pictures taken there (which I did, of  course!!!).  
The regular trains are FAST (90 mph at least) and look like  it.  A steam 
train would attract attention even if it wasn't the Hogwart's  Express!  I suppose 
they must set a track aside for the slower "excursion"  trains like that.
 
They offer a Potter fan tour every July now on the Hogwarts Express  (we 
looked into it while planning our trip, but we wanted to go in June before  
schools were out and when the flowers would be in bloom - and when it wouldn't  be 
too hot!)  Well, we hit school groups from Europe nearly everyplace we  went in 
London - Dutch, French, German, and other languages I couldn't identify  at 
all.  (We ran into the Dutch students at Leeds Castle, and a tour guide  told 
us they were Dutch.)  The Potter tour costs about $2000 per person  (that's US 
dollars, not British pounds - and you need to realize that the  exchange rate 
makes the British pound worth about $1.85 US, so our dollars don't  go nearly 
as far there as they do in countries that use Euros, which are about  equal to 
a dollar in value.)
 
There are filming sites you can see on your own or on day tours or  walking 
tours of London.  Just put "Harry Potter filming site tours" in a  search 
engine and you'll find a whole list.   The walking tours take  you past the Leaky 
Cauldron, the proposed Ministry of Magic location, various  other places.  You 
can't get inside Australia House (which was the interior  of Gringott's) 
unless you have actual business there (or are an Aussie, I  suppose).  I can't 
think of the other locations we passed right now,  sorry.
 
BTW - Dumbledore's favorite sweet, "Sherbet Lemons" are real, and  are 
delicious!  And "knickerbocker glory" is a real ice cream treat too -  absolutely 
huge.  (Remember Harry got to finish Dudley's knickerbocker  glory in the zoo 
that time?)  I was amazed at how much JKR used in her  stories that SOUND 
magical but are simply British!  LOL!  
 
If you have the chance, get on a train and ride north.  Once  you leave the 
environs of London, you'll see detached houses with those glass  rooms on the 
back, much like the Dursleys!  They must cost a bundle though  - real estate in 
England is very pricey.
 
Happy traveling!
 
Lynda


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]