Harry Potter

As I thought over my days in this magnificent city, I knew that something was missing.

"But what?" I asked myself.

"Have I truly seen London?" I questioned myself and sorrow rankled in my soul as I realized that I had not.

At least, not until I finally paid homage to my hero, my favorite of favorites, and yours too: Harry Potter.

And it was in this spirit that I ventured forth to King's Cross (Ok, so I rode the tube over two stops) to see the holy of holies: Platform 9 and 3/4.

Although, according to the guide of the Harry Potter tour I took last week, Rowling's description is really based off of Euston station (one stop North of King's Cross), Potter devotees still flock to the namesake. Apparently, Rowling wrote the description based on Euston station, before realizing that her parents had first met at King's Cross. Thus, in respect to her parents, she changed the name without changing the description. But I digress.

Despite its potential lack of correctness, I think that the King's Cross station suits the tale fairly well as it is, bustling with commuters and tourists and lit up with the glow that shimmers down upon the melee. But I suppose you can decide for yourself.

After making the arduous trek down the tracks, I finally found it; my holy grail.

Ok, so it's not altogether too impressive, but I'm nerd enough to appreciate it.

The following are shots from the Harry Potter walking tour I attended last week. It wasn't great, but at least I learned something.

Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

That's right, this building was the inspiration for Gringott's. They also filmed the Gringott's scenes in the movies here. Apparently, once you get inside (you know, past the armed security guards) the resemblence is uncanny. I wouldn't know, though, seeing as we visited it on a Sunday, when it was closed.

This is the telephone booth that Rowling based the entrance to the Ministry of Magic on (or so our guide said. I'm not entirely sure that I believe him, to tell the truth). It's right off the Strand, less than a block away from the Charing Cross tube stop. Whether it really was or not, I don't know. But it was still a good spot to get my mandatory touristy photo-in-the-red-booth done.

I think I looked pretty darn cute that day.

Again, according to our tour guide, this was the street that inspired Rowling concerning Diagon Alley and while I'm not sure that I buy into this one either, it's probably significantly busier when the stores are actually open. I'm not certain that I believe him, but at least I see the connection. Besides, there is a really adorable children's book shop on this street, which is Cecil Court, by the way. It's the first shop on the right hand side, the one with the green sign.

And of course, there are these. They're adorable, but not worth the 12.50 the store charges for a pack of them, if you ask me.

And thus ends my unworthy tribute to Harry Potter.

Not nearly as great as it should be, but then again, everything else pales in comparison to Rowling's masterpiece, doesn't it?