Week Four: Hogwarts is my home!

Another week has passed, and it was slower than the week before, so that is good! On Monday we had classes, and then just had a more relaxing and slow afternoon. It was nice to just relax and catch up on things after the trip the week before, so that was nice. It was also raining! We have not had a lot of the ‘typical’ London weather so far, so the rain was kind of nice, actually!

Tuesday also brought classes, which were fine. They are all pretty interesting and enjoyable. I really like the subject matter for them! I stayed at the Centre for the majority of the day though to keep plugging away on all my homework and reading assignments, which are piling up quickly. And it just is harder to do homework while in London, because it still kind of feels like we are on vacation and not at school.

On Wednesday, we went on our day trip for the week to Winchester, Stourhead, and Stonehenge. It was all so cool! At Winchester we toured the Cathedral there, and saw Jane Austen’s grave! There were a few plaques to commemorate her life and works, as well as a stain glass window! It was really cool to see it all. We also were able to see the Winchester Bible, which is over a thousand years old. It is huge!  The Cathedral was beautiful and grand, and it was interesting to see. I really like how these really old structures are still used today. I think I adds to the building and the feeling there. We also went to the Great Hall in Winchester, and saw Arthur’s Round Table! Or at least the legend’s table… it was cool! I also ate a really large donut! Yummy! We then went to Stourhead, which is a National Trust here, and it is a place where the concept of landscape design in the sense of being unnaturally natural was pioneered. It was gorgeous!!! Everything was so pretty, with amazing views and I loved it! The pictures I took do not do it justice. Afterwards, we drove to Stonehenge! It rocks! It was amazing to see them in person, and wonder at how the structure was built, and how it still stands today. While there I was able to help someone take pictures, and speak in Spanish to them! It was really cool!

On Thursday I had more classes, but afterwards went to Harrods, which had a giant toy store! It was so fun to see everything and look at all the books and toys and different things! Unfortunately it is a pricey store, so I did not get anything. But it was still fun to look at.

Friday was the highlight of the week. I went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour!!! It was absolutely amazing and magical!!! It took us a while to get there due to tube closures and traffic, but we made it! I loved it, and felt just like a little kid the entire time I was there! We got to see the Great Hall, the Gryffindor Common Room, the dormitory, Dumbledore’s office, various sets and props, the Hogwarts Express, 4 Privet Drive, a scale model of Hogwarts, and much more!! It was incredible, like I am still freaking out over how exciting the experience was!! It is so true, that Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home, because I went to one of my homes Friday night, and I loved it. I also tried butterbeer! It had a lot of butterscotch in it, and I think I liked the cream on top most. After our tour, we were able to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One at the Studio! That was incredible! Overall it was the most amazing, wonderful, and enjoyable experience, and I wish I had more words to describe everything.

On Saturday, I went and read in Kensington Gardens. It was such a nice day out, and it was good to have some peace. I also was able to relax and watch some t.v., and watched Hotel Transylvania with some friends! So it was a fun evening. Overall, my week was slower but really good! I had incredible experiences that I will remember forever!