We spent the day being “off-the-beaten-path” tourists. Our plan had three stops; Kings Cross Station to see Platform 9 3/4, Leadenhall Market, the location where some of the exterior Diagon Alley scenes were filmed, and House of Minalima to see an exhibition that showcases graphic designs from the Harry Potter films.

Kings Cross Station was quite crowded, but pretty fun. We waited in line to have our photos taken pushing a trolley through the wall at Platform 9 3/4. The attendants took their time with each family and we didn’t feel rushed through the line. Everyone got to pick their house (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff) and which wand you wanted to use. It was a pretty entertaining time.

Next was Leadenhall Market. It is a beautiful covered market. Several scenes from the movie were shot here. We had a lovely lunch, and walked around the market. We even found the blue door that was used as the entrance into the Leaky Cauldron.

Next we stopped by the Palace Theater to pick up tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It is a two part play that takes place 19 years after the final book. Several months ago while Rob was here on a business trip, on a whim he stopped by the theater to inquire about tickets and he was able to get two tickets. The oldest gets to go on a very special date with Dad to celebrate her 8th grade graduation. It is a sold out show so they are super lucky to have gotten tickets and they are very excited about their special day.

Our final stop was at Minalima which showcases the work of Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, graphic designers on the Harry Potter Films. The shop is full of props and many designs from the movies, like a Hogwarts Express ticket, Harry’s Hogwarts acceptance letter and the Marauder’s Map.

We had a really fun, different sort of day.

The last few days have been a whirlwind. It’s really hard to believe that after all the months of planning we are finally here. The first night we got to the hotel and settled in a bit and then headed out for a walk in an attempt to stay awake. We stopped for dinner – Fish-n-Chips of course.

We have been in London for 3 days and I think we might be getting close to adjusting to the time. The kids slept exceptionally well the first night, however the adults were awake by 2:30am. That made for a very long day. Our first day we spent some time looking for a rental. There are several good options and hopefully we will be able to make a decision in the next few days. The remainder of the time we have been attending Star Wars Celebration Europe. There are so many things to see; vendors, exhibits, presentations and it’s a great place to people watch! The costumes people wear are amazing. Over the next few days Rob has a few presentations to do at SWCE, so it will be fun to see him in action.

For many who know me, ya’ll know that I am terrible at directions. I can get lost in a city I have lived in for years. So, you’ll be proud to know that I navigated the girls and I from the convention center back to the hotel on a train with a tube connection and I only made one wrong turn while walking back. After one block I realized my mistake and got us back on track. I was actually very surprised that the journey wasn’t a total disaster. I just might make it in the big city after all.