{"id":284,"date":"2018-10-27T18:56:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-27T22:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/2018\/10\/27\/london-part-2\/"},"modified":"2018-10-27T18:56:00","modified_gmt":"2018-10-27T22:56:00","slug":"london-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/2018\/10\/27\/london-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"London, Part 2: Harry Potter &#038; the HOHO"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<b>Warner Brothers Studio Tour<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-lkmDBtM3IEk\/W_Gl4cBDKVI\/AAAAAAAAyPE\/RVxoRb9WqKcs1d2CPS0SqGSpTq6oyTEpQCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/Lisa.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"590\" data-original-width=\"500\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-lkmDBtM3IEk\/W_Gl4cBDKVI\/AAAAAAAAyPE\/RVxoRb9WqKcs1d2CPS0SqGSpTq6oyTEpQCEwYBhgL\/s200\/Lisa.jpg\" width=\"169\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>For me, the highlight of the trip to London was actually more than an hour away: the set where they made the Harry Potter movies. <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\nI took a subway, train and then a bus to experience the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, where all the Harry Potter films were made over ten years. (I have read the series five times, consider JK Rowling my favorite author, and seen all the films multiple times. I think they have done a brilliant job capturing the amazing world that Rowling created.) Many of the sets were there, preserved meticulously, as well as thousands of props, costumes. This is a MUST for any Potterfile. It\u2019s really an incredible interactive museum that celebrates the Harry Potter books and movies and teaches a vast amount about filmmaking and special effects.\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-lg8WMLb6jLY\/W9Szdn-kEOI\/AAAAAAAAwEs\/1IJBA7miUy06Vb5iY1Dw9v8MDH48OakOwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_121206065.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1200\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-lg8WMLb6jLY\/W9Szdn-kEOI\/AAAAAAAAwEs\/1IJBA7miUy06Vb5iY1Dw9v8MDH48OakOwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_121206065.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>You could push your cart of luggage through into the wall at Platform 9 \u00be at Kings Cross Station, walk down Diagon Alley, sit in a booth in the Hogwarts Express, drink Butterbeer, peer into the cupboard under the stairs at 67 Privet Drive, manipulate a CGI Dobby, learn to ride a broom<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\nOther sets on display included the Potions classroom, the Burrow, the Ministry of Magic and Umbridge\u2019s office, the Forbidden Forest (avoid if you are an anachrophobe), Dumbledore\u2019s office. There were intricate plans for Hogwarts castle, <\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\nLearning how special effects were done \u2013 from shrinking the Knight bus through narrow spaces to making Hagrid tower over Dumbledore to creating a convincing high-speed Quidditch match to lighting up patronuses \u2013 was the most fascinating aspect of the tour.<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\nOK, enough from me \u2013 read all about it here, and enjoy my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pg\/LifeisShortTheWorldisBig\/photos\/?tab=album&amp;album_id=350542359048249\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook photo album<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-5Myueqq06kk\/W9SzaCDEQvI\/AAAAAAAAwEw\/eiVpOu-n6bo51wmywCZfc2Avmqzb_BEaACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_121026903_HDR.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1600\" data-original-width=\"1200\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-5Myueqq06kk\/W9SzaCDEQvI\/AAAAAAAAwEw\/eiVpOu-n6bo51wmywCZfc2Avmqzb_BEaACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_121026903_HDR.jpg\" width=\"240\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-8zGEy2b_vKs\/W9SzaCqYxhI\/AAAAAAAAwE0\/zxuuz_3fr5IvVxjSK7tRedaOGwxIjwkKACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_133911254.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1200\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-8zGEy2b_vKs\/W9SzaCqYxhI\/AAAAAAAAwE0\/zxuuz_3fr5IvVxjSK7tRedaOGwxIjwkKACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_133911254.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Dumbledore&#8217;s&nbsp;Office<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-wTHvwFf8BV0\/W9S0BLn61YI\/AAAAAAAAwFA\/hn0XVBf5fvYa-JL4qFFzTye1MNVYRQjGACLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_131905271.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1200\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-wTHvwFf8BV0\/W9S0BLn61YI\/AAAAAAAAwFA\/hn0XVBf5fvYa-JL4qFFzTye1MNVYRQjGACLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_131905271.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Harry&#8217;s bed in Gryffindor Dorm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/p>\n<table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-wJJZ7hoym9I\/W9S0BG5mCsI\/AAAAAAAAwE8\/Ur0I9ALyPkkXFORJEA-JRaS3nESfNtl7QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_132206255.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1200\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-wJJZ7hoym9I\/W9S0BG5mCsI\/AAAAAAAAwE8\/Ur0I9ALyPkkXFORJEA-JRaS3nESfNtl7QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_20181023_132206255.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Wands<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<h4>\n<b>Hop On Hop Off Bus<\/b><\/h4>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<b><br \/><\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-EyZCNv3pePw\/W9S0VXJaNOI\/AAAAAAAAwFM\/P2DHzTyy44s6Z7VAo6BHeDvmbyIlQ2MOgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/DSC01303.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1200\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-EyZCNv3pePw\/W9S0VXJaNOI\/AAAAAAAAwFM\/P2DHzTyy44s6Z7VAo6BHeDvmbyIlQ2MOgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/DSC01303.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\">View from the HoSo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>While I was experiencing all things Harry Potter, Bob and Lexie experienced the Hop On Hop Off bus, which Bob calls the HOHO. Because their feet were extremely tired by then, they deemed it the HOSO, for Hop On Stay On, and planted their buts in the front row upstairs, under the glass cover.<\/p>\n<p>For the record, although we have become fans of the HOHO concept when in a new city, we would NOT recommend the Big Bus, because the driver abruptly threw Bob and Lexie (and all other riders) off the bus without warning at 5 PM, saying they were closed. They were not even near a Tube station, and they had given no warning that the tour would end so early. Aryk and I took the Original Tour a year and a half ago and it was much better.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\">\n<i>Next .. London, Part 3<\/i><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<i><a href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-lkmDBtM3IEk\/W_Gl4cBDKVI\/AAAAAAAAyPE\/RVxoRb9WqKcs1d2CPS0SqGSpTq6oyTEpQCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/Lisa.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"590\" data-original-width=\"500\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-lkmDBtM3IEk\/W_Gl4cBDKVI\/AAAAAAAAyPE\/RVxoRb9WqKcs1d2CPS0SqGSpTq6oyTEpQCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/Lisa.jpg\" width=\"271\" \/><\/a><\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Warner Brothers Studio Tour For me, the highlight of the trip to London was actually more than an hour away: the set where they made the Harry Potter movies. I took a subway, train and then a bus to experience the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, where all the Harry Potter films were made over ten &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/2018\/10\/27\/london-part-2\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;London, Part 2: Harry Potter &#038; the HOHO&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[30,31,152,137,192,153,154,6,193,32],"class_list":["post-284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-adventure","tag-adventure-travel","tag-england","tag-europe","tag-harry-potter","tag-hop-on-hop-off","tag-london","tag-travel-blogger","tag-warner-brothers-studio-tour","tag-world-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}