Friday, March 28, 2014

Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Before 1997 Kings Cross would have been considered just another train station.  A hub of transportation from London to Oxford or Cambridge or Liverpool.  A way to get from one city to another.  And then came JK Rowling, and suddenly Kings Cross was still a train station - but also home to a little bit of magic by way of Platform 9 3/4.

Not that long ago it was just a hidden sign on a wall, but now it comes with it's own store, and an hour long line up to have your photo taken with the famous cart, half jammed into the wall, complete with books and a mini-version of Hedwig.  You can choose your own scarf as per your house (I'm Ravenclaw....so blue for me) and have your photo taken, scarf flowing in the wind.  The people from the shop charge £10 for a print, but you can also take your own - for free!  Then again, given how many souvenirs our group bought, I think we earned a free photo!

Not only did we have photos taken, but we went into the shop to pick up various knick knacks of the Harry Potter variety - the most significant being a handful of wands.  I'd say we all picked our favourites, but everyone knows that the wand picks the wizard.

Wands and souvenirs (top and centre left), the line for photos (bottom left), and Shelby and Janey wait for the wand to choose the wizard.
Kings Cross Station
Celina (Gryffindor) and Serena (Slytherin)
Rene and Suesha (Gryffindor)
Shelby (Gryffindor) and Janey (Ravenclaw)
Simran and Harpreet (Gryffindor)
Group (top left and bottom), and Me (top right, Ravenclaw)

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