Day 4 – Birthday Magic in the Sky (and at Hogwarts)
Day 4 in London and this one was extra special, my 73rd birthday! And how better to spend it than floating above the city and then diving headfirst into the Wizarding World?
We kicked off the morning at the Sky Garden, watching London sprawl beneath us like a movie set. The skyline, the Thames, the glassy curve of The Shard and all of it sparkling in the morning sun. A calm, breathtaking start before the real magic kicked in.
The Shard
Tower Bridge
HMS
From Sky Garden, we added a bit of rock ‘n’ roll to the day with a visit to the London Beatles Store. A must-stop for any fan of the Fab Four, packed with memorabilia, vintage vinyl, and just enough nostalgia to make you want to twist and shout.
Then it was time to shift gears from Abbey Road to Diagon Alley.
We headed over to the Baker Street Visitor Centre, where we caught the 14:10 Harry Potter tour bus out to Warner Bros. Studios. The excitement started the minute we stepped onto the bus with fellow fans.
Before our 16:30 tour, we grabbed some lunch and treated ourselves to some seriously good ice cream (birthday treat number one). Then it was straight into the Wizarding World.
The Tour Starts Here
Misty, Bryon and Chase
Walking through the Great Hall, peeking inside Dumbledore’s office, staring down Aragog and gawking at the intricacies of every single set. We sipped Butterbeer, geeked out over every detail, and stayed right up until closing time. We’re all proud Potterheads , well, except Grandpa, but he was a great sport and seemed to enjoy some of it.
Dumbledore’s Office
The Pensieve
Where Harry Lived Under the Stairs
Harry’s Invitation s to Hogwarts after they had been ignored by the Dursley’s
The Flying Car
Hagrid’s Motorbike
The Train to Hogwarts
Hogwarts
After the magic, we caught the train back to London, tired, happy, and still half-expecting to see an owl fly past.
Best. Birthday. Ever.