How Living in England Ruins Harry Potter

Saying this before I moved to England...I admit I would have felt like an idiot. Well, admittedly I still kind of do, but it's so true...living in England ruins Harry Potter! Let me explain...

In my previous blog you guys saw the train...

This is the real thing...this is the train we took from London.

Now this is the Harry Potter Version...

I know... eerily similar right?  This could be because parts of the movie were shot in London, but it's hard to tell which ones.

And on to the Trolleys...

Who would have thought that these things really exist?  I did not know what the word  Trolley even meant until I got to England.  I kind of just thought it was a Harry Potter version of the word cart.  

And the Harry Potter Version...

Okay, maybe I did not have a cool owl for my trolley, but you know what...same thing.  And there was not a platform 9 3/4.  However, let me note that a "real" platform 9 3/4 does exist at the London King's Cross Rail Station (not at the rail station we crossed through unfortunately).  A video of platform 9 3/4 is found here http://thehogshead.org/the-real-platform-9-34-856/  

Speaking of public transportation in England the buses are another entirely frightening and a very Harry Potter Esque experience.  Watch this short Harry Potter clip and I will explain...

Okay...I will give you a play by play of the similarities.  Similarity 1: (sorry it does not show this in this specific clip) The conductor introduces himself...very common on the trains...they always tell you what to expect, where you are going and if there are any delays.  Similarity 2:  Notice the bus is a double decker...yes we do have those, although I unfortunately have not had the privilege of riding on one yet.  Similarity 3:  The conductor usually also has an English accent...just kidding, I mean it is factual but a horrible similarity.  Look at the device the conductor is holding...this is a ticket dispensing machine...again more common on trains, but this is how they ticket you on the train if you lost your ticket or were trying to get away without paying.  You put your credit card in and a ticket pops out.  Similarity 4:  Take it away ernie!  It always seems to be that every time someone is driving the bus I swear they drive it like this crazy old guy.  It is crazy fast, quick around the corner, and nauseating, especially if you get a backwards seat.  Similarity 5:  You have to watch out for those buses as a pedestrian.  There was a lady Trevor and I almost watched get hit by a bus...the girl walked in front of it and disobeyed the pedestrian crosswalk symbol.  Crazy...the bus stopped just inches in front of her.  

Lets talk about the school uniforms...oh yah...the school kids wear them.  The "real ones" may actually look more theatrical then the Harry Potter uniforms.  

These are the uniforms worn by local school kids.  I love the girls outfits...they even have the skirt and tights to go with them.   It's totally normal on a daily basis to see these outfits walking down the street.  With these outfits and the English buildings surrounding me...it's pretty much impossible not to do a double take.

Here is the Harry Potter version of the uniform for good measure.

Miscellaneous Similarities:  To state the obvious, another similarity is that the sky is almost always grey and gloomy looking as it is in Harry Potter.  There are many cute little side shops also (like Vanders wand shop), we don't really have a big outlet store like wal-mart where you can go and in one stop get everything you need.  We also have a lot of cats here...some lurk the streets the others sit in the windows and observe you as you pass...it's hard not to think of Professor McGonagall or Mr. Filch's Cat.

I know I stated above that living in England ruins Harry Potter, and yes it does take a little of the magic out of it, however I take my statement back because now I feel like it's kind of like living the real thing.  Especially since they are now doing studio tours of the London set only hours from where I live!  I know right...exciting!  Here is the link for more info in case any of you people who plan to visit me will want to check it out... http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=harry+potter&utm_campaign=harry+potter

So, if you will excuse me...I am going to watch some Harry Potter...go to bed...wake up and live the real thing when I take a walk through the English streets to catch my train for school in the morning.  I still <3 Harry Potter!