Day 6 the Hogwarts Express

oh my - we got up early again and after breakfast headed to the bus.  today was the day we were going to ride the Hogwarts train all the way to Hogsmeade!!! 

the train was totally crowded with about 300 people on these tours.  Many Many were dressed in their robes.  It made me wish i had a robe too.  There was a whole lot of confusion getting the train loaded, and everybody seated.  Maybe it was like that for the days the the train picked up all the students for Hogwarts.

doesn't he look like a budding warlock?

yep, i am a diva....

I felt just like Hermione boarding the train with my friends!  Where is Ron and Harry?  I kept looking.  I found many other friends.

we got to sit in the actual 'movie' car.  i am sitting in the same seat that Harry and Ron and Hermione sat in!!

of course Billy was looking for Hermione for a totally different reason.

Bill and Glynis.  They are not really unhappy, but I think Glynis has gotten something from the every flavor bean box.   Wonder what the flavor was?

Mhallaig was such a lovely little coastal town, looking just like I imagined that Hogsmeade looked.

and there were witches and warlocks everywhere! 

once again, tho, we got in line at the restaurant for lunch.  we were told that this town had fabulous fish and chips, so that is what we wanted.  However, after waiting 20 minutes in line to get a table, then ordering and waiting another 20 minutes for it to arrive, there was no time left for shopping.   Choosing between shopping or eating, eating will win every time!

the train ride was 2 hours up and 2 hours in the town for lunch and shopping and 2 hours back.

how amazing to see the steam from leaning out the window.



Day 5 evening visit in the parlour

we had a lovely time visiting in the castle parlour

Evonne

Cathy and her husband

Ms Mario, Mario, Kimberly, Alexis, and Billy

Joey

Day 5 Glencoe and the Campbells and McDonalds

This morning we loaded up and headed off to Glencoe Valley.  This is the scene of a major deception of the King Charles II to the clan MacDonald.
The incident that happened this day still arouses the strong passions because it was the massacre of the MacDonalds in Glen Coe in February of 1692. It was not just the fact that 38 people were murdered by government troops, led by Captain Robert Campbell; it was the unforgivable sin that Campbell and his men had enjoyed the traditional Highland hospitality before turning on their hosts (who included his own niece and her husband).  The Campbells had arrived at night and in the middle of a blizzard.  The MacDonalds offered them food and drink and a bed in the true Scottish tradition.  In the wee hours of the morning, as the family lay sleeping, they were attacked and murdered. Three hundred years later, Campbells still suffer the opprobrium of the massacre. Generations of Scots children have been taught "never trust a Campbell."  It is true that there is a sign in the Clachaig Inn that says “No Campbells Allowed”. 

After visiting the glen, we once again boarded the bus to go to the woolen mills for shopping and lunch.  We had 45 minutes to do this.  However, there were 6 other busses there (also from the HP fan tours) that had the exact same idea.  SO the shopping area was packed like sardines, elbow to elbow and the lunch area had a line that was about 200 people long.  I couldn't shop for the crowd and lunch was impossible so Billy and I walked down the road and hopped the fence to the little inn next door.  There we sat down and had a very nice bowl of soup of some kind.  The girls brogue was so strong that I really didn't know what she said!

Then once again back on the bus to visit the place where filming for the third Harry Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .  Three sets were built near to the bottom of Clachaig Gully, and quite literally, just across the road from Clachaig Inn. The sets were located so as to take in the fantastic scenery, overlooking the Torren Lochan, and the Signal Rock forest to the rugged hills of the glen.

The sets were located so as to take in the fantastic scenery, overlooking the Torren Lochan, and the Signal Rock forest to the rugged hills of the glen

Hagrid's hut was located right behind me.   Can you see it?  I can imagine it myself.



The glen was very beautiful and I could have stayed quite a long time wandering around.  BUT we had to hop on the bus again so we could make it back to the castle on time.  On time for what?  To wait on the other half of our group that had gone hiking.  They didn't get back for another 2 hours because their bus driver didn't mind.

so we did another wander around the castle grounds.  Isn't this the neatest tree?

day 4 Lord Billy at home at the castle

Billy has long had aspirations of being Lord of the Manor.  Here at Iverlocky, he finally had his chance. 

the estate  Rolls, and Billy.  But where is the driver?

He put on his wellies and tromped around in the mud..

Such a country gentleman is he??

Day 3 - the pajama party

tonight after dinner a pajama party is planned complete with a story teller and a fortune teller.  All in the Harry Potter style.  it was actually great fun.  I was amazed that everyone showed up and almost everyone in their pajamas!

this is our storyteller

we played games till 11:00pm..

day 3 iverlocky castle

today we had a 'bit of a lie in' and actually didn't have to be anywhere till 10:00.  Then we boarded a very small plane (no it wasn't small because it was private,,,,just small) and flew to Glascow.  In Glascow we boarded another bus and headed off.  We made it to Iverlocky Castle about mid afternoon.  we will get to stay here for the next 2 days!.  This is sooo awesome.  I have never stayed in a real castle before!

                                                the view as we drove up

me relaxing in front of the castle

                                           the drawing room

                                                   my room

                           
                                             my bed

Notice the freshly caught salmon - yummmmm

Day 2 evening at Oxford

For some reason there seemed to be a need to get back to Oxford by 4:30 or so, so we did another race across the moors. The bus dropped us in front of the hotel and our guide lined us up for a 'short walk of 10-15 minutes' to the Bodleian Library. Someone should really tell the Brits that American's view of a 15 minute walk is not the same as theirs. They really should say 'brisk walk' or 'power walk' or for some of us shorter older folk.. 'a jog'

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                                                                             this was it!

She left us here to wander about a bit on our own and we did do another mosey around the streets of Oxford. It is a lovely old city and very interesting.

I don't know who these guys are -but they look pretty unhappy..

After walking around, we went back to hotel for dinner.  We were staying at the MalMaison 

This transformed former Victorian prison is now a stunning boutique hotel offering unique luxury in historic Oxford.

Our luggage was not delivered to the rooms as promised and we had to find it in the huge pile and drag it up the elevator and down some steps and thru the hall to finally get it to the room, but other than that it was good.

I didn't get an old prison cell for my room but one of the newer add on rooms.  However, it was still a cool place..