Oxford- The Harry Potter Tour with John & Ase

Oxford- The Harry Potter Tour

The magic began as an excited group visited the Warner Brothers Studio for a tour of Harry Potter. The doors to the Great Hall flung open and we gasped in amazement at how grand it was. We put on headphones and listened intently as we were shown Gryffindor's Office, Hagrid's Hut and The Burrows.

We felt like real Wizards as we got the chance to put on our school robes and have a flying lesson on the magical broomstick.

                                         

 There were so many props and costumes on display, it was incredible to see and learn about all the hard work that goes into making these brilliant films.

         

   

 We didn't think our day could get much better until right before us, on Platform 9 and 3/4 was the famous Hogwarts Express. We climbed aboard and imagined what it would be like to ride this magical train.

We were fascinated by the exhibits that were on display at the Natural History Museum. We particularly enjoyed the insect exhibition.

   

As the sun shone it was the perfect day to wander around the beautiful City of Oxford. Our tour guide for the day was a lovely lady called Victoria. She was so knowledgeable and showed us The Great Hall, which was the inspiration for Hogwarts.

     

                                      

The Island of Malta with Netty, Marguerite & Midi

  The Island of Malta  

In the warm sunshine we took a stroll along the promenade viewing the many boats in the harbour and took lovely photos. We then explored the town with ancient cobbled streets, and treated ourselves to a delicious ice cream and browsed the many gift shops. 

 

A trip to Valletta, the capital of Malta was fascinating. This city had so much history for us to explore. We visited the saluting battery which is situated up high along Valletta’s historic ramparts, overlooking the grand harbour surrounded by fortified towns. Each day at 12 noon, a canon is fired to signify the time of day. We were so lucky to witness this salute and have photographs taken with a soldier. 

 We enjoyed a refreshing dip in the hotel swimming pool and catching the rays relaxing on the sunbeds. 

We took a boat trip to Gozo and the Blue Lagoon. Gozo is one of 21 Maltese islands in the Mediterranean sea and is full of history. The boat trip was smooth and everyone enjoyed the scenic views. 

 When we disembarked at Mgarr harbour, we jumped on an open top bus and had a sightseeing tour around Gozo taking in the picturesque scenery. Our high position enabled us to have panoramic views of the stunning harbour and the church of Saint John the Baptist which was built in the late 17^th century. 

 At the Sea Life Aquarium we viewed many Mediterranean and tropical marine species in over 41 tanks. The highlight of the visit was walking through the glass tunnel where stingrays, fish and sharks swam above us. 

In the evening we enjoyed great entertainment and danced the night away!

We went to visit a classic car museum which was underground and set over 2 floors. It housed many iconic and restored classic cars alongside 1940s, 50s and 60s memorabilia. Everyone enjoyed this experience and were keen to have photos taken alongside the classic cars. 

Memphis- The Home of Elvis with Colin, Darren & Isobel

  Memphis- The Home of Elvis  

  

A memorable day for this very excited group as we made our way to Graceland, the home of Elvis. We put on our headphones as we listened to the incredible life of this iconic star. We couldn't believe that we were stood in his actual home and the rooms were perfectly untouched. 

The Meditation Garden where the gravestones of Elvis, his parents and younger brother were on display and were so beautifully kept. A special and peaceful moment was spent here.        

  

      

His car and motorbike collection was vast.  We loved looking at all his costumes and memorabilia from his films. Another great moment  was seeing his gold and platinum selling albums on display. 

 The music was blasting down the streets from the bars and restaurants. We stopped and listened to the fabulous live music. We couldn't resist a little dance too. The infamous BB King's provided us with a delicious meal and the soulful tunes were the perfect accompaniment to a wonderful evening.  

  

More brilliant music by a fantastic Elvis tribute act. The highlight being meeting Elvis's cousin who was also there watching the performance. How lucky were we!

We felt like rock stars visiting Sun Studio's as we stood in the same spot where Elvis recorded his first ever song, using the exact same microphone too. 

                                               

                                                   

We covered every inch of Memphis Zoo seeing so many different animals. It was a first for many of us to see a Panda up close. The cheeky Orang-utans were showing off to their audience making us laugh. We treated ourselves to a delicious ice cream to finish off a perfect day. 

It was the most beautiful day for a walk in the glorious sunshine along the famous Mississippi River. We spotted the old fashioned style paddle steamers and 'Rock n Roll' inspired statues.