Day 11: We woke up, said goodbye to Scotland, and then transferred to York. Once we arrived, we explored York Minster, which "is a beautiful and imposing Gothic cathedral. . . . The first church on the site was a wooden structure built in 627. Moves toward a more substantial stone building began in the 630s. . . . In 741, York Minster was destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt as a more impressive structure, containing 30 altars. The church and the entire area then passed through the hands of numerous invaders, and its history is obscure until the 10th century. The church was damaged in 1069, but the first Norman archbishop, arriving in 1070, organized repairs. The Danes destroyed the church in 1075, but it was again rebuilt. The new structure was damaged by fire in 1137 but was soon repaired" ("York Minster"). During the Reformation, all of the alters, tombs, and windows were destroyed. The cathedral was then damaged in another fire in 1840 ("York Minster"). Downstairs, there was a museum that detailed all of its history and even showed the different structures found when digging on the site. This place has definitely been through a lot, so it was nice spending some time there.

After exploring York Minster, our guide told us that Diagon Alley, the wizarding shopping alley from Harry Potter, was in York. She stated that the famous alley is called The Shambles and then took us to see it. The Shambles is "arguably the best preserved medieval street in the world. It was mentioned in the Doomsday Book of William the Conqueror in 1086. Many of the buildings on the street today date back to the late fourteenth and fifteenth century (around 1350-1475)" ("The Shambles York"). I really enjoyed the alley and could tell it had an obvious history, but I didn't believe it was actually Diagon Alley because there weren't any Harry Potter shops or merchandise. I figured if it was really Diagon Alley there would be a sign saying so or something, but there wasn't. We went into a tea shop, and my mom asked if The Shambles was indeed Diagon Alley; the workers seemed confused but then agreed it was the famous alley. They seemed clueless though. After doing some research, many say The Shambles acted as the inspiration for Diagon Alley but is most certainly not Diagon Alley. Our guide told us that some of the Harry Potter films have The Shambles as the backdrop, but everything I have read online states that that is simply a rumor. Our guide that day wasn't very good, so maybe she was just saying what most groups want to hear. Even though The Shambles wasn't Diagon Alley, it was still remarkable. The little shops really had a lot of character.

After exploring The Shambles, we made our way back to the Minster and ran into Cliffords Tower on the way. Unfortunately, we weren't able to go inside since it was closing time, but we were able to see it up close. Once we made it back to our group, we went to our hotel and called it a night.

Day 12: We started the day at Anne Hathaway's Cottage, which was very charming. Anne Hathaway was Shakespeare's wife, so there were references to Shakespeare throughout both the cottage and gardens.

Once we left Anne Hathaway's Cottage, we went directly to Shakespeare's birthplace: Stratford-upon-Avon. It was just as amazing as I thought it would be, and the town was splendid. We had a lot of time in Stratford, so we were able to explore more than just Shakespeare's birthplace, which was nice. Overall, it was a very laid back day, which was needed. We had been non-stop since we left, so having some time to relax was nice. While walking around Stratford, I came across a painting of Shakespeare that I had to buy, and I am glad I did because it looks great in my apartment. I adore Shakespeare, so I had to buy something from Stratford.

While we were walking around Stratford, we came across a Harry Potter shop, but everything inside was horribly expensive. They wanted 35 pound for a wand!! Another person from our group bought some butterbeer and offered me a sip. I am really glad I didn't buy any because it tasted horrible. I have yet to have any decent butterbeer though.

After Stratford, Terry took us to the Stocks, which was very entertaining. The Stocks- small wooden devices with foot holes- were a form of punishment for minor offenses in England. The Stocks immobilized a person, so he/she could be punished/tortured and sometimes killed. The Stocks can be found throughout England, even though they are no longer used. Terry put himself in the Stocks, and some students also tried it out, which was amusing.

After checking out the Stocks, we made it back to our hotel, had dinner, and got some sleep.

Day 13: Bath was our first destination of the day, and according to Rick Steves, "If ever a city enjoyed looking in the mirror, Bath's the one. Its streets a series of architectural chorus lines, Bath has more protected historic buildings per capita than any other town in England. The entire city, built of the creamy warm-tone limestone called 'Bath stone,' beams in its cover-girl complexion. Proud locals remind visitors that the town is routinely banned from the 'Britain in Bloom' contest to give other towns a chance to win."

The Roman Baths were absolutely amazing. It felt like I was stepping back in time, and I guess I was since "the bath complex in Bath was founded in 75 AD" (Sacred Destinations). Granted, a lot of it was in ruins, but it was still unbelievable. I was really impressed with the Roman Baths and could have easily stayed there all day.

We had lunch in Bath, so my mom and I decided to try a pasty, which is a small pie with meat, onions, and potatoes. I am really glad we ate a pasty because it was by far one of the best meals we had while in Europe.

After eating lunch in Bath, we transferred to Stonehenge, which was a major highlight for me. When researching different trips, I ended up picking this one because of Stonehenge. Who wouldn't want to visit this mysterious place? It is said the construction of this "prehistoric, mysterious circle of upright stones . . . began 5,000 years ago. The stones are aligned almost perfectly with the sunrise on the summer solstice, and it is almost unquestioned that Stonehenge was built as a spectacular place of worship. Although the faith of the Stonehenge builders predates any known religion, the site has become a place of pilgrimage and worship for Neopagans who identify themselves with the Druids or other forms of Celtic paganism. It is also popular with New Age devotees, who report powerful energies at the site" (Sacred Destinations). I didn't sense any powerful energies, but I did feel a great sense of wonder while there. I did some research before this trip and read reports that a lot of changes had taken place at Stonehenge and that people could no longer walk up to the great pillars of stone. I, therefore, imagined seeing it from a great distance, but luckily, we were able to get closer than I thought. I am really glad we made this stop.

After visiting Stonehendge, we headed to London. We were on our own for dinner, so my mom and I found this amazing pizza place. It was the best pizza I have ever had in my life!! We brought the pizza back to the hotel with us, so we could meet up with my friend Laura. Laura and I met when I lived in Chengdu, China; we both taught, but we actually met through Jess, my best friend from China. All three of us sang karaoke together while living in Chengdu and also shared some great meals. When I left Chengdu, though, I thought for sure I would never see Laura again, but we were able to meet up while I was in London, which was great. Laura grew up in London and contacted me when she heard I was going to be traveling there. Unfortunately, we weren't able to spend much time together, but it was great catching up. This time when we said goodbye I had the feeling we would run into each other again someday.

Day 14: We started the day with the London Eye, which "is one of the world's tallest observation wheels, with views over London from more than 442 feet in the air. Situated on the banks of the River Thames, it offers unrivaled panoramic vistas over London. Since opening at the turn of the century, the London Eye has become an iconic landmark, up there with Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and the Tower of London" ("London Eye"). The London Eye was amazing, as it allowed us to see the magnificent city in its entirety. Once we got off the London Eye, Terry hurried us over to the Thames River Cruise boat, and we jumped on. Therefore, within 2 hours, we saw London from both the sky and the river, which was great.

After the cruise, we made our way to the bus for a city tour. Our tour guide for the day was great and made us laugh a lot. Our first stop was Buckingham Palace-the Queen's official London residence. Apparently she was there the day we visited, but there is no way to really know. Our guide told us that when the Royal Standard is flying that that means she is inside, but I have also heard that it is always flying...who knows.

We then stopped at St. Paul's Cathedral, which is the largest cathedral in England. It has a similar history to the York Minster; several fires and the Reformation led to numerous repairs and remodels (Trachtenberg 380). Even though the architecture is apparently one of a kind, I spent more time looking at the birds since another person in our group stated that this was the cathedral where the old woman goes to feed the birds in Mary Poppins. The song lyrics even reference the cathedral:

"Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's
The little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she calls,
'Come, buy my bags full of crumbs;
Come feed the little birds' " (Mary Poppins).

Even the snow globe in the movie has St. Paul's Cathedral inside. You can see it in the following video: "Feed the Birds" video. Overall, the steps of the cathedral where the old lady sat in the film fascinated me more than anything else.

After visiting St. Paul's Cathedral, we saw some more of London on our way to dinner. After dinner, Terry took us to Leadenhall Market (i.e. Diagon Alley), but just like The Shambles, I wasn't sure if it was indeed Diagon Alley. Granted, it was really amazing seeing Leadenhall Market, but there weren't any Harry Potter related shops or anything that would tie it to Harry Potter. Apparently some of the filming for the Harry Potter films took place at Leadenhall Market, so it was really awesome that Terry took us to see it. It was really beautiful, and if it had had some wizarding shops, I really would have thought it was Diagon Alley.

After taking pictures of Leadenhall Market, we headed back to the hotel. We only had one more day in London, so we all wanted to get some sleep.

Day 15: I knew that when I went to London, I had to visit Platform 9¾ at Kings Cross Station. Therefore, since we didn't have to meet until 1 for Windsor Castle, a few of us made our way to the famous platform from Harry Potter. We had to ask a few people, but we did indeed find Platform 9¾. Even though the Hogwarts Express didn't pick me up, I still enjoyed the visit. Next to the platform was a Harry Potter shop, so I decided to buy some Harry Potter memorabilia. Visiting Platform 9¾ was a definite highlight for me.

After visiting Platform 9¾, we made our way to Windsor Castle, but because the traffic was absolutely horrible, it took us a while to get there. Windsor Castle "is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Its rich history spans almost 1000 years" ("Windsor Castle"). The castle was absolutely gorgeous; I couldn't imagine living in a place like that. Seeing Queen Anne's Doll house was also great because it is the "largest, most beautiful and most famous doll house in the world. Built for Queen Mary by the leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens between 1921 and 1924, this most magical of residences is a perfect replica in miniature of an aristocratic home. The house even includes electricity, running hot and cold water, working lifts and flushing lavatories" ("Queen Mary"). Unfortunately, because of the traffic and other factors, we did not have very much time at Windsor Castle, so I spent less than 5 minutes looking at the doll house, which was unfortunate. We spent more time at St. George's Chapel, but we could have spent more time there as well because it "is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England and is particularly noted for its magnificent stone fan vaulting. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the senior order of British Chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. St. George's Chapel is the resting place of many Kings and Queens, particularly since the creation of the Royal Vault, which was built by George III. Most Kings and Queens since George III have been buried at St. George's" (Royal Burials). The chapel was pretty amazing, but as I stated before, we really needed more time. At least we got to see everything, even if only briefly.

Once we were done rushing around Windsor Castle, we jumped back on the bus only to get stuck in traffic once again. We spent more time on the bus than at Windsor Castle, but it was worth the trip. We luckily made it to dinner on time and enjoyed our last meal with the entire group. During dinner and after, teary-eyed students were saying goodbye to Terry because most students were heading back the following morning. My group was the only group going on the extension to Paris, but even though our trip wasn't over yet, it was still our last night with Terry. He wasn't told about the extension until after he had booked another trip, so he wasn't able to go to Paris with us. He said that our new Tour Director would meet us in the morning and take us to the Eurostar. It was really hard saying goodbye to Terry. I have worked with people in the past for years who I never bonded with like I did with him in 15 days. He was an absolutely amazing Tour Director and friend, and I miss him greatly.