Lacock Abbey

Lacock Abbey is another place where they filmed the first two Harry Potter movies.  The Abbey's cloisters and side rooms were transformed into the classrooms at Hogwarts School while the location was also used for Harry's discovery of the Mirror of Erised.  In reality, Lacock Abbey was founded in 1232 and comprises:  cloisters, sacristy, chapter house and monastic rooms, courtyard, brewery and bakehouse.  I have to say this is one of the most beautiful and exciting places we have been.  The grounds around the Abbey were beautiful as well. 

Gloucester Cathedral

We decided to set out to visit one of the many places here in the UK where they filmed scenes from the Harry Potter movies.  The kids have really gotten into the Harry Potter movies since we have been here.  They have now seen every one.  Aaron and I on the other hand have only watched the first and last.  The corridors of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizadry were filmed at Gloucester cathedral.  The movies you will see these corridors in are Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  It was really fun to walk down the corridors and visualize the different scenes in the movie. 

Paris

What can I say but Ooh La La Paris was wonderful!  We stayed just down the road from the Eiffel Tower.  We could actually see it from our bedroom window.  The first night there we got there in the evening so we only walked around a bit and got something to eat close to our hotel.  The second day we all got lots of exercise walking all around Paris.  We began the day by having pastries at a wonderful deli.  They were soooo goood, The line at the Eiffel Tower was very long so we decided to purchase tickets online for the following day.  We walked on the other side of the river to Arc de Triumph which sits right in the middle of a round-a-bout and you have to walk thru the tunnel that goes under the road to get there.  The view from the top of Arc de Triumph was beautiful.  After that we did lots more walking, ate lunch, walked around a Christmas Market, and then headed back to the hotel and out for dinner.  The next day we went up the Eiffel Tower.  It was rainy and foggy, but the view from the 2nd level was nice.  We took a taxi over to the Louvre Museum and walked around there for hours seeing things like the Mona Lisa.  I was surprised by how small it was.  After the Louvre we decided to walk over to Printemps to see the shops and the street window displays which were beautiful.    After that we had dinner and headed back to the hotel.  Then it was back to the Eurostar Train the next day to head back home.