00013: Harry Potter, Part 1

Because of my age, this may be very strange to many people, but I love Harry Potter. I love the books; I love the films, and I love the Harry Potter Universe. I’m not a fanatic, and by that, I mean I’m not like people who know everything inside out about the books, films and side stories and get into arguments with others because someone has said something incorrectly. But I very much love the fantasy world J.K. Rowling created. (More about the problematic persona J.K. Rowling has become later).

I love this magical world so much that every time I travel to England, I visit a Harry Potter film site. I went to the Making of Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studios in Watford, UK three different times already. And while teaching at King’s College in London, I created Harry Potter walking expeditions for my students. We walked to the many different places featured in the films (in London), and once in those places, we discussed the scenes, the characters, and the dramatic action that took place at that particular spot. 

I also traveled to Gloucester, UK to visit the Gloucester Cathedral, which was used for the hallways of Hogwarts and other scenes. I traveled to Edinburg, Scotland where J.K. Rowling spent time at “The Elephant House” writing the book(s). And of course, I visited the real Diagon Alley (Victoria Street). 

As I said, I’m not a fanatic but I am obsessed with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The next time I go to England, I will go to Durham. Their cathedral was used for as many places as possible for Hogwarts, including classrooms and Quidditch training fields. I mean, why wouldn’t I go there? Look at me flying all over London and Hogwarts and for my first time, I say I could be in a Quidditch team. #carlosmanuelspeaksthetruth