Scotland

"Land of the free, home of the brave."
"Scotland!"

In light of fact that today is Harry Potter's birthday I would like to post about a very personal experience.

Last week I went to The Elephant House. The coffee shop where J.K. Rowling did most of her writing of Harry Potter. You know, in the beginning, when she was a poor, single mother and hanging out in coffee shops.

Especially this coffee shop. That painting above the sign is a painting of her writing.


Now I would like this place even if it wasn't culturally and personally significant. You can get a full breakfast for like six pounds. Which means you basically just bought your entire day's worth of food for about six pounds. Then their hot chocolate is really good. Chocolate cream on top of hot chocolate.

Then it is open, there is plenty of seating for parties or solos. There are jungle like plants everywhere. And elephants. Everywhere. A book case of elephant books. A shelf of Elephant figurines. It was just great.

I  had my notebook, my new copy of Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone (Yes, the British version) an hot chocolate. It doesn't get much better than that.

Then, while I was reading about Diagon Alley a group of American tourists took a picture of me. I'm hoping I reminded them of their granddaughters or something. Otherwise the idea of an old guy candidly snapping pictures of me is just a little odd.


Did I say it didn't get better?

I went into the girls bathroom and this is what I found. 

Almost every surface is covered with notes from others who have made this pilgrimage. Plenty of references to the book "Weasley is our King." "The Chamber has been opened." Ect.

But there were a great deal to Rowling herself. I remember one girl had written a really long paragraph thanking Mrs. Rowling for making Hermione a strong female character. Complete with textual evidence. (I'm not saying it's hard to find textual evidence as to why Hermione is a strong character, I'm just impressed this girl cited it. Literary power!)
Some are down right touching "Mrs. Rowling, I think of you as a second mom."

It was like my generations' Juliet's Wall. I seriously got choked up.

Well, I'm sorry but I think I have to wrap this up. I have to read some Harry Potter.