I arrived home Wednesday from a week-long meeting in Orlando. It was our yearly fall meeting and while it may sound like a vacation in the Sunshine State, I was mostly in continuing education courses from 8-5. This meeting was kind of a big deal because I took the board exam; 150 multiple-choice question test that, if I pass both the written and practical test (coming up in a couple of weeks), I will be a board certified ocularist. I have no idea how I did; I would be going along just fine and then hit a pack of questions that I was more or less guessing the answers. I won't know the results until the end of March but I'm not striving for perfection or even a high score, I just want to pass. I am perfectly content being mediocre.

While most people think that the main reason I went to the meeting was to take my exam and receive continuing education credits, it was actually to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

It. Was. Amazing. Best day of my life to date. You think I'm kidding? I'm totally serious.

Because the courses were ag in line we passed Hagrid's hut-

Then we took a self-guided tour of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (the pictures will make more sense to those who have read the books or seen the movies)-

We rode a simulated ride through the castle (which was awesome- parts were like an IMAX ride and other parts were live, complete with Dementors, giant tarantulas, dragons and travelling by floo powder). There was another roller coaster- the Dragon Challenge- but it was one that your feet hang and it goes upside down and I just don't do those.

When we got hungry we ate at the Three Broomsticks (which, incidentally, shared dining space with the Hogs Head) where you could choose from fish and chips, shepard's pie and other very British dishes. To drink, of course, we ordered butterbeers, which turned out to be something similar to cream soda with melted marshmellow that simulated beer foam. It was extremely sweet but awfully tasty. On our way out I noticed a cart selling pumpkin juice which I also had to try. It was even sweeter than the butterbeer and I could drink only a few sips before I felt like I was going into sugar shock, but it was still good and now I can say I had both butterbeer and pumpkin juice in Hogsmeade.

Some other shops we visited-

Zonko's Joke Shop


Honeyduke's Sweet Shop

Dervish and Banges wizard supply store

Ollivander's (which, technically, is in Diagon Alley in London, not Hogsmeade). There was a massive line outside of Ollivander's because you could actually have a wand chosen for you (or, rather, have a wand choose you). If I had had more time I would have done it- and I wouldn't have been the oldest person in line, either! While there were plenty of small children waiting with their parents, there were also grown adults waiting to buy a wand from Ollivander's.

The Owl Post, where a kindly witch would stamp and mail your postcards (not by actual owl, of course)

I went back again after I had finished my exam. Considering how I felt about the test, I thought I deserved it. So I pottered (a real word as well as a pun) around for a couple of hours, took more pictures and just enjoyed being a part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Now, I realize that I am an adult and many people poke fun at how much I love Harry Potter, but those of you who have read the books can attest that, while the story is full of magic and fun, it is also an amazing work of literary fiction. J.K. Rowling has created a entire world with its own customs, traditions and language- right down to the smallest of details. Since visiting Hogsmeade and Hogswart I have started reading the series over (again). If you have never re-read these books, you should, because you catch so many more of the tiny details that make this series so wonderful!