We’ve been busy and on the go for eight days straight so there’s been no time to contemplate everything we’ve seen and attempted to absorb. Cathryn said it best after exploring our umpteenth temple, “it’s overwhelming.” It was meant in a good way since each and every ancient site was truly amazing. The pyramids at Giza are just a drop in the bucket of Egyptian wonders.
Cairo, Egypt
This trip was chosen as a 60th birthday present to me. For the first leg of the trip, in Egypt, we chose a no-brainer packaged 10 day tour that included Cairo, Giza, and a Nile River cruise with stops at various historical sites. Our package included a guide, most meals, transportation by boat and taxi and van, and entry fees to all the sites.
Mary Queen of Scots
Here’s a movie for all you Outlander fans. It’s about two different Queens from two different countries trying to control their own kingdoms, while maneuvering to combine the two and decide who will rule the British Empire.
It’s a true story that takes you behind the scenes of Scottish and English royalty, revealing their personalities, quirks, ambitions and idiosyncrasies. There is plotting and deceit and treachery that offer twists and turns throughout the story.
There are only a few recognizable faces in the cast, but the acting was superb. Outlander fans might also recognize some of the scenery and at least one castle in particular. Although the flick wasn’t one we were dying to see, Cathryn and I enjoyed it, both giving it a 7 out of 10.
The Mule
Clint Eastwood says The Mule is the last movie he’ll act in, but oddly enough, he fit the main character’s roll perfectly. The story is about 90 year old horticulturist Earl Stone who takes on a job transporting dope for a Mexican cartel after his plant business goes belly up.
Earl was only going to make one trip, but upon seeing how easy he could make a pile of cash, he takes on bigger and bigger shipments. He uses the money to try and buy his way back into his family’s good graces.
Eastwood brings back Bradley Cooper for the role of a DEA Agent who is trying to make a name for himself, and to make his boss look good, by making a large cartel bust.
The movie is descent, perhaps a bit less intense than most of Clint’s work, but with a few life lessons about family and money. Cathryn and I both give it a 7 out of 10.
Bohemian Rhapsody – The Movie
If you’re a fan of Freddie Mercury, Queen, or any of their music, stop reading now and either click on the trailer link or go see the movie. The soundtrack will have you rocking in your seat, no matter where you see it.
First Man
There have been many movies made about space exploration, but First Man is unique in that it lets you see and experience the thrills and spills of travelling to outer space through the eyes of those who have done it. None of us mere mortals can even imagine how it feels to do the crazy and courageous stunts that the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronauts have done for mankind.
A Star is Born
I remember seeing the second remake of A Star is born with Kristofferson and Streisand, but barely remember the story. Besides acting in, and directing this latest installment of the tragic love story, Bradley Cooper wrote the screenplay. Although he personalized the movie by changing things like the music, he paid homage to the earlier versions by re-using character traits and certain things in the plot.
Campus Martius – Heart of Detroit
“After the great fire of 1805 which destroyed most of Detroit, Judge Woodward was appointed to oversee the city’s rebuild plan to lay out the streets, squares and lots with the assistance of the best surveyors from Canada. They placed their instruments and astronomical devices on the summit of a huge stone from which they viewed the planets and meteors in order to determine “true North.” Today, we still call this the “Point of Origin,” which is located in center of Campus Martius at the junction of Woodward and Monroe. It is from this point that the City of Detroit’s coordinate system was created.
The Secret Servant – Daniel Silva
The Secret Servant (Gabriel Allon, #7)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review
Sep 14, 2018
I’ve read a few of Daniel Silva’s novels now, and I’ve become a fan of his spy thrillers and Israeli Intelligence character Gabriel Allon. The stories are action-packed, and take us to different countries around the world. Most plots revolve around terrorism.
The Secret Servant has the Mossad and the CIA working together to hunt down bad guys and kidnappers in Amsterdam and London, England. I like how Silva’s main character relies on his support team to get things done, unlike the superhero characters of some novels.
The stories in this series are fictitious, but right on the mark with it’s tales of terror before and after 911. Allon is infamous hunting down and executing the Islamic terrorists who were responsible for Black September, the massacre at the Munich Olympics.
The story’s pace is quick and it keeps the reader flipping to the next page.
The Secret Servant has the Mossad and the CIA working together to hunt down bad guys and kidnappers in Amsterdam and London, England. I like how Silva’s main character relies on his support team to get things done, unlike the superhero characters of some novels.
The stories in this series are fictitious, but right on the mark with it’s tales of terror before and after 911. Allon is infamous hunting down and executing the Islamic terrorists who were responsible for Black September, the massacre at the Munich Olympics.
The story’s pace is quick and it keeps the reader flipping to the next page.
Mission Impossible – Fallout
What can I say, I’ve been a fan of Mission Impossible since Tom Cruise was kindergarten. And as much as times and television and movies have changed over the years, I love how the producers have kept the same theme and music and gimmicks. Yes, one CIA character in the new movie even refers to the Halloween masks that the IMF uses to pull off their impossible missions.
Life Written and Reviewed 