The Founder

Challenging conditions for the St George Open Air Cinema in Sydney last night but we were rain ready. On the program was The Founder.

Fab Film

 Saw a fab film, The Hundred Foot Journey,  last night at Castle Hill.

Best Mates

Taken fifty years ago this is a picture of me with my two best friends from school on a picnic. The image is not so good but my camera wasn't too good in those days either.

3 School Friends 1963 (I'm on the left)

A few times a year we get together in the City to see a movie or visit an attraction and have a bite to eat while we chat. Yesterday we were in the City bright and early to see the 10:00am session of  Behind the Candelabra  a movie about Liberace that we all thoroughly enjoyed. I had seen Liberace when he visited Australia in the early 80s so was keen to see how he was protrayed by Michael Douglas.

 After the movie we wandered around to Circular Quay where we found a restaurant with a sheltered spot in the sun. We ate and we talked and talked. Thankfully the restaurant people didn't move us on so we were able to engage in a 2 1/2 talkfest.

I love these get togethers with my old friends who, like me, just can't work out where those 50 years have gone.

Life of Pi

Last night, with Mr Geniaus, I attended the St George Open Air Cinema in Sydney's Botanical Gardens. This is becoming a tradition each summer when we gather with lots of other people to watch a movie under the stars with the backdrop of The Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

As a people watcher I enjoy arriving early, getting a good seat and having dinner from the bar while I watch the passing parade for the 2 1/2 hours before the movie begins. So many trendy people arrive in skimpy attire not suited to the evening temparatures and fresh harbour breeze while oldtimers like Mr Geniaus and I pack a coat for comfort when the sun goes down.

For good measure there is always a variety of seacraft passing by.

I am still trying to make up my mind about "The Life of Pi" last night's movie. It held my attention, the cinematography and acting were very good  but, for me, the story was just a bit too fantastic.

Freebie

Our day has had a real English flavour except for the beautiful blue sky. With our English cousin as guide we did a spot of shopping on Oxford Street followed by a pleasant few hours in The Victoria and Albert Museum that is just a couple of blocks away.

After a Steak and Ale pie dinner at the pub around the corner we returned to our hotel to watch the free inroom movie we were given. We can both highly recommend "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" about a group of English folk in our age bracket who retire to India.

30 hours

Just 30 hours after we left home we are installed in our hotel in the centre of Warsaw. Our flight from Sydney was largely uneventful. I managed to see four films in my movie marathon, I'd particularly recommend Hysteria (a real giggle) and The Artist (just plain interesting b/w silent movie).Red dog while entertaining didn't live up to the book. I also read one unremarkable book.

We suffered a painful Qantas checkin lady in Sydney but things improved after that. We just made our connection to Warsaw after standing in an interminably long and slow security queue at  Frankfurt Airport (I thought the Germans were supposed to be efficient!)

The highlight of the trip for me was that he, who is proud that he has read less than ten books in his life, added to his tally of books read. I had purchased three disposable books from our local thrift shop, Vinnies, for the trip. Mr Geniaus, who is particularly interested in World War II and the Nazi regime (part of the reason we are in Poland is to visit Auschwitz) noticed that one of the books I had was a report of his life in Auschwitz by a Greek Jew who was 15 at the time he was incarcerated. Mr Geniaus started thumbing through the pages and then actually read the book from cover to cover. Wonders will never cease!

Warsaw looks like a pretty city  with some nice tree lined avenues displaying their autumnal colours, some drab communist era buidlings and some gorgeous European ones but I can only comment on what I have seen on the car trip from the airport. I am resting up for our traditional Polish Dinner and walking tour through the old city this evening.

I'll probably blog more from here as there is free hotel internet in 1 hour blocks.

Warsaw Buildings from our hotel window

Hope Springs

We arrived bright and early

Mr Geniaus and I really enjoyed the movie Hope Springs that we saw last night at Castle Hill Event Cinemas Gold Class .

IMDB describes the movie thus "After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship."

As an old married couple we enjoyed the movie and could see some parallels with our life and those of our peers.  Mr Geniaus had to sshh me a few times because I was laughing out so loud in the many funny instances in the film. Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones were really believable characters. 

Anyone who has survived a long marriage will enjoy this movie.

This is what I believe

Reposting this image and post that I accidentally deleted.

Nearly as good as the book

Saw and enjoyed "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". The movie was nearly as good as the book. Take your tissues with you.

Read the book first: https://www.amazon.com.au/Boy-Striped-Pyjamas/dp/1909531197/