Los Havros

This post was originally written on the City In The Clouds blog.

Yes, I return.  I’ve been on a rather nice holiday to France and Spain, escaping the poor (which is putting it very mildly) weather.  I’ve never known a summer like it.  Get ready for a bumper post stuffed full of this and that…mainly that.

Harry Potter
Yup, I managed to snag a copy just before I left and I devoured it in 2 days.  I have to say that The Deathly Hallows is an epic masterpiece.  Sure, it’s a lot darker and less of a merry romp like the previous book but why should it be?  Harry continues to grow up and faces dark times.  What you get is a gritty, action-packed finale which rivals Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.  Highly recommended.

Speaking of which…
I also finished reading the Lord of the Rings whilst on holiday.  I had watched the films (including the extended editions) but found myself wanting more.  Last year I bought a 7 book collection of the Lord of the Rings and managed to get through about half of it that summer.  Then, once you throw in going to uni and other various things, I just didn’t have the time.  So I got myself reacquainted with Frodo this summer and finally finished it!

The Festival of Bayonne 2007
Absolutely crazy.  Though I didn’t actually take part in the festival, I did get a T-shirt.  So yea, there were abandoned cars literally stacked round central reservations, roundabouts, and generally left like a collapsed set of dominoes at the roadside.  I even saw tents pitched!  Next time I’m in the area I might see what the fuss is all about.

The Simpsons Movie is disappointing…
Yup, I dared to say that.  It is like a poor feature-length episode, but not a particularly good episode.  I preferred the classic Simpsons episodes.  So yup, after months and months of hype I now feel hollow and empty inside, like a chocolate Easter bunny that’s been discarded by a greedy child that ate too much chocolate.  I digress…

…but Rush Hour 3 is hilarious
I only found out this film existed a few days ago which was a pleasant surprise.  Lo and behold it is funny and most excellent, you could generally say.  All this without any hype as well.  The Simpsons Movie (above) billed itself as the next best thing, but simply wasn’t and a decent film like Rush Hour 3 just comes along and gets down to business- being a rip-roaring action-packed comedy.  Good stuff.