My B. C. Trip Part 3

I thought I could write about my trip in 3 parts..hahahaaa...I forgot that I am a blithering talker  and simply can’t  concise it in just 3 parts. Since then (it has been over a month now) my hubby and I traveled to his Aunt’s place right on The Richelieu River which was very relaxing. Now, back in July, (music and fade to...) Day 3 was a better day for my friend, Jeff, since we can leave the previous day behind and start fresh in beautiful downtown Banff.

We had a choice, I could have gone up the gondola ride and looked at more vistas or I could have a nice relaxing swim in the hot springs. Let me ponder this, ...get in a tiny cable car dangling by a wire, feel my heart pound and have everyone see me as I freak out, which will not look c'est chique, due to my horrible fear of heights, or swim in the beautiful warm waters of these hot springs, relaxing and looking at the vista as my sore body relaxes for an hour.(What a flippin long sentence) Yup, the waters won and I am so happy that I took this swim.

This swimming hole was very close to The Banff Springs Hotel, an exclusive and famous hotel that has great history along with ghost stories! I wish I had time to wander around looking like I owned the place in my $10 top and $20 capri's wearing my artist socks with sandals! The security guard would have probably followed me everywhere.

Downtown Banff looks like a picture postcard and has hotels, restaurants and tourist shops...everything one needs to make one poor.

After we left Banff, we headed to Johnston Trail to the Upper and Lower Falls. We only had time to hike to the lower falls which was aok and what views! I loved this walk which was part trail and part walkway up against some big rocks. I was proud of myself to be able to walk the length (1/2 mile) and walk on this narrow path. I did walk on the inside and told everyone to just go around me as I am scared of heights. They seemed fine plus they had no choice:)

I love these bridges, why? They are not for humans but for animals! Along this hwy, many animals were being killed by cars not to mention people and the cars being smashed, but I care more about the animals. For over a 100 miles (I think), there is fencing preventing the animals from crossing the road except for the bridges and the tunnels. Cameras were set up to see if animals were using the crossings and, yes they are, they have pictures of cougars, bears, wolves, moose etc... One can go to Youtube and check it out.

Lake Milne was a sight to behold! It was actually on the back of our $20 bill until 1989 and, if you ask me, they should have kept it. The first picture was taken at shore level whereas the 2nd picture, courtesy of Mr. Jeff, was taken up top this huge stone pile where the actual shot for the $20 bill was done. The colour of the lake is actually that beautiful aqua blue due to the silt. We had 45 minutes here and Jeff was ready to kill the family of 14 who decided to take the steps up to the viewing platform in the last 10 minutes! Jeff told them he would leave them there & they would need a taxi back. The kids started to shriek but Jeff got the message across. This family were always late, complained for better seats, were belligerent to the bus driver (not all 14 but 2 of them were) and never tipped!

After seeing another bear munch down on some sweet blueberries, not humans, we arrived at Lake Louise. The view is yet another amazing sight of Lake Louise and a glacier that many people, who stay at the Lake Louise resort, can enjoy. The gardens are beautiful and I even saw some prairie dog or some rodent on the lawn, chirping away while her youngins' fed. As Jeff tried to get closer for a shot, she gave some shriek and they all scampered down a hole.  I have to admit the exterior of the resort was meh because, if taken out of this scenery, you would think you are looking at a hospital or some nut house.

The next morning, it was a balmy 7C, rainy but dramatic as we traveled through some of the nicest scenery yet. I became a shutter fiend again and took tons of pics which I whittled down and show 2 here. It was moody and magnificent and I am not talking about Jane Russell or her mountains (Yes she was described this way).

Almost done...

Thursday Movie Picks- Non-English Language Movies

Talk about an open theme! Some will have a huge amount of films to choose from while others may be more limited. I enjoy foreign film, when I can see them, because I don’t have the wide ability to see many foreign films...but I will always try. Check out Wandering Through The Shelves to see what theothers have chosen. So..here are my 3..

1. M-1931

This is a German Expressionist film at its finest. It is an early sound film so one has to take the early process into mind. It stars Peter Lorre as a serial killer of children who becomes the hunted by the terrified people of that city. When he is finally caught by the denizens of the city he is brought to a kangaroo court and before you realize, you actually  feel sympathy for that killer. This is a testament to Peter Lorre’s virtuoso acting performance as the killer and the direction of  Fritz Lang who, in 3 years,with Peter Lorre and many others, escaped to the U. S and Hollywood, when Hitler came to power. I love the cinematography with all the great imagery which results in a truly artistic style of film making.

2. 400 BLOWS-1959

Talk about a film that blew away the film industry and is cited in all film books plus, as one of the best films ever made. It was part of the New Wave cinema that came from France driven mainly by Jean Luc Godard and the director of this film, Francois Truffaut. This film is semi-autobiographical, about a young boy (Jean Pierre Léaud who is 71 now!) who is misunderstood by his mom and step-dad and gets into trouble at school and in life..poor kid. He ends up in jail and a home for juvenile delinquents. The kid is amazing and believable which resulted in 4 more films about this kid’s life. I just love this film that stands up so well today as back then...a must-see.

3. KOLYA-1996

This is a sweet, bittersweet but still a happy film about a man and a child. Now, many of you know that I am not a child lover. They are okay long as they don’t talk:) This film made me smile especially because the kid is so cute but can hold his own against the older actor. This takes place, in the Czech Republic, in 1988 when a down on his luck musician is playing at funerals after being fired from the philharmonic. His friend sets him up to marry a woman from Russia so she can emigrate out of her country. Due to many reasons, she go to West Germany to be with her boyfriend and leaves her son with the older musician. Neither the kid nor the old man know how to communicate at first, but soon, they develop a bond and each teach the other that the world is not as bad as it seems. This film has received some negative reviews a few years after it came out to many accolades, but I think, it is unjustified. I found it funny, sweet, sad and everything else in between due mainly to the acting, writing and directing.

Which films would you choose?

Thursday Movie Picks-Siege Movies

I am vacationing on the Richelieu River at my hubby's Aunt's place which is always nice to be. Of course, this means I am writing this ahead of schedule. I had a tough time writing about this theme this week. I could have gone all war films since it is one siege after another but I decided on some other flicks. Head over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what the others have chosen. Here are my 3...

1. THE ALAMO-1960

This is an epic Ode To Joy for John Wayne who sank almost all his money into this mega production which got away from him despite the lengthy time of this film. John Wayne had big ideas for this movie and wanted to produce and direct it but not star in it until the backers wouldn't back it unless he starred in the picture so he became Fess Parker..um..I mean Davy Crockett. The film is quite lengthy and does lag a bit on occasion but I still enjoy it. Duke had the music he loved in the film, the love of his country and giving a break to young singers, in this case, Frankie Avalon. We all know the saga about Boone, Bowie and William Travis (played by Lawrence, I wanna punch his face, Harvey) who, with a handful of men try to defend this small mission to buy Houston time and end up dying for the state of Texas. It is well acted  and I do love the music but some of the truths were changed a bit...Davy did not die that evening...

2. THE ALAMO-2004

Yup this is a remake but, sorry Duke, a better film in my humble opinion and it pains me because I love John Wayne. This time the film stars Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett and it seems it is more on point with the facts but don't quote me. It is also long but I felt it "traveled" better and kept the pace up. Dennis Quaid plays Houston who needs the time to group his own men to keep Texas  out of the hands of Mexico. I really enjoyed Billy Bob in this film.

3. THE SIEGE-1998

I could have gone with Under Siege with Steven Seagal but I can't stand him even though I saw this movie so I went with The Siege starring  Hubba Hubba Denzel Washington as an FBI agent who teams with a CIA operative to find out the who has been terrorizing the city via bombings and other horrible acts. Martial law is declared and in steps a guy who just loves a little torture by making everyone watch Kelly Ripa....no sorry, I couldn't help myself. Poor Bruce Willis was up for a Razzie Award for his performance but I didn't mind it. It is not the greatest of flicks but I did find it fun if you dig terrorists, martial law and torture but hey, it has Denzel!

What would be your 3?

My B.C. Trip-Part Deux

Just look at that magnificent mountain! No I am not talking about Nicki Minaj's huge ass but Mount Robson which is very impressive and we were lucky seeing the top as, most of the time, it is hidden behind clouds. We did see a black bear-a youngin' but the picture is not good so no bear photo. Oh and if you want to read Part 1 you can read about it here.

On the road again and this was a long day for my friend since everything was delayed due to the major traffic accident. I loved seeing all these mountains and views but, I have to admit my head flopped back and I slept again. I failed the test that Jeff gave me..oh well... Here is another mountain view

Stunning views travelling through the Rockies seeing snow, beautiful green evergreens but there is also a semi desert in one area which was unusual. We also saw the remains of a fire from the year before. This year, they are being hit with more fires...ughh

We stopped on the side of the road for this magnificent view of  Stuttfield Glacier. It was just an amazing sight where I took many pictures only to realize later, that I don't need 25 pictures of a glacier.

Yes...This was another sight at the glacier. Apparently, one can rent out these vans with each van coloured and written in bold with no political correctness in sight. I loved it! The side had a girl screaming with the words "Disco Sucks" . How could I not take a picture of this and I snickered when the people who were driving this van spoke...they were German..Hahahaaa. I would totally rent a van from this company.

Finally, we made it to Jasper by 1pm! We were supposed to be in Jasper the night before and pick up the remaining chickens, er,,,I mean tourists at the Jasper Hotel by 8am so we were very late mainly due to that horrific car accident.  When I saw the cab of the semi, there was nothing left and I am surprised, gratefully, that he made it out alive. Now, onto happier times....despite the long delay, Jasper was so pretty. It is a small town with mainly gift shops, restaurants and hotels but the view was spectacular!

After us chickens got back on the bus, we kept driving but made a stop at this gorge with this beautiful water rapids carving its way down to its destination. I love anything having to do with water and enjoyed walking along the trail seeing this nature...just wonderful!

We finally arrived at Athabasca Glacier by 3:30pm when we should have been there by 1pm. We clucked our way off the bus, traveled on another bus to hop off and get on this glacier bus/tractor that was driven by a funny California valley Girl who was just too perky but I didn't mind. I walked on this glacier and it was a bit on the cool side but so much fun. I saw someone in shorts and a T-shirt checking out the glacier beyond the safety zone making sure all was well. If you look closely, the black small mass on the ice field are a bunch of tourists.

Jeff and I, or is that me(?) on the glacier looking so young courtesy of smoothing out the skin with photoshop. He outdid himself that day making sure the people who waited for so long, in Jasper, were well taken care of and making sure our feathers didn't get ruffled by something that was out of his control. Here one can really see his new haircut which I call the Prussian look:)

Near the end of our long journey we stopped for a look at this famous lake-Peyto Lake. The silt in the water creates this vivid aqua look. It is stunning and is often shown in magazines and films. We did not appreciate the mosquitoes that loved blood a little too much.

We finally arrived in Banff at 8:45pm when we should have been there around 6pm so it was a long day of delays. My friend was just about ready to cave, but he made it through to try to look suave in his white bathrobe..I just looked at him and laughed like hell. The delays were not just from the huge accident but a family of 14 chickens who would dilly dally and be late to the bus. Being late is a major no no for my friend who was just about ready to pluck them and send them to KFC. In 2 weeks I plan on part 3:)

Wandering through the Shelves-Body Switch

I wish I could switch into the body of someone even for a day like J-Lo, Sophia Vergera, or my friend Ali who is so happy being 124lbs...the bitch😁. Of course, this week it is all about switching bodies which is a fun premise for a movie. Wandering through the Shelves is the host of this weekly series where you pick 3 films that work to the theme. Head on over to join or see what the others have chosen. Here are my 3...

1. TURNABOUT-1940

This is a cute little gem that I was happy to see when the great Elwy Yost hosted Saturday Night at the Movies ( I miss this program so much). It stars Carole Landis, the sad gal who had an affair with Rex Harrison and ended up killing herself when he called it off, as the spoiled wife of  an advertising exec, played by John Hubbard who works all day and thinks his wife does nothing. They do nothing but bicker and bicker often in front of an Indian Statue a friend of theirs gave to them. When each wishes they could be in the others shoes, their wish is granted much to their distress. Hilarity ensues when each discover that it is not all that cracked up to be in their partner’s shoes. I found it a fun comedy and loved Carole Landis’s performance.

2. HEAVEN CAN WAIT-1978

This is a remake of a great film, "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" starring Robert Montgomery and Claude Rains but I decided to showcase the remake starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. I actually really love this remake which I find quite funny, warm and sad all at once. It’s about Joe, a football quarterback who gets into an accident but shouldn’t have died. His soul is taken, by an over zealous angel, before his time and now the head angel, played by James Mason, must correct the boo-boo. Mason finds a filthy rich bugger who has just been killed by his scheming wife and his personal secretary and places Joe into the body while he tries to find a more permanent one. When the rich guy seems aok, his wife is dumbfounded. In the meantime, a young woman wants to have the rich guy, now Joe, stop what he is doing since she is an environmental activist. My favourite part of the movie is Beatty’s relationship with his old coach, played by Jack Warden. It’s quite good for a remake and I recommend this one as well as the original but please skip the 3rd remake with Chris Rock which sucks.

3. ALL OF ME-1984

When I saw this in the theatre, I laughed like hell and it showed that Steve Martin was more than just the Jerk. He plays the lawyer of a rich woman who is nasty but mainly due to being sickly her whole life and lonely. Through an Indian Guru, somehow(I won’t tell you how) she is placed into the body of Steve Martin but he is still in the body so they are sharing one body which results in some hilarious situations. It showcases Martin’s physical comedy but also a softer side when he looks in the mirror and sees Lily Tomlin, the sick, dying rich gal, and starts to get to know her. She gets to know him in more ways than one when he is ready to score with a lovely lass but Lily wakes up and realizes what is about to happen...ewweewwwww. This is fun, sweet and funny.

What would you choose?

Friday...I hope:)

So, I am always late...that should be on my headstone! I plan on writing about part 2 of my BC exploits and wanted to do it today but my phone died which is where my pictures are held. If my head was on straight, I would have sent the pictures to my email already but I...did not. I can blame yesterday on receiving my Lydocaine  infusion which makes me more stoned that Cheech and Chong. So, until Friday, when I plan on part 2 of my BC adventure, here is some listening music for your entertainment...

Wandering Through The Shelves: TV Edition-Spies

It is almost the end of July...July! Holy Cucumbers Batman...where is this year going? We are in the midst of a heat wave which I hate and, being in Canada, it is construction season. This has nothing to do with this week's topic unless we realize that spies can be cool as cucumbers..far stretch I know. I still have to see a single episode of It Takes a Thief with Robert, I did not push my wife off the boat, Wagner and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. starring Robert Vaughan and David McCallum so they are not on my list. Wandering Through The Shelves will have a list of the film nuts participating this week and it will be fun to see which shows they choose because there are quite a few. Here are my 3 plus 1...

1. THE AVENGERS-1961-1969

Debonair Steed is partnered with vivacious va-va-vooms from Catherine Gale(Ms. Pussy Galore, Honor Blackman, Mrs. Emma Peel (the best-Diana Rigg and her funky outfits) and Tara King (played by Linda Thorson). They must subdue the evil-doers of the world with his trusty umbrella and the ladies' brand of judo/kung-fu. It is high camp at its coolest and most chique with very odd villains. I loved this show and wanted to be Ms. Emma Peel. I think my brother licked the screen whenever Mrs. Peel came on in her onesy cutout pleather outfit complete with a sexy watch chain.

2. SCARECROW AND MRS. KING-1983-1987

I would not miss one episode of this series that starred Kate Jackson as a suburban single mom, with her own mom and 2 kids, who happens along at the right..or wrong time helping out an agent played by Bruce Boxleitner. He is suave and dangerous and she is ...not, but somehow she has a knack for being a spy and being able to help out at the right time. Of course, it was also a romantic will they or won't they shag which was the in thing to do at that time. This was a fun, comedic show that one enjoyed and never took seriously. I wish it would come back on so I could watch it again.

3. COUNTERSTRIKE-1990-1993

A Canadian show that I watched because Christopher Plummer starred in it before he re-found his fame. Plummer stars as a billionaire industrialist who watched as his wife was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists. He sets up shop to stop terrorists by hiring a small but elite team to nab these bastards..um, bad guys, before any harm can be done. The team is led by a Scotland Yard operative, with a U.S. mercenary and a jewel thief/con artist and, together, infiltrate and destroy the evil doers. It was well done overall with the themes taken from the headlines of the day.

Bonus...

4. GET SMART-1965-1970

I love this stupid show that I think is stupidly brilliant since many episodes were written by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. This bumbling detective is played by Don Adams who seems to be a composite of James Bond, Inspector Clouseau and Joe Friday from Dragnet. He is a total idiot who gets himself into hot water only for Agent 99 (not 69 as the censors would not allow that number) to rescue him and save the day. Of course he got most of the credit and Agent 99 let him and she even married him! This was a clever comedy with much slaptick and gadgets (not Inspector Gadget) like his shoe that always foiled Kaos's plans for domination..you know...Putin.

oops...one more...

5. MI5-2002-2011

My hubby found this show on PBS and we became hooked! It is an English show without the dashing good looks and fancy suits that the U.S. usually creates, but a well-written, edge of your seat program that takes you on a roller coaster ride of intrigue outside and inside the office. It is an excellent, well-acted show with intricate plotlines. There is no way one can create a card while watching this show because you either lose the plot or you end up with glue all over your hand while sitting watching the show and not what you are gluing.

What 3..or 5 shows would you pick?