Music, Books, Films & Telly 'n' Shit

I did enjoy the first series but couldn't work out why they had turned Paul Kaye's character into such a loathsome cunt. Also, Tony had found enlightenment at the end of the first one but was back to his old miserable self in series 2, as well, which was another odd twist.

I just got the impression that the first series was supposed to be a one off that turned out to be highly popular and Netflix wanted more so Gervais had to write it for them. He probably has the ego to think he could make it work, but it definitely didn't work for me.

I'm still working my way through Psych on Amazon. Pretty entertaining for the most part, but starting to get a little samey. I expect when you're only watching an episode a week (remember that old concept?) it was less obvious.

I didn't see that, Tony was back to his old self,it appeared to me he was slowly recovering there was nothing like the bitterness he showed in the first series but then his dad dying knocked him back.

I think you are right about the first series being a one off  etc,they want him to do a third series now.

Michael Portillo's Great Asian Railway journeys........

Being thoroughly enjoyed my my mum and me. Started off in Malaysia where Michael visited the island of Penang where mum was born. Yesterday was all about Singapore where she grew up and went to primary school before being captured and interred by the Japanese.

From the top of Marina Bay Sands hotel (the one with the long boat thing appearing to be balanced on the  3 towers) you can see the Fullerton Hotel, built on the site of the former General Post Office.  Looking to the left, the first large grey building is the Maybank Tower which is built on the site of an old department store, and my maternal grandfather was the General Manager of that store.  The programmes have brought back a lot of happy memories for mum and me - most particularly for me, my trip out there with younger daughter last May.  How things have changed as far as travel goes in the past year......

I've emailed Mr Portillo and had a very nice reply

It's nice when documentaries have a personal connection. I do actually quite like Michael Portillos various railway journeys and think they're quite well done. Not sure I'll ever share his dress sence mind!

I recall being badgered to buy a fake Tag Heuer watch when I was in a market there. The fella was happy to admit it was fake and prised the back off to show me that the internals were made by Seiko. I thought to myself "How do I know the Seiko bit isn't fake, too?" and told him I didn't need a watch. I did buy several Ralph Lauren polo shirts, though. At three for £5 it would've been rude not to!

Don't recall going to Penang Hill. We did go to an odd temple sort of place where they had lots of terrapins. There were so many that they could barely move and were piled on top of one another. Bit cruel really.

These RL ones were really good copies. They were so cheap that I bought them in different sizes and colours and gave them away to friends when I go back. Some of the friends had real ones and said it was hard to tell the difference without the tags on them.

White Lines on Netflix. I thought I recognised the filming locations. It was set in Ibiza but mainly filmed in and around Cala D'Or where we used to have our flat.

Worth a watch.

T4 Daughter was just excitedly dancing to Len's Steal My Sunshine so I quickly put on More, More, More by Andrea True to show that there is no such thing as "new" anymore (if you don't know the very small interlude before the final third of More, More, More is the riff throughout Steal My Sunshine).

Oh and Bowie at Glastonbury . Staggeringly good . His voice sounded amazing and what a great set list

I was listening to a discussion about this on the Smith and Sniff podcast and they seemed to get most enjoyment from seeing all the baggy pastel coloured linen suits the guys were wearing!

Yeah, I noticed that when the tour was first announced. Did they forget they me you and I, IN Europe, in 2014? Ingrates!!!  

Deep Purple, I know they are ancient but have they lost it or is it just moi?