Hillsed out

Hills

Normally, I complain about how boring and flat the fens are. However, after all the crag-climbing of late, I am so over hills.

The photo shows the view from the window of the train to Cambridge looking back towards Littleport. In the distance is Littleport’s hill, accessed on one side by Padnal and on another from Ely Road. The photo shows the Padnal side.

Yes, really: that is what’s classed as a hill round these parts. You see the problem? ;)

Films

Last night, we watched a film I had spent many years quite happily not watching so that we could go to the pictures and see its sequel, which I was also quite happy not watching.

Oh, it was Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, since you asked.

The original was rubbish: male egos thrashing around, air sequences where it wasn’t clear what was going on, objectified female characters, a gratuitous sex scene, the one male character who wasn’t drowning in his own testosterone was (spoiler alert) killed off. All this floating around in the vaguest of plots. Oh, and Tom Cruise was in it.

The sequel was a lot better: the air sequences were clearer, there was a non-objectified female character, there were no gratuitous sex scenes, a male character who (spoiler alert) had stopped drowning in his own testosterone was killed off. All this held together by an actual, if formulaic, plot. Oh, but Tom Cruise was still in it.

Changes

While we were in Cambridge, what with all the kerfuffle over what will happen to stamps, coins and banknotes, post boxes, the royal stamp of approval, etc., I happened to notice a post box with Queen Victoria’s cipher on it (see extras).