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Day # 151 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Never knew how hard this would be…Photos from St. Petersburg…

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Photo of a canal at the Peterhof Fountain Park and Garden in St. Petersburg, Russia. For more photos, please click here.

Unsure if this post will get online today or in the days to come, I’m spending less time posting photos, captions and text. I’m at a loss as to when our site will become “live” again, enabling our readers to continue to read new and old posts.

Real gold leaf was used in these buildings.
Based on the huge size of our site, getting it uploaded is proving to be a long and complicated process. Each day, the web developers ask me to be patient while trying to get the site back up, and I remain frustrated regardless of these reassurances. Had I known this would transpire, I don’t believe I would have been willing to make such a substantial change.
We toured many exquisite buildings such as this.

It’s been incredibly challenging because I am also dealing with the loss of my dear sister only days ago. Of course, continuing to be stuck in this hotel room isn’t making it any easier. Listen to me whinging (whining, complaining)!

One of the many beautiful gardens.

Little did I know how dependent I’ve become over the years of the comfortable routine of preparing a new post each morning for the past many years. My routine has been thoroughly out-of-kilter recently, so I decided I’d schedule a new post today, even if it may not be online anytime soon.

An elaborate fountain in a man-made pond.

Many readers/friends often ask how I manage to “make myself” prepare a new post 365 days a year. Oddly, it never felt as if it was a task or obligation. However, I’ve always made it a priority when we had plans for any particular morning.

More fountains with extensive detail.

We’d often planned to return from sightseeing or other outings in time to prepare a new post since I’ve never felt like doing it in an evening. Once 5:00 pm comes, I prefer to be off my computer and out of my head.
One of many towers in the park.

A nice dinner, great conversation, in regular times a glass of wine with a pleasant evening on a veranda overlooking our scene-of-the-moment has always been a priority, not only since we’ve been traveling but also in our old lives.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and the facility was packed with tourists.

Now, in this particularly odd situation, stuck in a hotel room for five months, we still partake in good conversation but are seriously lacking in the scenery, the wine, and the veranda.

Instead, we hide away, engrossed in a few good TV series on one of several streaming services we are using at this time. Right now, at night, we’re streaming Lucifer (just ok) and the engaging, The Man in the High Tower, free on Amazon Prime.

Another stunning fountain.
In the late afternoon, we watch mindless drivel, nothing of great importance. We watch the light, silly show, Schitt’s Creek, which is always good for a chuckle or two during dinner.

After posting each day, my recent viewing obsession for about an hour, I watch The 100 on Netflix. Tom doesn’t care for dystopian; sci-fi type shows, so I am on my own on this. I know I’ve mentioned this in the past, but if you like sci-fi (or not), this show is the best TV series of this type I’ve seen in years. I watch it with my laptop on my lap, using my earbuds to disturb Tom.

A couple dressed for the era, charging fees for photos.

Hopefully, our new site will be up and running soon. Today’s photos are from the Peterhof Fountain Park and Garden in St. Petersburg, Russia, one year ago.
Have a peaceful day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 21, 2019:

Beautiful house on the waterfront in Helsinki. For more photos, please click here. 
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Day #147 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Travel on the Eurostar from Paris to London…First live post tomorrow…

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The Eurostar train came into the station, which will travel under the English Channel to take us from Paris to London in 2014. Tom, my railroad guy, explained that the train is operated from either end, never having to turn around for the return trips. For more photos and the story, please click here.

Urgent note for today: My dear sister Susan passed away yesterday, and I have decided not to post on the new site today. I had little sleep for two nights, and my brain isn’t working at total capacity to learn an entirely new system today. Hopefully, tomorrow you’ll see our new site with a new post. Thank you!
Today’s photos are from the post from August 17, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.

While we waited for the train.

Today, we’re sharing photos from our trip from Paris to London via the exciting Eurostar train, which travels under the English Channel. In years past, it was often referred to as the “Chunnel” but less so now as more and more travelers have used this good, efficient service, respecting its proper name.

It was an exciting mode of transportation for us first-timers when considering the engineering feat required to take six years to complete. It only takes 35 minutes for the train to travel through the under-the-ocean tunnel. 

The station while we were still in Paris.

The entire train ride, including considerable above-ground travel on an outdoor track, requires 2 hours 36 minutes plus waiting time at the station and disembarkation at the destination point. In total, it was about a four-hour undertaking.

Tom was finally smiling again when I told him we wouldn’t have to “walk” the bags down steep steps.

For 25 exciting facts about Eurostar, please click here for comprehensive information that may particularly appeal to train buffs and those considering experiencing not only this fast means of travel between these two countries but also in its novelty factor as a sightseeing adventure in itself.

We were taken from our seats which were more comprehensive than airplane seats. I had pictured a four-seat configuration with a table in front of us, which was not the case with our seats.

Once we arrived in London, we took a taxi, one of those traditional “black cabs” as follows: “As well as setting the tone for the general proportions of all black cabs since, the Austin FX3 is also the reason why all London taxis tend to be black. … In 1958, the FX3 design evolved into the FX4, which still serves as the basis for the modern TX4 models.

The scenery along the tracks was mostly limited to industrial areas, although we passed a few areas of the French countryside.

We found taxi fare to be often more than the cost of dining out at most restaurants we visited while in London, as also the case in Paris. So once again, we walked everywhere. 

A church steeple at a distance through the glare of the glass window.

Fortunately, by staying in the lovely area of South Kensington, it was an ideal location for walking with shops, restaurants, and museums less than 20 minutes from our excellent hotel, the historic Regency Hotel.

Cows. Not wildlife but, we enjoy seeing animals wherever we may be.

With expensive laundry service in both cities, we found laundromats within walking distance and waited while our clothes washed and dried. We waited until we had accumulated enough dirty laundry to warrant the walk with a rolling bag to the distance laundromats in both cities.

Within seconds of entering the tunnel, I took this shot of blackness, resulting in only the reflections of the seats in the glass.

If we were to have our laundry done by the hotel in Mumbai, our monthly laundry bill would easily top US $300, INR 22456. As mentioned, we hand wash our clothing every few days and only have jeans washed and dry by the hotel. Instead of wearing jeans, I’ve been wearing yoga pants each day which are easy to wash in the shower and hang to dry.

Within seconds of departing the tunnel. We were now in the UK.

As for comparing sightseeing between London and Paris, we both found Paris to be more exciting with better photo ops. Although we had many wonderful experiences in London, most of which we accomplished on foot.

We arrived in London at the St. Pancras station.

Would we return to either city? Probably not. We saw exactly what we wanted to see, and with it still fresh in our minds, it’s unlikely we’ll return for anything other than a short layover that may be required.

After exiting the train station, we had to walk a distance to the next street and around the corner to flag a taxi. No taxis were allowed to stop at the main entrance.

Hopefully, tomorrow, all will go well when our new site goes “live.” If we run into any problems, please check here for any issues that might impede the process.

There are lots of double-decker buses in London.

Have a good day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 17, 2019:

View over Tallinn, Estonia, as a port of call from the Baltic cruise, from a scenic overlook. For more, please click here.
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Day #146 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…One day and counting to new site going “live”…Final expenses for Paris at end of post…..

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Of course, we had to end with a repeat photo of the Eiffel Tower. It seems to have a personality of its own, offering varying views based on weather, crowds, and time of day.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from the post from August 16, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.
Wow! The architecture was breathtaking.

Today’s post was prepared in record time after a fitful night’s sleep totaling no more than three hours combined. There’s no doubt in my mind that failure to have a good night’s sleep impeded my memory and ability to function mentally.

Hand-made pasta in the window of a local restaurant/deli.

Subsequently, I accidentally prepared tomorrow’s post instead of today’s, which I’m grateful to have done and can copy and post on our new site tomorrow morning (I hope without issues).

But, this fact left me facing preparing another post for today. Sure, I could have posted a notice stating “no post today.” But, in my desire for consistency and diligence, I didn’t want to do that.

There’s a pharmacy every few blocks.

What kept me awake most of the night was a sorrowful reality that my dear sister Susan’s life may be coming to an end in the next few days. I was back and forth on the phone during the night with my sister Julie and now, as we speak, she and our niece Kely, Susan’s daughter, along with Susan’s dear ex-husband Tom, are at her side.

I am so grateful she is not alone and has beloved family members at her side. She’s currently in a coma and highly sedated. The end is near. I’ve called several times to have the phone put up to her ear to tell her I love her and that although I can’t be with her, my love and my heart are right beside her.

We were able to flag down a taxi as we stood at this corner after dining at La Fontaine de Mars on Tuesday.

Sleep was elusive between the phone calls and texts, interspersed with crazy dreams, and this morning from 4:00 am on, I lay quietly in bed, preferring not to get up and awaken Tom. He hasn’t been sleeping well, and I didn’t want to awaken him.

With almost 13,000 restaurants listed on Trip Advisor in Paris, it’s tricky deciding on where to dine.

By 8:00 am, he awoke, and I got up, showered, dressed, and commenced on my first walk of the day. Sure, it would have been easy to forgo a day of walking, but one full day of laying around or sitting in a chair, hardly moving about, was certainly more harmful than continuing to maintain my walking schedule.

At this point, as I prepare the second post of the day when it’s already close to 1:00 pm, and I soon have to head out to work on the second half of the day’s walking goal.

Most of these perfect-looking fruit has been imported to Paris, as is the case in many other cities worldwide.

Lately, I’ve been hiding away after uploading the post, watching the Netflix TV series, “The 100.” If ever there’s been a day I’d like to hide away in a compelling series, this is it. 

Beautiful fruit for sale along the boulevard. 

With my error in preparing tomorrow’s post, if tonight proves to be another sleepless night, tomorrow I will be equipped with a completed post to upload to our new WordPress site. I can only hope it goes well.

Please, if you don’t see the new post, bear with me, as I’ll continue to work on it to get it uploaded by the end of the day, if at all possible. Fortunately, our web developer will be available if I have questions along the way.

In the city of Paris, we never saw a single freestanding home. All the housing consists of apartment buildings such as this. We’ve found living in apartments such as these unappealing to us. We’re glad we stayed in Paris for this shorter period than our usual two to three months.  Apartments such as these are costly

So that’s it for today, folks, along with the final expenses for our 15-nights in Paris, is somewhat of a lackluster format. I had no energy to make it look better. But, surely, you get the drift here as shown below in the Euro exchange rate back in 2014:

         Hotel:                 US $3352, EU 2511 
         Train & Taxi fare: US $211,   EU  158 
         Tours:                 US $644,   EU  483 
         Dining & Snacks:  US $1438, EU 1077
         Airfare & Bags:     US $959,   EU  719 
         Total:                   US 6604,  EU 4948
         Average Daily:      US $413,  EU  310

Carved door to a city business center. 

Have a good day. Stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, August 16, 2019:
There was no post one year ago today due to sightseeing in St. Petersburg. We’ll be back with more year-ago photos soon.

Day #145 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Two days and counting until our new site is “live.”…Winding down photos and time spent in Paris.

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When we finally had a relatively straightforward night, we got this shot from the balcony in our hotel room in Paris in 2014.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from the post from August 15, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.
Many historical buildings line the boulevards.

It was wonderful sharing our photos of Paris during our 16 days in the City of Light. Tomorrow, we’ll wrap up the last of those photos and share our total expenses, as we then move on to the next 16 days spent in London, after traveling on the Eurostar from Paris.

As we walked down a side street.

On Monday morning, our new website using WordPress instead of Blogger will go live before noon. It will be an entirely new learning curve for me after spending over eight years using Blogger.

As the proverbial food voyeur, I’ve always reveled in looking at pastries, especially in Paris.

After going through the instructions from our web developer, it appears to be more complicated than using Blogger. However, while continuing in the lockdown, this seems to be the best time for me to learn to use it with few distractions other than my hourly walks.

Good thing I can’t eat any of this. We’d have spent a fortune, and I’d have gained so much weight I wouldn’t fit into my clothing. As it turned out, we each lost a few pounds while in Paris.

No doubt, I am a little apprehensive about getting the first post uploaded. As a result, Monday’s post may be uploaded later than usual and may not include many photos while I spend most of my time on a learning curve. Surely, from there, I’ll learn more and more each day.

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We’ve often tried to stay close to the water in our travels, such as the River Seine, which is within walking distance from our hotel. In London, we’ll be within walking distance of the Thames River.

If, for any reason, I am unable to get the first post uploaded on Monday, please check back later in the day or on Tuesday while I continue to work on accomplishing it.

Renovations on an archway over the River Seine.

We’re just about ready to wrap up the photos from our time in Paris in 2014, which, coincidentally, will be completed tomorrow (Sunday for us), leaving Monday’s post content up in the air for the new site.

A street view of the restaurant we visited on Tuesday night that we’d yet to post.

We’ll make sure we don’t miss posting any crucial photos from our trip to Eurostar (aka, the Chunnel) from Paris to  London in 2014. It was quite a fantastic experience. We’re anxious to share once again, especially for our new readers who may not have seen it the first time around.

We loved this scene as the sky became blue.

Otherwise, all is quiet here. With the monsoon season occurring now, it rains almost every day, sometimes torrential, with accompanying thunder and lightning. We see endless news stories about floods throughout India and nearby Mumbai.

A bee was inside this flower, working on the nectar in the pistil.

Part of the ceiling at the end of a corridor that I walk daily is crumbling, and the carpeting is wet. The hotel’s maintenance staff is repairing this issue using powerful fans to dry the carpet, flooring, and ceiling above. Based on the almost constant rain, it’s hard to imagine they can repair the source of the water leaking into the building from an outdoor overhang. 

This was the window in a tailor shop we spotted on one of our long days of walking.

Right now, the entire country of India and the city of Mumbai are wrapped up in managing COVID-19 which is raging like wildfire. Yesterday showed the highest number of new cases in one day in India at 65,609, more than anywhere in the world. 

These “hop-on, hop-off”  tourist buses are a good way for those who prefer not to walk to see many of the city’s sights. We’d intended to do a three-day pass, but with the rain on and off almost every day, we never booked it, fearful we’d pay and then be stuck inside the bus.

Yesterday, there were 990 new deaths, the third-highest in the world after the US and Brazil. Since the onset of the virus, the total number of deaths in India is 49,134, in the fourth-highest position in the world after the US, Brazil, and Mexico.

Dogs are allowed in restaurants in Paris.  This well-behaved guy was next to us one evening during dinner.

India is locked down as tight as possible, but many aren’t observing the laws by social distancing and mask-wearing, as seen in many other countries throughout the world. When will this ever end? 

A rose growing near the entrance to a bridge.

In the interim, we continue to maintain a positive frame of mind while focusing on staying healthy and fit.


May all of you stay healthy and fit!

Photo from one year ago today, August 15, 2019:

“The Gefion Fountain is a large fountain on the harbor front in Copenhagen, Denmark. It features a large-scale group of animal figures being driven by the Norse goddess Gefjon. It is located in Nordre Toldbod area next to Kastellet and immediately south of Langelinie.” For more photos, please click here.

Day #144 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Dining in Paris…Lots of food photos..

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La Fontaine de Mars restaurant is located in an upscale neighborhood from what we observed.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word, “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. Today’s photos are from the post from August 14, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.

 Tom wasn’t his usual smiley self while waiting for La Fontaine de Mars to open for our 7:30 reservation. Us old-timers always arrive too early. Why is that?

No doubt, if I could have ordered anything that appealed to me on the menu in French restaurants, my dining experience would have been considerably more exciting and interesting. 

The staff was busy preparing for the evening’s usual totally booked tourist crowd, often Americans, from what we read online.

At that time in 2014, I wasn’t drinking wine and missed the opportunity to try a wide array of French wines. Also with my way of eating, required for my health, we never ordered a loaf of French bread, croissants, desserts, or pastries although it was tempting at times

This tiny room where we dined had seating for 16. The restaurant appeared to be a converted house with three of four rooms such as this on the second level, which we read was preferable to dining on the loud, busy main floor. However, some may prefer a more lively pace while dining.

With Tom’s sensitive taste buds and aversion to many spices and flavors, he didn’t take advantage of most French offerings. Then again, for us, during our world travels, dining out was never an important element.

This is the menu with prices in Euros. US $10 converts to EU $8.46 based on today’s rates.

We’ve found shopping for local fresh vegetables, meats, and cheeses, made cooking for ourselves a worthwhile undertaking, contributing to a wide array of meals we joyfully prepared and savored at our holiday home in any country.

The opposite side of the room in which we dined at La Fontaine de Mars. (I didn’t use the flash to avoid disturbing other diners).

Rarely, did we encounter difficulty in finding quality foods befitting our way of cooking and dining “at home.” The location where we had the most difficulty was while living in Diani Beach, Kenya for three months in 2013, where there were limited options for protein sources and the lack of availability of many cooking ingredients in the small Nakumatt Market.

My filet mignon on a bed of spinach. I moved over the steak and piled the sauce on the spinach.  My way of eating encourages eating lots of fat excluding trans fat, and vegetable oils but includes animal fat, butter, coconut and olive oil, avocadoes, and nuts.

Also, the fact that the tiny galley kitchen couldn’t fit the two of us at once, cooking wasn’t as much fun as usual. We often dined out when many of the local upscale resorts had beautiful restaurants and fabulous, continental cuisine at affordable prices.

Tom’s filet mignon with fries and butter for the breadbasket His steak was very small.

We’d been advised to avoid the local restaurants on the main road, due to security risks and the possibility of becoming sick when our digestive systems weren’t adapted to certain risks.

By the time I remembered to take this photo, I’d already consumed half of this server of Bearnaise sauce.

Subsequently, only a year later we were in Paris with the opportunity to savor many exquisite dishes and yet, we were somewhat impeded by our own self-imposed issues. 

Our bill which converted to US $85.11 at today’s rates.

That didn’t mean we didn’t enjoy the French restaurants. We did. We dined out every morning and evening since we stayed in a hotel without cooking facilities, often trying new restaurants, most within walking distance of our boutique hotel near the Eiffel Tower.

View from the upper level of La Fontaine de Mars from the steps to the upper level.

On a few occasions, we returned for a second visit to a particular restaurant when we found ourselves craving a repeat of a prior meal. Each time we selected a new restaurant, we perused reviews at TripAdvisor to ensure each location was rated high for quality, freshness, cleanliness, and service.

View of the back of Tom’s head and the busy first level which many diners prefer or where latecomers are seated. No reservations were held beyond 15 minutes of their scheduled time.

Although we dined at a few upscale restaurants, overall, we sought those in the middle range, to keep costs down. It was expensive in Paris for meals, hotels, transportation, tours, and services.  

Another restaurant we visited in Paris, Bistrotters. Tom, as usual, was first in line, waiting for the restaurant to open at 7 pm.

In a few days, we’ll share our total expenses for the 16 nights in Paris, (not 15 as previously mentioned in error), providing a clear perspective of what one may expect for a mid-range experience in the city of lights (which most likely will be higher considering we were there six years ago).

Based on the lighting in Bistrotters, it was tough to get a good shot of the menu. Enlarging this photo will enable easier reading.

That’s all for today folks. After uploading this post, I’ll be studying two videos provided by our web developer on how to post and manipulate our new site which as it turns out will be going “live” on Monday morning, our time, allowing us the day to work out any kinks or issues throughout the day. 

Tom enjoyed his first course of grilled chorizo.

Our web address will remain the same: www.worldwidewaftage.com and there will be nothing for you to do other than spend less than a minute familiarizing yourself with our new easy-to-use format. 

The waiter was surprised when I ordered the foie gras based on my food restrictions. He felt it may be too fatty without bread or crackers. I found it to be extraordinary, the best foie gras I’ve ever had. That morning, I looked up a few recipes and if I can find duck liver anywhere, I think that once we’re situated again in a few months, I may attempt to make this.

Each day’s new post will be in plain view along with recent posts, archives, and advertising, easy to access using cell phones, laptops, computers, and tablets. No longer will cell phone users need to follow the special instructions at the top of each of our recent posts.

This plate provides a better perspective of the size of my portion of foie gras. In the middle were pickled tomatoes and a salad, both of which contained sugar in the dressing which I opted not to eat after taking a taste. The coarse salt and the cayenne pepper on the right of the plate were the perfect accompaniment.

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, August 14, 2019:

A port of call on the Baltic cruise enabled us to tour the city of Copenhagen, noticing many colorful buildings. For more photos from this city, please click here.

Day #143 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…More photos from Paris in 2014…Part 3, finalLe Louvre, a memorable visit…

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Venus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch, also known as Aphrodite of Milos. It was amazing we got this shot free of onlookers when hundreds of visitors were crowded around the statue also trying to take photos.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from the post from August 13, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.
Waiting for a second opportunity to capture another photo without people was pointless. 

With hundreds of tourists crowded around the above Venus de Milo statue at Le Louvre in Paris in August 2014, I decided to hover by the statue to await an opportunity, however short, to capture a photo without any tourists in sight.

Many of the statues were spiritual.

Tom waited patiently while I continued to walk around the historic and famous statue waiting for the perfect moment. Although the light from the window behind my shot impeded the quality of the photo, I was thrilled even with the one person crouching on the ground in the left center of the photo. 

Artemis, the Moon Mistress.

With that one flaw, I avoided the necessity of editing the photo in any manner, which I rarely take time to do anyway, especially when, under usual circumstances, we have thousands of photos to handle in any one month.

Scary skeleton statue.

Gosh, I wish I had that problem now! I can’t find a single photo op in my field of vision at this time during the COVID-19 lockdown while in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #143. When that ever changes is up for grabs with nary a word on the news as to when we may get out of here.

One can only imagine the skill required for the detail in this sculpture.

Today, it was announced that India is interested in acquiring millions of doses of Russia’s vaccine, which has yet to go to stage 3 human trials. This is the vital stage of testing, which is imperative in ensuring the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

This painting is entitled, The Fish Market After 1621 by Frans Snyder.

We realize that down the road. Travelers may be required to have proof of vaccination to cross borders, fly on planes, trains, public transportation, embark on cruises or participate in any public group activities. 

Tom in front of a statue of a hunter in the center courtyard.

This may be the future-facing all of us. We’ve decided we won’t take a vaccine until its safety and efficacy have been proven through millions of doses or when or if it’s mandatory for us to leave India or enter or exit another country in the future.

Another exquisite statue in the courtyard under the glass pyramid.

We accept and understand the fears and refusal many have over the use of vaccines. But, years ago, in 2012, when we prepared to leave the US, we visited a travel clinic to have approximately 18 injections/vaccines for various illnesses. 

Of course, there were many expensive shops on the way to the exit.

Since that time, while in South Africa, we had the necessary boosters to continue our original vaccines. We felt this was an essential byproduct of choosing to travel the world. 

Once we exited the Louvre, it didn’t take long to find a taxi.

From now on, if a COVID-19 vaccine proves safe and worthwhile after millions of doses have been tendered, I imagine we’ll jump on the bandwagon. We don’t feel confident COVID-19 is going away anytime soon. And, with our still-burning desire to continue to travel, we may have no choice.

We spotted this view from the window of the taxi while we were driving back to our hotel.

With the US having the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world, even when and if we stopped traveling, we may need to protect ourselves there as well.


Yes, we realize that at some point, we won’t be able to continue to travel. We’ve accepted the reality that we may have no choice but to return to the US as we become older when we become less and less able to continue with the rigors and challenges of traveling. We have no delusions about this.

It wasn’t long before we spotted the famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower, a short walk from our hotel, which has been an excellent location for our time in Paris.

However, if our health is good, we could at least stay in vacation/holiday homes in various parts of the US (or the world) for perhaps three to six months at a time, continuing to enjoy a life of exploration and adventure, rather than feeling stuck in one location. 

We have no interest in ever owning a home again. We don’t ever want to “outfit” a house with furniture and “stuff.” That’s not us, and I can’t imagine it will ever be.

Ah, there it is.  The Eiffel Tower has been my favorite sight to see in Paris.

For now, we remain firmly in place, in this pleasant hotel environment, although highly repetitious in our meals and activities, waiting to “see how it goes” over the next several months.

We’re not stressed. We’re not unhappy. We get along famously. And, above all, we are grateful to be safe.

You stay safe, too.

Photo from one year ago today, August 13, 2019:
There was no post one year ago today while out touring at a port of call on the Baltic cruise—more tomorrow.

Day #142 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…More photos from Paris in 2014…Part 2, Le Louvre, a memorable visit…

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In taking this photo from a window, I later thought it was a photo of a painting. But, it was a photo we took of Le Louvre courtyard from a balcony.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from the post from August 12, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.
In this photo, you can see a statue’s reflection behind me and me taking the photo.

We are only a few days away from going “live” with our new site. A few finishing touches are being completed today and tomorrow after our comprehensive review of our developer’s actions thus far. 

Small jewelry boxes are created in the finest of detail.

Along the way, we’ve added and changed several items, but nearing completion, one central final review was completed by both of us this morning, resulting in today’s late post.

Another room with royal treasures.

It’s afternoon, and I’m just getting started with today’s post, and most likely, I’ll breeze through it. I am obsessed with a Netflix series, The 100, which I’ve been watching after uploading each day’s post over the past week. 

Clocks are a common theme in several modern art areas of the museum.

Tom doesn’t care for sci-fi or dystopian-type shows, so I am on my own on this one. Once the post is uploaded and Tom proofreads it, I use my earbuds while watching one or two episodes on my laptop, between my hourly walks. At 3:00 pm each day, we escape into a few shows we watch together in the afternoon before dinner.

Perhaps an official or a self-portrait.

After dinner, we watch our favorite nighttime shows until bedtime. Once dinner arrives, I will have completed walking for the day, but often stop the afternoon shows to continue walking until I reach four or five miles, alternating each day. 

Exquisite stained glass windows.

Our days consist of showering, dressing, hand wash laundry, dressing, walk, eating, prepare the post, walk, preparing the post, walk, preparing the post, watch shows, walk, watch shows, walk, eat, watch shows, sleeping. Boring, eh?

Pocket watches.

Any financial or business matters we must attend to are generally accomplished after breakfast and after at least a mile of walking. Throughout my life, I’ve always completed the tasks I dreaded the most. Before doing anything, I enjoyed it more.

Art is more symbolic than literal to be interpreted by the beholder, as in these beautiful pieces.

When I owned a business for most of my adult life, I rarely scheduled appointments before 10 am, enabling me to get those dreaded tasks handled first to free up my mind for the rest of the day’s activities. It’s no different now.

Mother and child.

These days, once I start streaming a show, I can rest easy that no imminent tasks are hovering in my mind, allowing me to relax and go to a mindless place, free of thoughts about our current situation and COVID-19.

Religious connotation.

Multitasking. Tom often listens to his favorite podcasts without using his earbuds. While I’m preparing the day’s post, I somewhat listen along with him, although I’m busy doing the post.

As we peered outside, there didn’t appear to be many visitors in the courtyard. Most of them were already inside, trying to take photos of the more famous works of art.

As shown today, we’ve added more photos from Le Louvre as part 2 of the old post from this date on August 12, 2014. See the link here. We hope you are enjoying these old photos. 

Heaven and earth.

I doubt we’ll ever have to “repeat the repeats” since we currently have almost 3000 total posts. I can’t imagine being in lockdown for another nine years. But, at this point, anything is possible. Who knows how long this will last?

We loved the depth of this painting.

India is holding its #3 position globally with the highest number of cases, although its population of over 1.3 billion certainly attributes to these high numbers. India’s death rate per million population is considerably lower than many other countries, but then again, the tracking could be off considerably.

This is Queen Marie de Medici by Frans Pourbus.

We hope you are finding ways to entertain yourself when you have “downtime,” We pray you to stay healthy and safe during this challenging time for those of you working.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, August 12, 2019:
There were no photos posted one year ago today as we boarded the cruise to the Baltic. Here‘s the link to the post without photos.

Day #140 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…More photos from Paris in 2014…The continuation of the river cruise…

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Our second Eiffel Tower nighttime light show after our dinner cruise on the River Seine.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from the post from August 10, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.
The Assemblee Nationale, the French National Assembly. The interior of many of these buildings is worth seeing by clicking on the links included here.

Today was a late start in working on the post. After not getting out of bed until 8:30 am and out the door for my first walk until almost 9:00 am, not returning until 20 minutes later, our breakfast had arrived.

After breakfast, I’d promised myself I’d get hold of FedEx to find out the status of the overnight letter containing our replacement credit card after it was discovered to be used fraudulently. 

The Palais de Justice, the French Palace of Justice.

Also, I wanted to check on our supplies package, which hasn’t been moving at FedEx for days, stuck in customs. I started calling several phone FedEx numbers I found online but couldn’t get through on any of them using Skype.

I was unable to use Skype to call India while in India, even using my VPN. Frustrated, I tried using the expensive room phone, but there again, I was on hold for so long, I finally gave up.

The scenery along the river was enhanced by the reflection of lights.

Then, I used my cell phone to call, which also is pricey, but after 20 minutes on hold, I gave up figuring the best method was to email an inquiry when after entering the tracking number, a message popped up that said:

“A specialized statement is required for clearance from the recipient. Call FedEx.”

Tom’s photos of me are always blurry to some extent. That explains why I take most of the photos.

Frustration was setting in, and finally, I sent an email after finding a good email address for customer service in India. I sent a clear and concise email outlining precisely what had transpired, requesting they email me the specified form to complete the delivery requirement.

In that same email, I also inquired about our package sitting in customs for the past week and what they needed from us at this point. No reference had been made to the customs fees, which we usually could pay online, most likely since they’d yet to inspect the contents. Who knows how long it will be until that process is completed?

We were nearing the end of the cruise when I took this outdoor photo of Tom.

Most likely, these delays are a result of COVID-19. When I called a few of the online FedEx India phone numbers, people answered with TV sounds in the background, causing me to assume some of their employees were working from home. Calling became pointless with no response.

Last month I sent an email asking if they were servicing this postal code in India and received a positive response a few days later. We’ll see how it rolls out. I can only hope they’ll reply to the email. Hopefully, they’ll be as timely in their response to today’s inquiry.

The moon was peeking out of a cloudy sky, the green lights, the reflections on the water…nice.

Now, well after 12:30 pm, I’m still working on today’s post, hoping to upload it in the next hour to return to my usual daily routine. Yesterday, we signed up for CBS All Access (first month free) to stream the newest Big Brother All-Stars series, which is mindless drivel, but entertaining and the latest Survivor series, again a fun distraction.

On another note, our friends, Lea Ann and Chuck, a lovely couple whom we met on a cruise in April 2017, from Sydney to Seattle who began traveling the world, at times, asking us for suggestions and sources we’ve used, wrote that they are ending their world travels in light of COVID-19.

We loved this shot of the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

They’ve purchased a home in Florida and will stay put, traveling from time to time as the world situation allows. One might think this might have inspired us to do the same. But, until we get out there again, flying, booking holiday homes, and living in other countries, we have no idea what the future holds regarding continuing to travel. 

This was my veal filet. I don’t usually eat veal. However, in Paris, one must try new things. I was served a delicious plate of less common sautéed vegetables.

Certainly, the option of living in three or four different countries (depending on visas) may continue to be an option for us in the future. Being unable to cruise may undoubtedly have an impact on our options in the future. 

My lovely dessert, two creamy French slices of cheese.

In some ways, it might make our travels easier when we’re not manipulating our schedule to comply with cruise embarkation and debarkation locations. 

Tom’s dessert #1, a strawberry mousse. The pink appearance is due to the red LED lights in the boat after dark.

We can only guess at this point. And, right now, our priority is when and how we’ll be able to leave India when borders open here and in another country that we’re allowed to visit in the future.

Tom’s dessert #2, a layered chocolate torte embellished with a strand of delicious French chocolate.

Have a fulfilling and safe day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 10, 2019:

We’d wished we could have posted the identity of all of these great highlights in Amsterdam. But, it wasn’t possible as the boat moved along quickly. It rained off and on, but we were grateful for what we were able to see. For more photos, please click here.

Day #139 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…More photos from Paris in 2014…Gourmet dinner cruise on the River Seine…

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Tom was carrying his dress shoes in a bag when the dress code on the dinner cruise stipulated no sports shoes were allowed. However, on a rainy night, they made exceptions when most of the passengers were wearing sports shoes.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from the post from August 9, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.
As we walked down a few flights of stairs to the boardwalk along the River Seine, searching for the dinner cruise boat we’d booked, the Bataueux Parisiennes.

Today, we’re sharing photos from Part 1 of our exquisite dinner cruise on the River Seine six years ago. Tomorrow, we’ll share photos from Part 2 of the dinner cruise with more photos. 

As soon as we were seated, we were served these little French pastries and champagne. Tom ate all four of these pastries plus three of the white buns. I didn’t try the buns but took a few sips of the delicious champagne. 

Our story for the first of the two posts may be found here, and thus, I won’t reiterate what transpired on that fun, although rainy night in Paris. Due to the rain, most of our photos were taken through the tinted glass of the windows on the boat, let alone at dusk and finally in the dark. We did our best.

Dark clouds were looming over the city for days as it rained heavily off and on. 

Instead, I can’t help but focus on the “year ago photo” at the bottom of today’s post, taken on our first of two days and nights we spent in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, while we awaited a much-anticipated cruise Baltic cruise, we’d longed to experience for years.

Most of the photos shown here today and tomorrow were taken through the blue glass dining enclosure on the boat. 

Once we arrived in Amsterdam, flying from Dublin after a three-month stay, we found ourselves in a lovely boutique hotel overlooking a canal. We were in awe and overtaken by the beauty and uniqueness of this unique city. 

We passed under one of many ornamental bridges.

Chomping at the bit to get outside and walk the narrow sidewalks and streets, a wave of disappointment washed over me as I faced the reality of my situation. It had been almost six months since my open-heart surgery, and I could barely walk more than a few meters without feeling a need to stop and rest.

This foie gras appetizer was terrific. I savored every morsel along with the single perfectly cooked cold asparagus spear, lying atop a line of what tasted to be an anchovy paste.

Having been on many heart-related drugs with serious side effects, including the FDA’s designated “black box” drug Amiodarone and two others, my legs didn’t work well enough for me to embark on long walks. 

Tom’s appetizer of grilled prawns and vegetables. He doesn’t usually care for shrimp. After sharing a few prawns with me, he said, “There was nothing offensive about this.” Nice.

By the time we reached Amsterdam, I had weaned off all of the drugs. However, I was left with weakness and leg pain exacerbated by walking, which I still suffer from today, and cardiovascular disease, contributing to leg pain when standing or walking for long periods.

Some of the spires of Notre Dame.

Subsequently, my memories of Amsterdam center around the struggle to walk when there was no other way to get around the city than on foot or by boat. Not one to complain, I forged ahead while Tom patiently waited every five minutes or less for me to rest long enough to continue.

As the boat continued on the River Seine. The 2½ hour cruise eventually turned around to go back the way we’d come enabling us to see the other side.

In any case, we saw a lot in those two days, probably not a lot less than we would have under better circumstances. While walking during those few days, my mind was filled with concern over how I’d walk when we were scheduled for several walking tours at various ports of call during the upcoming cruise.

At this point, we were nearing the turnaround spot.

We’d signed up for a few small group tours before the heart surgery, and we were committed to our share of the costs. All we could do was forge ahead to the best of my ability. I refused to cancel it all.

Many dinner cruise boats on the River Seine for considerably lower prices, as low as US $51 and EU $39 per person, were less luxurious with standard fare. We’d researched extensively to decide on the Bateaux Parisiennes, which was highly rated on various websites.

As it turned out, we only had to cancel one of the two-day tours in St. Petersburg. There was no way I could keep up with the group on a second all-day walking tour. It was very disappointing, not only in losing the money, which was non-refundable but also missing the second day. 

There were many day tour boats along the river.

I felt terrible for Tom when he had so much anticipated this particular cruise, but he never complained or seemed frustrated with me. Instead, he held me up during the long walks on each tour as I hung onto his arm. 

The sight of all the well-lit boats on the river at night was captivating.

Somehow, we made it through the remaining ports of call on that cruise resulting in many beautiful experiences and photos along the way. It’s hard to believe it was only one year ago. I still struggle to walk without pain, but my current 5 miles, 8 km daily walks have been instrumental in improving my ability to walk for longer distances.

Tom was undoubtedly enjoying the included two bottles of wine plus two glasses of champagne served when we were seated.  He prefers white over red.

No matter where we end up after we leave India, I will continue to walk if safe outdoors and indoors. If I walk every hour for 12 minutes each, I could get in the necessary steps to maintain this current goal by the end of any day.

Photo from one year ago today, August 9, 2019:

Arriving in Amsterdam for a two-night stay before our upcoming cruise, we looked forward to a boat ride on the canals. For more, please click here.

Day #138 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…More photos from Paris in 2014…Part 2 of the Palace of Versailles!!…

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The famous Hall of Mirrors. This project was carried out by architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart and painter Charles Le Brun between 1678 and 1686.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from the post from August 8, 2014, while in Paris, France. See the link here for more photos.
The stunning artwork is found on almost every wall in the palace.

News is distressing: the explosion in Beirut; the Air India plane crash in Kerala, India; the ongoing increase in cases of COVID-19 throughout the world, all resulting in horrific loss of life, livelihood, and a sense of well-being can easily spin any of us into a flurry of worry and concern.

This is a statue of Marie Antoinette who lived in the famous palace with her children.

This morning, dear friend Kathy (and Don), currently at their home in Oahu, Hawaii, texted that the island is going back into extreme lockdown after an increase in cases when their numbers had been dwindling only weeks ago almost down to zero.

In the 40 years, it took to build Versailles, thousands of workers were employed to participate in the process. Louis XIV not only lived in the palace but was instrumental in its massive renovation. 

Their previous relaxed lockdown that allowed outdoor exercise and activities and some restaurant dining has resulted in a rapid increase in cases. As of today, they are in a complete lockdown until the end of the month.

This portrait of Louis XIV.

This has been the case worldwide as more and more reduced lockdown measures have precipitated increases in cases and subsequent loss of life. There’s no easy answer. It all boils down to personal responsibility and caring for our fellow humans.

It was challenging to aim the camera toward the ceilings when there wasn’t enough elbow room for properly aiming the camera.

In our old lives, before COVID-19, if we developed a severe cold or virus, we wouldn’t go to work, to public places, or spend time with friends and family. That is to say, most of us wouldn’t, preferring not to infect others. 

We believe this portrait was of Louis XIV when he was young.

Why would this virus cause any less concern when in fact, based on its easy transfer from one person to another, you’d think one would tend to exercise even more caution. So, we’d think. 

Louis XIV had this statue made of himself dressed as a Roman Emperor to enhance his image.  He was of short stature and wore tall wigs to improve the appearance of his height.  Others in his court were forbidden to wear a wig as tall as his.

Well, you’ve heard enough about this today and much more over the past many months, from us, from the news, and friends, family, and neighbors. We are all in the same spot, unable to predict what the future holds and how we can best protect ourselves and our loved ones, especially amid varying opinions from medical professionals.

King’s chamber and bed in the King’s apartment.

On another matter…our photos today are those taken from our post on this date, August 8, 2014, at this link. With more photos than we can post, we’ve selected a handful of our favorites from the interior of the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France. If you’d like to peruse the balance, please click the above link.

There were many photo-taking tourists in the Hall of Mirrors.

As for today, not much is different than yesterday and the previous days. We’re healthy, safe, and relatively content, considering these ongoing unusual circumstances.

The Queen’s bed.

Stay safe, stay healthy and stay diligent.

Photo from one year ago today, August 8, 2019:

Our final photo from Ireland was posted on our last day. Goodbye, Ireland. Thanks for welcoming us and for being so beautiful! For more, please click here.