Day #123 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Remembering Vietnam in summer 2016…Mekong River Cruise…

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It’s hard to believe that Tom managed to climb out of the tiny opening at Cu Chi Tunnel in Vietnam. I was concerned he’d be stuck after all the carbs he’d eaten on the two-week cruise.

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Today’s photos are from July 21 and July 24, 2016, while visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam. See the links here and here for more photos.

Amazingly, a human could fit down this tiny hole, especially Tom, who’s considerably larger than Vietnamese people.

Recalling our Viking Mekong River cruise and land tour in July of 2016 seems like a lifetime ago. Then again, many of our outstanding experiences appeared to have occurred so long ago, as we remain in lockdown at the Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai Airport on day #123.

Tom was sitting at the table in a meeting room bunker with several mannequins with two other passengers standing behind him.

As mentioned earlier, we had started a self-imposed lockdown during our 55-day tour of India on March 12th or thereabouts when we received an email that our cruise out of Mumbai on April 3, 2020, was canceled. 

Two of the Russian MIGs were used by the North Vietnam Air Force.

At that point, we knew we needed to hunker down and avoid any touring that resulted in getting out of the car. In total, we have been in lockdown in hotel rooms for approximately 132 days.

US Huey helicopter.

Good grief! It was only four years ago! The recent tours in India seem a distant memory, let alone the tours in Vietnam and Cambodia in 2016, which we’re highlighting in today’s photos. 

US artillery pieces and two jeeps.

Details, photos, and stories of the fantastic 15-night cruise and tour may be found in our archives for July 2016, including the above-mentioned link referencing the source of today’s repeated photos of the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam. 

US  rocket launchers and cluster bombs.

In any case, it was an extraordinary experience, one we’ll always treasure as our tribute to all the soldiers and civilians that lost their lives in the horrific battle in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and surrounding areas.

Horrifying bamboo spikes in ground booby traps. 

Now, in this horrific battle with COVID-19 in countries throughout the world, we have plenty of time to think about the loss of life, the illness, and the sorrow experienced by millions of people as their lives are touched by this outrageously contagious virus.

Viet Cong surgery bunker.

With no end in sight, we can only wonder how much longer the world will be impacted by this pandemic and how many more lives will be lost or impacted by its path of destruction.

Notice the sweat on Tom’s shirt. He was soaked after crawling through the narrow tunnels. This larger opening was a welcome relief. Some of the tunnels and openings were enlarged for the benefit of tourists.

Yesterday afternoon, our friends Linda and Ken, living in Johannesburg, also currently in lockdown, sent us this article about when international flights may resume in South Africa. It appears we may not be able to travel to the country until January 2021. Of course, this is subject to when India has also resumed international travel.

Tom took this photo while climbing out of a narrow tunnel by turning around after he’d already crawled through this spot.

We are grateful to be safe. Yes, the routine is mundane and repetitive, as is the food and the surroundings. But, we don’t forget for one moment the gift of safety we’ve been blessed to experience during this difficult time.

Occasionally, certain areas were lighted, as shown in this taller section.

There’s no room in our lives for “whinging” or complaining. Each day, we strive for cheerfulness and optimism as we continue to research our options when the time is right. We’re well-informed as to what’s transpiring in the US and many countries throughout the world. We’ll know the moment we can make a move.

The next day, he’s a little stiff and sore, having used muscles he hadn’t used in years but suffered no ill effects. The passengers in our group were cheering him as he entered and exited when few others dared to attempt the challenge.

Please don’t take risks. I listen to podcast news on my phone when I walk the corridors, and over and over again, I hear stories where COVID-19 patients took only one risk after which they acquired the virus; only one time at a  bar, restaurant, or gathering while not wearing a mask.

May you and your family stay safe and healthy.

Photo from one year ago today, July 24, 2019:

One year ago today, we posted five-year ago photos when we hadn’t been out for a few days while in Connemara, Ireland. There are a few sandy beaches on the island of Madeira. Most are rocky such as this. For more, please click here.

Day #122 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Seven years ago, a fun recipe…Our bread-free submarine sandwich recipe…

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It’s essential to wash the dirt off of lettuce. If it is organic, careful rinsing removes dirt and tiny green worms we found on the organic produce in Italy, where we were at the time of these photos. If it’s not organic, careful, repeated rinsing in cold water may remove some pesticides. Usually, we dry it with a clean white kitchen towel or paper towels, wrap the leftover lettuce in the white towel, and place it in the fridge in the towel, which will keep it fresh for days. For the recipe below, wash and dry eight large romaine lettuce leaves. Usually, the giant leaves are closest to the outside of the bunch.

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Today’s photos are from July 23, 2013, while in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. See the link here for more photos.

Slice fresh tomatoes, purple (or yellow) onions as you prep for making the sandwich.

When I noticed the post from seven years ago today, while living high in the mountains of Tuscany, I couldn’t help but smile when we saw it consisted of the step-by-step instructions for making one of our favorite meals, the bread-free submarine sandwich.

This sliced Emmental cheese or sliced Provolone cheese seems to add the most flavor to the sandwich. Try to avoid using overly processed American or cheddar cheese. There is no yellow/orange cheddar cheese in Italy since they don’t use dye to color it.

With only two or three grams of carbohydrates per sandwich, this is an ideal meal along with low-carb coleslaw or green salad for a fun dinner, almost feeling like a delightful carry-out or a takeaway meal for movie night.

Place the meats on a plate in preparation for assembling the sandwich. This mayonnaise was the best mayo we’d ever used, with no chemicals, few ingredients. 

Seeing the process of making this bread-free sandwich makes our mouths water. Wouldn’t we love one of these for tonight’s dinner, along with a big bowl of fresh, crunchy low-carb coleslaw?

On the days we made the sandwiches, we usually had bacon and eggs for breakfast, made extra bacon for the sandwiches, refrigerated until we assembled the sandwiches.

One may ask, this looks easy enough to make. Why couldn’t we put it together in our hotel room, when we have a small refrigerator? Most likely, we’d have trouble finding the meats, cheeses, and parchment paper online. Then there would be the concern over using undrinkable water to wash the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Too much trouble at this point.

Parchment paper is readily available at any grocery store. We used it almost every day to cover the bottom of any pan going into the oven (don’t use it on top of the stove) to reduce the cleanup and ease in getting the food, such as pizza, out of the pan. It’s excellent for baking, but one must not use it over 375 degrees, or it may burn. Do not use it when broiling. If you eat potatoes or sweet potatoes, parchment is ideal for making oven fries. Toss pre-cut potatoes with olive oil and salt and place in a preheated oven to (190C), 375F, baking for 30 minutes or until brown, tossing every so often. Best fries ever. For this sandwich recipe, we cut two pieces of about (75 cm) 30 inches each to wrap the ingredients as one would wrap a tortilla.

We haven’t prepared a meal in six months. Also, we have no space to put it all together. It’s simply not practical at this time. We’ll wait until we’re situated in a holiday home somewhere in the world and can make the process fun, as will be the case when we finally have the opportunity to prepare some of our other favorite meals.

To begin making the sandwich, lay two large romaine lettuce leaves, overlapping, end to end, centered in the parchment paper, the long way. Be sure the lettuce is dry to avoid a soggy mess later.

Tom is chomping at the bit for some beef and pork (although we can order bacon), which has not been on my mind quite as much as his. More so, I’ve been thinking about fish, salads, and delicious one-pot dishes we’ve loved over the years. A glass of wine would be nice, too.

Place the turkey or chicken slices atop the lettuce, cover with tomatoes. It’s OK to add more if you’d like.  We prefer this smaller amount.

This recipe isn’t only for those avoiding bread, carbs, or starches. It’s so tasty. It would appeal to any family members or singles who enjoy eating a wrap, in this case, a pseudo-wrap.

Place the cheese atop the tomatoes adding the mayonnaise using the spatula or broad knife.

Also, if one prefers, they can use the simple ingredients inside a jumbo tortilla wrap of any other type of round or oval sandwich wrap. Two critical elements are the bacon, cooked well, and a good quality mayonnaise, slathered on as shown in today’s photos.

Ham slices in Italy are different than deli ham slices in other countries, more fatty with no nitrates, but less flavorful than ham slices in the US. One can add or delete any items in this sandwich. But, the most essential things for maximum flavor are bacon, cheese, and mayonnaise. Sliced roast beef also works well when available. We would have purchased roast beef in Italy but, it was INR 3139, US $42 a pound, so we were content with the ham and sliced chicken.

A few of our readers wrote last time we posted this recipe was, “Can these “subway sandwiches” be made in advance, and will they keep overnight?”

Layer the cooked bacon and onion slices.

As with any sandwich, they aren’t as great the next day. But, if you leave out the tomato and lettuce, they’ll keep for three days. Unfortunately, the sandwich will have to be fully unwrapped to add the tomato and lettuce a few days later, but wrapping the parchment paper is easy if wrapped tightly. Unwrap, add the tomatoes and lettuce, and then re-wrap the parchment using the same parchment paper.

After layering all the ingredients, lay two more dry pieces of the romaine lettuce atop, matching up the length of the sandwich to avoid a lot of overlap on the ends.

Is the parchment paper a must? Can you use waxed paper or tin foil? Preferably not since the waxed paper doesn’t hold it together, and tin foil is OK only if used to additionally wrap a parchment-wrapped sandwich for added insulation.

Please fold the paper over the sandwich on edge closest to you, beginning to roll it tightly. Re-wrap it if it’s not tight enough. After a few times, you’ll get the hang of it.

As mentioned in the previous post on this date in 2013, we started making these after visiting a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop before we left the US and were delighted to eat their version of the bread-free sandwich, the “Unwich.” 

Tuck one end over as if you were gift-wrapping a package.

If you live near a Jimmy John’s store, you can avoid the fuss and buy from them. But, our version is much heartier, more filling, and tastier than the fast-food version. 

While in the US, we purchased the meats from Costco since they sell gluten-free, sugar-free, and nitrate-free meats. Surprisingly, we’ve had no trouble finding such meats in other parts of the world. 

Continue to roll it tightly, tucking in both ends, leaving one end loose for unwrapping it as it is eaten. Using a few well-placed wide rubber bands helps those who may have difficulty pulling the paper down neatly.

If sliced, good-quality deli meats aren’t available in your area, you can use leftover thinly sliced roast beef, chicken breast, and lean ham, removing all fat from the edges of the slices. 

The only countries we haven’t been able to get bacon have been those that don’t sell pork due to religious beliefs. We didn’t make these sandwiches in those countries since bacon is such a vital ingredient for the superb flavor.

The final product, tightly wrapped, ready to chill, and enjoy with a side salad.

Here’s the list of ingredients (for two to three sandwiches):

Jess & Tom’s Unwich Sandwiches
One large ripe tomato, sliced medium thickness
One large purple onion, thinly sliced 
8-12 large washed and thoroughly dried romaine lettuce leaves
Four slices Provolone cheese (or other preferred sliced cheese)
6 ounces sliced deli ham
6 ounces sliced deli turkey or chicken
6 ounces sliced roast beef or other preferred sliced meat
Six slices of cooked bacon
Mayonnaise (Tom doesn’t like mayo but in this sandwich, he does. Give it a try or use another sandwich spread you prefer).
Parchment paper, cut into two 30′ long pieces.

If two sandwiches are made from this list of ingredients, they will be huge. I often eat half of one for dinner and the second half the next day, not minding the somewhat soggy tomato and lettuce.

For us, we prepare sufficiently sized meals to last three dinners, enabling us to cook less often. In those cases, we triple these ingredients and make up a fresh sandwich each evening. We place all the meats in a Tupperware-type container with a lid, and they easily keep for three days.

We can’t wait to prepare our meals again!

Enjoy!

Photo from one year ago today, July 23, 2019:

Cattle along the driveway from our house in Connemara, Ireland, could have been a mom, dad, and calves. For more photos, please click here.

Day #121 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Recalling the morphology of the banana tree…A fascinating process..

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This was our first photo taken over two months ago on our first walk up the steep hill. We were fascinated by this peculiar-looking pod which is called the inflorescence.

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Today’s photos are from July 22, 2014, while in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal. See the link here for more photos.

After more research, we discovered the following statement on India’s visa site as follows:

“Vide MHA O.M. No. 25022/24/2020-F.V/F.I(Pt.) dated 29.06.2020. In respect of foreign nationals whose Regular Visa or e-Visa or stay stipulation period is expiring post 30.06.2020, such Regular Visa or e-Visa or stay stipulation period shall be deemed to be valid until 30 more days from the date of resumption of normal international flight operations on ‘GRATIS’ basis without levy of overstay penalty.”

The “inflorescence” continued to grow, changing before our eyes.
We took a photo of this statement on my phone. We will present it at the airport if any issues arise when we attempt to leave the country within 30 days after normal international flight operations in India. In other words, we need to hightail it out of India within that period.
 
That will give us enough time to decide which will be the best country to visit to allow us to enter and stay for 90-days or more. With COVID-19, we prefer to fly to as few airports as possible during the journey, wherever that may be.
“The inflorescence is a complex structure that includes the flowers that will develop into fruits.” The hanging pink and yellowish protrusions are the flowers. Mother Nature is amazing!
For now, we sit back and wait for the 30-day ticker to begin when India opens its airports to normal international operations. We are OK with this prospect, feeling confident we’ll find a country to accept us somewhere in the world.

We’re back to our former status quo of watching news reports, the stats in India, and other countries, all the while wondering when the international airport will resume operations.

As days turned into weeks, the inflorescence changed dramatically.

Not much new is transpiring right now. My sister Susan, in hospice care in Las Vegas, Nevada, is in stable condition at the moment. I’ve been able to have a few good conversations with her when she seemed clearer and more lucid. I usually call her after 10:00 pm here when it’s morning in Nevada, which seems better for her than in the evening.

The 12½ hour time difference makes it tricky to reach family members at suitable times of the day or night. When I call at night, I miss my “sleepiness” signal at around 10:30 pm and end up having an awful time falling asleep after an emotional and stimulating conversation. 

One morning I noticed that the stalk, the rachis, had dropped partially out of view behind withering leaves.

After talking to Julie last night, I never fell asleep until after 1:00 am. Recently, I’ve started the equivalent of counting sheep, counting backward from 100. I may begin to over two or three times when I get down to 80, but this seems to calm down my over-active brain.

Today’s photos are from this date in 2014 while we were living on the island of Madeira in 2014. I should mention, I keep jumping back and forth to different countries and periods, based on the quality of photos from “this date” so many years ago. 

After a few weeks of rain, when we didn’t walk the hills, this small bunch of bananas appeared as nourished from the remainder of the plant and its fantastical elements. It’s easy to revel in how complex and exciting Life is all around us.

While in Madeira on this date, we’d shared photos taken over two months on the “morphology” of the banana plant as we walked each day in the neighborhood on the steep hills in Campanario to observe a particular plant. It was fascinating to watch the evolution of the plant to end a big beautiful bunch of bananas finally.

Here’s a link with a scientific description of the morphology of the banana plant, which we found interesting. In our world travels, we search for any forms of life that appeal to our senses, whether animal, vegetation, scenery, or culture.

I hope you enjoy these repeated photos from 2014 and perhaps think about it next time you peel and eat a banana.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 22, 2019:

A sailing regatta near Roundstone at dusk in Connemara, Ireland. For more photos, please click here.

Day #120 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Confusing India visa extension…

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We stopped along a beach to enjoy the views in Madeira, Portugal.

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Today’s photos are from July 21, 2014, while in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal. See the link here for more photos.

I don’t know where to begin. It’s all so confusing. I wrote to India’s visa department, explicitly asking the following question in an email:

“We are US citizens that arrived in India on January 31, 2020, for a two-month tour of the country.

Close up of flower at the beach.
Since lockdown started, we’ve been in a hotel in Mumbai near the airport, observing all safety requirements.
 
Our India visa stamp states November 19, 2020. Does this date apply to us, or will our visas expire on July 28, 2020, 180 days after entry?
 
Do we apply now for an extension, or do we wait until the international airport fully opens?
Most beaches are rocky in Madeira. Wooden planks are provided for sunbathers to avoid sitting on the rocks. On many beaches, these thatched umbrellas are also provided. 
We will not be returning to the US and will fly to some other country once the international flights are fully open and…when a country will accept us with US passports with recent time spent in India.”
 
Several hours later, I received the following form response, exactly as written:
 
“Hello Dear,
Thank you for your email. All foreign visitors can extend their visas through the FRRO/FRO services website / Mobile app. It is an entirely online process, and you don’t need to visit FRRO/FRO office unless you get a call from FRRO/FRO for some specific reason. For more information, please see here https://indiaevisas.org/Extension-On-Indian-eVisa-due-to-COVID-19“
Many roads along the cliffs were wet from water running down the mountains.
None of this answered our specific questions, leaving us totally in the dark. This morning after 9:00 am, I called no less than five phone numbers indicated on their site, none of which had an answer or voice mail message.
 
Suppose we apply for an extension, a complicated and time-consuming process, including attaching numerous documents. In that case, it’s only suitable for 30 days to fly by in a flash, and still, international flights won’t be available. Will we have to continue with the laborious process every 30 days until we finally leave?
From what we could determine, this small one-lane rock tunnel was ancient.
Fortunately, there are no fees to file based on COVID-19. There are no specific references on any of their sites as to how to handle this situation. This morning, after the phoning efforts, we both started the process when even the registration process to file was a confusing and cumbersome operation.
 
We kept receiving messages that the process didn’t accept the one-time OPT (one-time password) we received by email, nor did it take the “captcha” letters and numbers we tried to enter, doing it carefully each time. 
A bridge over a ravine.
Finally, I was registered, but Tom’s registration seemed impossible. With years of online experience, usually, a process like this would be a piece of cake. Oh, not now. We’ll try again later after I complete my application after uploading this post.
 
In the middle of all this, I had to do my walking, which I’ve beefed up further to 8500 steps a day. Also, I had to go downstairs to pay our bill, which we do every 11 days since we cannot book the hotel for more than 11 days at a time. We tried booking for 14, 21, 25, 28 days, etc., to no avail. 
A fast-running small creek in the ravine.
Thus, we have to go downstairs every 11 days to pay the bill (and for meals), which is annoying when there may be more germs in the elevators and down there. I scrubbed everything, including myself, upon return. Thank goodness I’ve already taken care of this today.
 
Amid all of this, I kept thinking that my mind would be more at ease if I uploaded today’s post. As a result, I am rushing through with this visa thing on my mind.
A fountain in the center of a round-about.
Yes, even in lockdown with few obligations, we can still get caught up in the responsibilities of daily life. And yes, we feel frustrated and annoyed at times due to such responsibilities, especially when we run into difficulties, as has transpired today.
 
May your day be safe and uncomplicated!

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

Clouds reflecting on a body of water in Connemara, Ireland. For more photos, please click here.

Day #119 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…More dreadful travel news…

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We handed off the camera to a kind gentleman to take this blurry photo in the square when we were invited to a party in Boveglio.

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Today’s photos are from July 20, 2013, while in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. See the link here for more photos.

As of yet, the prospects for the future aren’t looking good for us leaving India anytime soon. With India now in the #3 spot in the world with South Africa, having moved into the #5 spot, with the most cases of COVID-19, our hopes to travel from Mumbai to Marloth Park are rapidly declining.

The interior of the “theatre” in the square, our mouths were agape as we viewed each photo with our new friends encouraging us along, telling stories mainly in Italian, so proud to share their history with us. It was a night we’ll never forget.

Once the international flights open in Mumbai, we’ll have 30 days to fly out of India based on our visa and current restrictions. I wrote to the immigration department asking for more details impacting us if no country will accept us. What will we be able to do based on India’s visa requirements? 

Will we be able to get a visa extension beyond the 30-day mandate from the time international flights resume? Their offices are closed, but they are accepting email inquiries. Hopefully, we’ll receive a response soon.

Many of us have old photos such as these of our relatives, deceased and living, bringing us a warm sense of our roots and family history.

Our visa stamp indicates we’re allowed to stay until November 19, 2020, but in tiny print below, it states no foreigners may last longer than 180 days in a single stay. By July 28, we’ll have been in India for 180 days.

In the interim, we’ll continue to follow online updates on their visa website. This is a bit unclear and confusing at this point, and we’re hoping for further clarification by email.

None of the photos were dated, but the clothing may indicate the early 1900’s.

As for South Africa, we doubt they’ll allow US citizens to enter the country well into 2021. Subsequently, we have to put our hopes to return to Marloth Park on hold for an extended period.

Now, as we continue to stay updated on flights and borders opening up, we may have to consider some options that are not as desirable as we’d like. Will shopping in local markets be safe in more crowded populations in many countries? Also, will we stay in another hotel somewhere or rent a holiday home?

Based on the clothing, this wedding procession appears it could have been in the 1950s on a now-paved road in the neighborhood.

Europe is out of the question when US citizens aren’t allowed to enter. Some Caribbean islands with low numbers of the virus accept US citizens, which we may consider when flights open out of India. A few countries in Africa will accept us at this point.
Still, the uncertainty remains, which above all, is the most challenging aspect of this unusual situation. As planners, not knowing what is next is frustrating and can easily monopolize our thoughts.

This is the unpaved road closest to the street near the church that leads to Bar Ferrari. We walked up this road while in Boveglio.

In the worst-case, we can always return to the US for some time, but our realities still cloud this possibility: 1. Too many cases of the virus and the necessities of stops at many airports required to get anywhere we may be willing to wait it out and, 2. Our insurance only pays outside the USA, not while we’re visiting the US, a risky scenario in light of the risk of COVID-19 and the added exposure in the US. 

If we convert to Medicare, we’re stuck paying at least INR 89912, US $1200 a month for life for both of us for Medicare Part B and necessary supplements, which is irreversible once instituted. 

There was no road to our 300-year-old vacation home beside the walking path for residents and animals in this photo. 

If we continue our world travels, this Medicare will do us little good outside the US). Right now, we’re paying about INR 31844, US $425 a month (for both of us) with excellent coverage and low co-pays, anywhere in the world except the US.

What a dilemma! In the interim, we strive to remain optimistic as we stick to our comforting routines to maintain our health and our sanity.

Stay healthy. Stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, July 20, 2019:

Note the different sizes of her horns as seen in Connemara, Ireland. For more photos, please click here.

Day #118 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Recalling beautiful artwork in Madeira, Portugal in 2014…

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It’s hard to believe this is needlepoint. This piece was hanging above the sofa, taking up a huge portion of the wall.  Gina’s mama is quite skilled, although no longer able to do this work. 

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Today’s photos are from July 19, 2018, while in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal. See the link here for more photos.
A smaller sidewall held this stunning piece.
While in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal, in 2014, we were faced with the reality of living in a highly cultural neighborhood where few spoke English, not even our landlord, the lovely Gina, with whom we’re still in touch on Facebook today.
 
Gina spoke a few English words and continues to learn more as the years have passed to facilitate the needs of her customers from all over the world who are (were before COVID) renting her beautiful properties on the magical island off the coast of Africa. 
This piece was huge, filling a substantial wall space.  
Portuguese is the language spoken in Madeira, which in many ways is similar to Spanish and Italian. We could decipher most written words, menus, and road signs, but speaking and understanding the spoken language was another issue.
 
Somehow, during the 2½ months, we spent on the island, we got along quite well. No doubt, we missed engaging in general conversations with others, but we had many cruises ahead of us where we’d have an opportunity to socialize.
We can only imagine the effort that went into the preparation for the design and colors.
Gina included us in many local activities and aspects of cultural life on the island. We were blessed with a plethora of delightful experiences, which may be found in our archives in the second half of May, all of June, and July 2014.
 
One of the many memorable experiences Gina shared with us was a tour of her and her husband Carlo’s home that Carlo had built. The extended family is in the home building business and combined. They have several holiday homes.
The detail in the art is breathtaking.
We noticed the amazing needlework on the walls that Gina’s mother had crafted over 60 years during the tour. Today’s photos include some of those exquisite works of art we so enjoyed during the time, prompting us to take pictures which we share again today.
 
As for the moment, I just spent the past 90 minutes on the phone with my sister Julie and niece Kely who have spent 11 days in Nevada attending to my sister Susan’s end-of-life affairs. 
Typically, we’ve seen patterns such as this in needlepoint.
They shared the details with me to ensure I felt a part of the process. The time is near, but one never knows how long a beloved family member may linger while in hospice care. At this point, she has no quality of life, and indeed, when she’s ready, she’ll let go. 
 
As much as we try to prepare ourselves when a loved one’s time is near, there is no way to avoid the sorrow when the time comes. During these times of COVID-19, it becomes all the more sorrowful when unable to be at the side of our loved ones.
 
Be safe. Be well.
Photo from one year ago today, July 19, 2019:
Don’t be fooled by this tiny building. It’s a powerhouse of flavor in Carna, Connemara, Ireland.  This tiny building offers outstanding fresh-caught seafood, fish, and chips, the finest takeaway in Connemara or perhaps even in Ireland. And many other items. For more, please click here.

Day #117 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…See below for photo of last night’s dinner…

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By the time I walked down the steep steps to the produce truck, it was surrounded by no less than ten residents, anxious to buy their weekly supply of fruits and veggies.
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 July 18, 2018, while in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. See the link here for more details.
 
Recently, we’ve been including past photos from the three months we spent in the summer of 2013 in a small village, high in the mountains of Tuscany, Italy. It seems so long ago, yet the memories of Boveglio remain fresh in our minds as if it was yesterday.
 
It was early on in our travels when we arrived in Italy, only eight months after we left Minnesota on October 31, 2012, the date we consider as when we first began our travels. 
 
A misconception about our travel dates may revolve around the fact that we didn’t leave the US until January 3, 2013, when we embarked on our first cruise from San Diego, California, to Miami, Florida, during which our ship transited through the Panama Canal, sailed to the Caribbean and disembarked in Miami, Florida.
It felt awkward taking photos, so I did so discretely. I was the only tourist in the bunch as I heard the locals chatting endlessly in Italian. I did my usual smiling and head nodding, hiding my camera under my shirt.
From there, we stayed with friend Carol for three nights in Boca Raton, Florida, while awaiting our next cruise. From there, we sailed on another cruise disembarking in Belize. We rented a property on a peninsula, Placencia, far from the chaotic capital of Belize, City.
 
In April, we sailed on a few more cruises, including a transatlantic cruise, a Meditteranean cruise, another cruise through the Suez Canal and the Middle East, a two-week stay in Dubai, later flying to Barcelona, from which we cruised to Venice. Once in Venice, we toured along the canals and exquisite city, eventually traveling to Boveglio, a 4½ hour drive, until we reached the 300-year-old stone house we’d rented for three months.
 
The GPS on our phones wasn’t working while high in the mountains of Tuscany, but somehow we managed to find the property, hauling our then excess amount of luggage up steep stone steps to the property.
 
Once situated in our third holiday home outside the US (Belize, Dubai, and Italy) at that time, we had an opportunity to relax and enjoy our time in the gorgeous setting in a pristine historic village.
More fruit than vegetables, I was unable to replenish our supply of cauliflower but purchased other vegetables.
Of course, we had to make significant adaptations, as we’d done in Belize and Dubai. It was summer and very hot with no air-con or fans, not even in the bedroom. Nor were no screens on the windows. At night, sleeping was intermittent, with mosquitoes buzzing around our heads.
 
During the day, we were bombarded by giant flies, sometimes horseflies, and other flying insects when we had to leave the windows open for airflow. While preparing meals and dining in the typical Italian kitchen, which we loved, the flies were relentless.
 
At one point, we asked the owners for suggestions. They came with cheesecloth and a staple gun to fashion some form of screens, but the makeshift screens flew out the windows on the first windy day. We didn’t bother them again. We swatted the flies and mosquitoes.
As typical in a 300-year-old stone house, the beams and door frames were shallow. Frequently, in the beginning, we both banged our heads several times a day. We eventually learned to keep our heads down when we moved from room to room.
Here’s what I purchased today for a total of Euro $4.09, US $5.33. Prices were better at the grocery store, but the freshness and convenience made it worth paying more.
The access to the veranda to hang laundry required a dangerous climb from the indoor stone stairway to an opening halfway up the stairs. We proceeded with caution when we often went out to the veranda to pick the fresh vegetables the owners had planted for us in various pots. We cautioned each time and thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and spices.
 
The most challenging issue was that no one in the area, including our landlords, spoke any English. For three months, we dined in restaurants, shopped at the local markets, and somehow communicated with the neighbors, the landlords, the cleaner, and the pharmacist, learning a few words as we went along.
 
The WiFi signal was so bad that we could only get an adequate signal to prepare our posts and conduct research for future travels near an open window or on the tiny veranda accessed through one of the bedrooms. 
 
We couldn’t watch the old-style tiny TV when everything was in Italian, nor could we download and stream movies or TV series with the weak signal. Fortunately, previously, we’d downloaded lots of books on our phones and spent most evenings reading while we swatted the persistent mozzies off our screens.
Hesitantly, I handed the vendor a single bill for Euro $50 (US $65.10), concerned she’d refuse the larger bill. No problemo! She had a fanny pack filled with money!
Amid all of this, we wouldn’t trade the experience of those three months for anything in the world. It was there in Tuscany, Italy, in the tiny village of Boveglio, that we learned how vital adaptation would be as we continued on our world travels.
 
No, it wouldn’t always be easy, and most often, in one way or another, it wasn’t. Perhaps, as we sit here today on day 117 in lockdown in a standard hotel room in Mumbai, India, unable to go outdoors, have a cocktail, eat a variety of meals, socialize, wash our clothes in a washer, hear birds singing, pick a flower from a garden or see any of Mother Nature’s wonders, we’re somehow managing just fine. 
 
Was the past almost eight years of adaptation instrumental in making this experience tolerable? Most likely, yes. We’re grateful for what we’ve learned and the gift of tolerance we’ve gleaned in the process.
Tom describes my chicken curry (on a bed of steamed cabbage) as looking like cat puke. I dismiss his observation and thoroughly have enjoyed this spicy, delicious meal.
Hopefully, in time we’ll be able to continue. Be well. 
Photo from one year ago today, July 18, 2019:
A wedding gown of the era, shown in a room at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Ireland. For more photos, please click here.
Day #116 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Messages from readers make our days special!…Negative comments from readers?…

Day #116 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Messages from readers make our days special!…Negative comments from readers?…

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Check out how many kudus we had in the garden on this date in 2018!

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 July 17, 2018, while in Marloth Park, South Africa. See the link here for more details.



Today’s post is, by no means, intended to “toot our own horn.” Instead, it’s about the kindness of people, of our readers, so many of whom have taken the time to write to us to provide support and encouragement.

That morning’s 17 kudus in the garden. See the above video for details.

I don’t often share the actual email messages we receive, but somehow the following message that arrived in my inbox yesterday (who’s name and email I’ve excluded, protecting her privacy) left us reeling with appreciation.


How well this reader understands our love for Marloth Park and the reasons we can’t wait to return someday when COVID-19 settles down. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to meet this couple in Marloth Park sometime in the future?

Wildebeest Willie and friends stopped by another night.

In her message, as shown below, she writes,” Thank you for the encouragement you bring to my life.” Our response is, “Thank you for the encouragement you bring to our lives.” Ironic.

Although not all are shown in this photo, we had six bushbucks in the garden at one time for the first time.

Here’s her message received in yesterday’s email:                                                                                                   
“Good morning Jessica

I have been following you for quite a while and today feel prompted to make contact.
I am so in awe of how well you are coping!!
My husband and I have lived in Cape Town all our lives and retired to Knysna for ten lovely years.

We decided to put stuff into storage a few years ago and explore South Africa after selling our home. It has been wonderful, and we discovered Marloth in our travels!! We spent several months there last year.

Giraffes came through the parklands next to us. On foot, we rushed to see them up close to take photos. But, dad wasn’t too happy with us with his young calf nearby.  We carefully backed away.
It truly is just the most amazing place. We found a passion which we share.
We had to come to Cape Town due to health reasons in Dec last year… with every intention of returning there. BUT by the time things got sorted, we went into lockdown, and we were stuck in Cape Town.
We are staying in a lovely home with all we could need but are just longing to get back to Marloth!!
Some days I feel so frustrated at the limits on our lives..especially socially and the boredom of every day, and then I read one of your posts and realize how blessed we are. Thank you for the encouragement you bring to my life.
Keep well. God bless you both.
Hope to meet you one day in Marloth.”
We knew better than to get too close.

Wow! This message couldn’t have meant more to us. I will write back to her today, asking her and her husband to read today’s post, so they see how much their message meant to us.

It was nearly dark when they visited.

In the future, especially during this quiet time of COVID-19 lockdown, we will be posting more comments we receive from our readers. We welcome any of you to write as well.

You may ask, do we receive negative comments? Much to our surprise and delight, we do not. It’s a rarity for a “hater” to write to us. I suppose if haters don’t like us or our site, they certainly have the option not to read the posts. 

A young zebra in the garden of a house on the river road.

We are working hard at staying positive under these difficult circumstances, and engaging in heated discussions is not conducive to our mental wellbeing at this time. Neither of us finds such discussions uplifting in any manner, especially when there is nothing we can say to change their minds or ours.

This must have been the above baby’s mom resting nearby.

On another note, I tried a different dinner option in the past few days after speaking with the head chef. He now prepares a delicious, spicy chicken curry for me, made without starch (potatoes, peas, etc.), sugar, or flour, and it is such a welcome change. 

Tom says the curry looks like cat puke, but it doesn’t bother me. I have no idea what cat puke tastes like, but this version of curry sure tastes good to me. Tonight, I will take a photo and share it tomorrow.

We spotted two rangers on the road with rifles. We assumed it had something to do with poachers.

“They” are saying if everyone wore a face mask, socially distanced, and washed their hands, in two months, the virus could be over. Let’s all strive for this goal! Please pass this post on to others, and hopefully, they will get on board with those of us making this commitment!

Be well.

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

The view across Lough Pollaacapull is seen from the castle’s veranda at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Ireland. For more photos, please click here.
Day #115 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Is the “head in the sand” premise the best response during these times?…

Day #115 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Is the “head in the sand” premise the best response during these times?…

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These are the locked iron gates closing off easy access to the church across from our 300-year-old stone villa in Boveglio, Italy, in 2013.

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 July 16, 2014, while in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. See the link here for more details.
This separate detached building on the church grounds may have been the original church based on the inscription near the entryway.

We shake our heads in wonder as to why we’re holding up so well emotionally. Is it a concerted daily effort, or is it a by-product of our long-term goal of attempting to remain upbeat since the onset of our travels, during even the toughest of times?

A part of the entrance to the larger church.

For me, being in lockdown in this hotel room in India is a piece of cake compared to having emergency open-heart surgery in February 2019 and the horrific long recovery with complications. 

This gate was locked, preventing us from getting inside the church.

So what if we can’t go outside. So what if we mostly eat the same meals over and over again. So what if we hand wash all of our clothing which, on occasion, smells moldy when dry due to the air-con in the room and how long they take to dry. So what if we have no social interactions outside of this room. So what if we don’t have the freedom to live in a more appealing environment.

You are overlooking the iron railing around the cemetery.

Are our “heads in the sand” in denial of what may prove to be a year-long-hotel-room-confinement in Mumbai, India? We stayed in a self-imposed lockdown for a few weeks, even before the official lockdown began in India on March 24th, the day we moved into this hotel.

Another view of the cemetery from the iron railing. A gate was also locked to the main entrance, but we could enter through an unlocked side gate.

In total, we’ve been in lockdown since March 12th, the day we discovered our planned upcoming cruise scheduled for April 3rd, from Mumbai to Greenwich, UK, was canceled when we chose to end our 55-day private tour of India with three more weeks remaining until completion. This results in a total of 137 days since we’ve been confined. So what?

These steps were much steeper than they appear here, more so than many of the steps on the walk to Bar Ferrari in our neighborhood. We found an unlocked gate allowing us to enter at the bottom of these steps.

Maybe we do have our heads in the sand. So what? It’s helping us get through. But, most of all, the fact that we are safe and unlikely to contract COVID-19 makes this confinement all the more tolerable.

These were the first gravesites we spotted as we entered the cemetery.

Sure, it would be great to be able to have a glass of wine or cocktail now and then. Sure, it would be great to have social interactions, shop at a grocery store, cook a meal, use a washing machine, hang up clothes on an outdoor clothesline, or feed visiting wildlife at the edge of a veranda. Sure, it would all be nice.

Tom, ancestry.com obsessed, was fascinated with the stories revealed by the many headstones, names, dates, and photos.

Hopefully, someday in the future, all of this will transpire. But, at the growing rate of infection in many countries that we’d consider visiting, we patiently remain in a state of limbo, not with our heads-in-the-sand, but instead, a safe state of acceptance and reverence for this awful disease that we avoid at all costs.

Some of the headstones were quite impressive, both old and new.

There’s no easy answer. We walk with vigor. We talk with vigor. We laugh with vigor, especially on those mornings when Tom asks as he did today, “What’s on the agenda for today?”

We don’t have to clean, make the bed, do dishes, or sweep the floor! We get to go for a walk several times! And, I answer, “Guess what? We get to “order room service twice!” We get to “go to the movies!”

But, most of all, one more time, we get to write to all of you!

Photo from one year ago today, July 16, 2019:

This is the over-the-top Kylemore Abbey, a former home, castle and grounds of a wealthy family in the 1800s. We visited this site, taking photos, while in Connemara, Ireland, one year ago. Please click here for more photos.

Day #114 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…In a darkened room, hiding away…No sunshine here…

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Bananas were growing everywhere on the island of Madeira. Many farmed for resale, while others were available for personal use.

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 July 15, 2014, while in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal. See the link here for more details.

We both are advocates of the value of getting Vitamin D from direct sunlight for 20 minutes a day. With all outdoor areas closed to guests in the hotel, there is nowhere we can go to get some sun directly on our skin.

Besides, it’s the monsoon season in India now, and it rains almost every day and night, often in torrents. As hard as this is to admit, based on our year’s long advocacy of the value of direct sunlight for setting bio-rhythms to produce better sleep and general health benefits, we now sit in a darkened room (with lamps on), 24 hours a day.

Some flowers are continuing to bloom through the summer season as is the case in the Alstroemeria.

It happened during the first month. One sunny day, we closed the drapes on the entire glass wall due to the glare on our laptops and kept the room cool. The view isn’t pleasant and we had no interest in seeing outdoors, especially when our chairs back up to the windows.

Over the next few cloudy days, we opened the drapes but again found the glare annoying and felt no benefit from keeping the drapes open. Finally, over a week, we gradually kept the drapes closed entirely. 

And now, over 100 days later, we spend each day in the darkened room with lamps on, while providing somewhat of a cozy feeling that we’ve both embraced. Now, if the cleaner leaves the drapes open after cleaning, we immediately close them in order for the room to return to its familiar ambiance.

What were these red things growing on a tree in our yard?  

The fact is that it may be more beneficial with the drapes open right now as we continue in lockdown month after month. However, right now, our general comfort seems to be of the utmost importance to us.

We walk daily and Tom adds in numerous flights of stairs to his walks in the corridors. I’m up to no less than three miles, almost five km, per day at a good pace, although I break it up into several segments to avoid sitting for any length of time. Tom does his exercises while our room is being cleaned.

Are we hiding away in a darkened room during these trying times? Is it impacting our moods? We aren’t hiding away but feel right now that avoiding the glare and the less-than-desirable view has a more positive impact on our ability to stay positive, contrary to what “they” may say.

These berries were growing on a palm-type tree in the garden.

Each has to find ways to console and comfort ourselves during these challenging times while easing the stress of confinement. Our dear friends Kathy and Don, who are currently living in Oahu, Hawaii (when not at their home in Marloth Park, to which they aren’t allowed to travel at this point), can walk outdoors and get together with friends at outdoor restaurants while maintaining social distancing.

Enjoying a glass of wine or a drink with friends (or even with each other) would be such a treat along with the opportunity to walk outdoors in the sunshine. However, it’s not as if we didn’t appreciate it in times past. Our level of appreciation in times to come will surely be over-the-top.

We hope you are safely able to be outdoors in bright sunlight and perhaps enjoy snippets of time with friends and family at safe distances.

Be well.

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

With great reviews on TripAdvisor, it’s no wonder many visitors stopped by the unique eatery, The Misunderstood Heron in Connemara, Ireland with its stunning scenery. We didn’t order any food when all of it included wheat and high carbs. For more photos, please click here.