CORONAVIRUS DIARIES XIII

 

“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.” - Rene Descartes 

Today, I am interviewing a medical expert, researcher, published author of many scientific, peer-reviewed articles and medical textbooks, a well-known professional, and an academic of many years, who currently works for a government agency that supervises medical care in Australia, ensuring that the public are protected and that they enjoy safe, effective and evidence-based treatment and care. I shall refer to this person as Dr X.

 

Jammy: Dr X, thank you for agreeing to this interview on the COVID-19 pandemic. Your expertise is valued and your time is appreciated. 

Dr X: you’re welcome, I am happy to provide as much up-to-date and accurate information as I can in a language that an average lay person can understand. 

Jammy: Please explain to me, what are viruses? 

Dr X: Viruses are interesting aggregates of organic matter, that technically are not able to be classified as “living”. They don’t respire, they don’t respond to stimuli, they cannot reproduce themselves and many of them, if purified, can be crystallised like sugar or salt and stored in a jar on a shelf, unchanging for many years. They are of two major types, depending on whether they possess their genetic material in the form of RNA or in the form of DNA – not both like our cells have. 

Jammy: So are they cells? 

Dr X: No, they are not cellular. They are very simple compared to cells possessing in most cases only a little genetic material in their core and a surrounding, protecting shell of protein, with or without an external envelope of lipid, depending on the virus type. They are exceedingly small. A red blood cell of a human is 7,500 nanometres (a nanometre is a billionth of a metre), a typical bacterium is around 1,000 to 2,000 nanometres, and a large, complex virus is only around 400 nanometres, while a small one is about 25 nanometres. 

Jammy: So if they cannot reproduce themselves, how do viruses multiply? 

Dr X. They are expert fraudsters and master deceivers. When viruses come into the body, their external proteins latch onto cell receptor molecules and thus they enter into living cells. Inside these, they take over the metabolism of the cell and they force the cell to make more and more viruses instead of more cell. As the cell fills up with viruses, it bursts, is destroyed and thousands of new viruses emerge, to infect more body cells, or come out of the body to infect other people. 

Jammy: Hmmm, seems like a pretty pointless existence… 

Dr X. Well, no more pointless than many living organisms, or even some people! 

Jammy: When viruses come into the body, can’t we take antibiotics to destroy the viruses? Just like we do with bacterial infections? 

Dr X. Bacteria, fungi and protozoa can be relatively easily managed with antibiotics and other drugs because they are living organisms with their own metabolism, which in many cases is quite different to human cells. Antibiotics interfere with the metabolism of these microorganisms, killing them or suspending their growth so the body’s immune cells can destroy them. Viruses, as we said, are not alive and do not metabolise. Thus they are not susceptible to antibiotics and most antimicrobial drugs. 

Jammy: But AIDS is caused by a virus and HIV infection can be treated effectively nowadays with drugs, can’t it? 

Dr X: Yes, HIV infection can be effectively managed nowadays with a cocktail of specific drugs because HIV is a rather special virus. It is a virus which can only make the cell manufacture more virus by getting the cell it infects to first make a special enzyme that doesn’t exist in human cells (the enzyme is called reverse transcriptase). Many of the anti-HIV drugs interfere with this special enzyme’s activity in cells, hence preventing viral replication in cells. 

Jammy: So, theoretically, it’s possible to have a drug that interferes with COVID-19 replication in cells? That would get rid of virus from the body, and hence infection? 

Dr X: This is much more difficult. COVID-19 is a more or less quite ordinary virus, which comes into cells and takes over cell metabolism easily, utilising all of the cell’s own enzymes and nutrients to make more virus. If we interfere with these cellular metabolic pathways with a drug, we would be interfering with the metabolic process of all cells in our body, which could effectively kill us. A rather drastic way of overcoming a viral infection. 

Jammy: What about hydroxychloroquine? Doesn’t that help with overcoming COVID-19 infection? 

Dr X: For a while, some initial studies with it showed promise. Unfortunately, examination of these initial trials with this drug, indicated that they were conducted in a rather haphazard manner and the results of the studies were not interpreted in a scientific manner. More trials were conducted, and at this time, there are very limited data to support the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Clinical evidence is emerging, but results are inconclusive. Besides, prolonged use of hydroxychloroquinone (especially in compromised patients or together with other drugs) has numerous side effects, some of which are life-threatening. Hydroxychloroquine is definitely not the wondrous cure for COVID-19 as some very vocal people are vehemently suggesting – I wonder if these people have shares in drug companies manufacturing hydroxychloroquine? 

Jammy: What about a vaccine against COVID-19? 

Dr X: Vaccines are the standard, safe, cheap and effective way to prevent a whole variety of different viral diseases, for example: Polio, measles, hepatitis B, rubella. Will a vaccine be developed as easily for COVID-19 as for the diseases I just mentioned? The answer is maybe yes, maybe not. The “maybe yes” comes from the observation that in animal studies, coronaviruses stimulate strong immune responses, which seem capable of knocking out the virus. Recovery from COVID-19 may be in large part due to effective immune response. The “maybe not” comes from evidence just as strong, at least with earlier SARS and MERS viruses, that natural immunity to these viruses is short-lived. In fact, some animals can be reinfected with the very same strain that caused infection in the first place. 

Jammy: Some people suggest that we should not bother with restrictions and precautions and just rely on herd immunity to get us over the pandemic. 

Dr X: Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected not just those who are immune. Often, a percentage of the population must be capable of getting a disease in order for it to spread. This is called a threshold proportion. If the proportion of the population that is immune to the disease is greater than this threshold, the spread of the disease will decline. This is known as the herd immunity threshold. What percentage of a community needs to be immune in order to achieve herd immunity? It varies from disease to disease. The more contagious a disease is, the greater the proportion of the population that needs to be immune to the disease to stop its spread. For example, measles is a highly contagious illness. It is estimated that 94% of the population must be immune to interrupt the chain of transmission.

There are some major problems with relying on community infection to create herd immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19. First, it isn’t yet clear if infection with the COVID-19 virus makes a person immune to future infection (as we said, that is one of the problems with making a protective vaccine against this virus).

Even if infection with the COVID-19 virus creates long-lasting immunity, a large number of people would have to become infected to reach the herd immunity threshold. Experts estimate that in the USA, 70% of the population (i.e., more than 200 million people!) would have to recover from COVID-19 to halt the epidemic. If many people become sick with COVID-19 at once, the health care system could quickly become overwhelmed. This amount of infection could also lead to serious complications and millions of deaths, especially among older people and those who have chronic conditions. 

Jammy: Oh dear! We are in a bind… So what can we do? 

Dr X: We must slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and protect individuals at increased risk of severe illness, including older adults and people of any age with underlying health conditions. To reduce the risk of infection we must all:

• Avoid large events and mass gatherings.
• Avoid close contact (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters) with anyone who is sick or has symptoms.
• Stay home as much as possible and keep distance between yourself and others (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters) if COVID-19 is spreading in your community, especially if you have a higher risk of serious illness. Keep in mind some people may have the COVID-19 virus and spread it to others, even if they don’t have symptoms or don’t know they have COVID-19.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Wear a cloth face covering or face mask in public spaces, such as in shops, where it’s difficult to avoid close contact with others, especially if you’re in an area with ongoing community spread. Dispose of the face mask safely in a rubbish bin.
• Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw away the used tissue in a rubbish bin.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Avoid sharing dishes, glasses, bedding and other household items if you’re sick.
• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, electronics and counters, daily.
• Stay home from work, school and public areas if you’re sick, unless you’re going to get medical care. Avoid public transportation, taxis and ride-sharing if you’re sick.
• Get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms and self-isolate at home until you get the results.

Jammy: Thank you Dr X, sound advice indeed! 
 Dr X: My pleasure. Stay safe and take care.

TRAVEL TUESDAY 247 - CORONAVIRUS DIARIES XII

 

“A pestilence does not have human dimensions, so people tell themselves that it is unreal, that it is a bad dream which will end. But it does not always end and, from one bad dream to the next, it is people who end, humanists first of all because they have not prepared themselves.” ― Albert Camus 

Last Sunday, our Premier declared Victoria to be in a “State of Disaster” as the second-wave  COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to rise despite the second lockdown and Stage III restrictions that had been imposed about three weeks ago. These measures, however, failed to control the outbreak and hence the Stage IV restrictions imposed now. The new restrictions will last for six weeks, at least, but hopefully will be curbing the alarming spread of the virus in the community sooner than that.

Under Melbourne’s new restrictions, beginning 6pm Sunday night, only one person in each household can do shopping once a day. Exercise can be undertaken once a day for one hour, and no more than two people can exercise together. Residents can’t travel more than five kilometres from their home for shopping or exercise. The wearing of masks by everyone is mandatory and social distancing rules still apply. Regional Victoria will enter stage 3 restrictions from midnight on Wednesday. Travel of course, is out of the question, especially so travel for pleasure. The state borders have already been closed and there is no international flight traffic into or out of Melbourne Airport.

From the 2nd of August, a curfew will be in place in metropolitan Melbourne. Curfews will be in operation from 8pm to 5am every evening, with people only allowed to leave their house for work, and essential health, care or safety reasons. Furthermore, retailers that have been deemed non-essential will need to close for six weks from 11.59 pm on Wednesday 5th of August. The list of retailers forced to close includes furniture and homewares, stationery, electrical and electronics, motor vehicle and motor parts, recreational goods, department stores, and clothing and footwear retailers. Hardware, building and garden supplies retailers will be allowed to serve only trade customers in stores; consumers will have to rely on online delivery or click and collect.

Perhaps more alarming for some people is the declaration of a “State of Disaster”. Deeming our current situation thus, confers extra powers on the police minister to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. It allows the minister to direct government agencies to act in certain ways (or refrain from doing so) in order to deal with the disaster, and they can also override legislation. Other relevant powers conferred on the minister include the power to control movement within, and entry into or departure from, the disaster area (which is the whole of the state) or any part of it.

Most people reacted positively to the declaration of a State of Disaster and realise that the current situation with spread of COVID-19 is a grave emergency that warrants such drastic measures being taken. However, we also have the minority component of the population who are screaming and shouting that our civil liberties are being eroded, our democracy is being suspended and that a totalitarian regime has been imposed on us. Needless to say that there are also those people who believe that COVID-19 is not real and that we are being duped by a multinational conspiracy. The latter groups are usually the ones that engage in behaviours that are risky and contribute greatly to the spread of virus in the community.

The truth of the matter is that people are becoming sick, are being admitted into hospital, some in intensive care, and some unfortunately dying. The elderly, the infirm and those with pre-existing health conditions are more vulnerable. The pandemic has revealed immense deficiencies in our aged care sector, with many nursing homes for the aged being substandard in their level of care and in basic hygiene procedures. This has caused enormous numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the sector. Needless to say, psychological problems and suicide rates are on the increase throughout the community, with depression becoming a common affliction.

The economy is taking nosedives into abysmal regions and many businesses have been forced to close their doors permanently. For the first time in many decades we are seeing deflation and the price of real estate is decreasing while the gold price is increasing. Many people have become unemployed, our unemployment rate jumping to double figures and predicted to rise even further, making people dependent on special government allowances in order to survive. Many are dipping into their superannuation funds, making withdrawals so as to cope financially. It seems that our affluent, pleasure-seeking and lackadaisical lifestyle has been disrupted in a major way and the future may be quite a different one to what most Australians had planned and envisioned for themselves.

Politicians here in Australia are struggling to cope with these enormous social, health and financial problems, while at the same time juggling with populist policies to appease an increasingly disgruntled and skeptical electorate. We are seeing a wide spectrum of political responses and quite often the blame game is started, with opposing sides finger-pointing and trying to exonerate themselves from past inappropriate decisions that allowed us to reach the present critical situation.

Internationally, some politicians are doing even worse. There are deniers, obfuscators, and blatant, arrogant and deceiving demagogues that have blood on their hands as they have done next to nothing to protect their country’s people from this scourge that the world has to deal with. They abjure science, twist facts to suit their own agendas and label anything that they cannot logically discount as “fake”, but at the same time they fabulate their own personal little worlds that have nothing to do with reality or truth.

We are travelling on rough ground here in Melbourne and the road ahead is uneven, precipitous and bleak. I look out of my window on this dark, wet, cold Winter’s night and the normally busy road outside is deserted and eerily lit by the sickly street lamps. As the rain falls, a solitary car careers down the street, and one hopes that the person in it is not rushing to some emergency that has forced them to break curfew. Travel Tuesday is rather gloomy today, but excuse my melancholy, as these are sad times we are experiencing.

I leave you with some wisdom and some hope, some simple and effective advice that we should all heed and try and follow. These are the thoughts and words of 92-year-old Joss Ackland:

 

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 246 - CORTE, CORSICA

 

“We had a Corsican wine that had great authority and a low price. It was a very Corsican wine and you could dilute it by half with water and still receive its message.” -  Ernest Hemingway.

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

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Corte is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. It is the fourth-largest commune in Corsica after Ajaccio, Bastia, and Porto-Vecchio. Sites of interest include the Fortress (A citadella), the Museum of Corsica (Museu di a Corsica), and the University of Corsica (Università di Corsica).

Corte has become a major university town in Corsica since the Pasquale Paoli University opened up again in the 1980s. Corte was the birthplace of Joseph Bonaparte (1768–1844), the eldest brother of the French Emperor Napoleon I, who made him King of Naples (1806–1808) and Spain (1808–1813).

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 245 - SINGAPORE

 

“We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous 

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers shall be removed immediately.

In the tropics, sunsets can be quite spectacular and Singapore is no exception. When you add some palm tree silhouettes to the equation, the message definitely reads: “Holiday and good times”. This photograph, however, was snapped quickly while I was at a conference and I remember during this trip I did not get much of a chance to do any sightseeing nor much photography... Nevertheless, even during a busy business trip, one could enjoy the exotic location and take in the excitement of being in a distant destination far from home.

Now in the thralls of a COVID-19 lockdown with no end of restrictions in sight, this photo from the archives is tinged with more than a small dose of nostalgia. Those good old times when travel was frequent, for both business and pleasure, when the world was a much safer place and when people could mingle freely in tourist spots, crowded markets and busy shops. As we remain confined at home, we can at least reminisce and hope that in the near future travelling around the world can begin again with no restrictions.

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CORONAVIRUS DIARIES XI

 

“All I maintain is that on this earth there are pestilences and there are victims, and it’s up to us, so far as possible, not to join forces with the pestilences.” ― Albert Camus, The Plague 

And here we are in Melbourne, living in Lockdown #2, back to confining ourselves at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out. Many people are now jobless, many shops have closed indefinitely, some businesses having closed down for good. Traffic has become greatly reduced, people are staying indoors, the City has ground down to an almost complete halt. International flights can no longer land in Melbourne Airport and Melburnians cannot leave the City on the pain of stiff fines. The police are maintaining the quarantine on all major routes out of the city and people are once again afraid of the invisible enemy, COVID-19, a “wicked virus”, in our Premier’s words…

The number of cases to date: Australia has recorded 11,611 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 122 deaths. These figures are from a national dataset of every confirmed case since January 25, when the country’s first four cases were reported. The death of three more coronavirus victims overnight in Victoria now means that more people have died in our state during the second wave of the pandemic than in the first. A total of 38 Victorians have now passed away since the first case in Australia was identified on January 25. Today, Victorian authorities also announced an additional 363 new cases, pushing the state’s total number of cases to 3,898 since the pandemic started. Our Premier is justly distressed and so should every one of us! 

What next? Come Thursday this week, all people over 12 years of age will need to wear face masks or other suitable face coverings if they venture out of their homes for the only four legitimate reasons they can do so:
1)    To go to work or study, only if they are unable to do those activities at their home;
2)    To obtain medical care or provide medical care;
3)    To go shopping for essentials, but only locally;
4)    To exercise daily under strict social distancing guidelines, and only locally.

Of course some people are self-isolating under quarantine conditions, for example, if they have been tested for COVID-19 and they are awaiting results; if they are positive for COVID-19 and they are symptomless; if they have contacted confirmed cases of COVID-19. Needless to say that hospitalised patients suffering symptoms of coronavirus infection are also quarantined and being given the necessary treatment for their disease. Fortunately, the vast majority of people diagnosed with COVID-19 have not needed to be hospitalised. Of 2,930 current or “active” cases, only 135, or 5 per cent are receiving hospital care. This includes 29 patients in ICU (or 1 per cent of current cases).

As the COVID-19 pandemic resurges in our city, there has been considerable discussion in the media about the impact the virus is having on our psychological state, our mental health, our propensity to abnormal behaviour patterns including suicide. While physical distancing is preventing the spread of coronavirus, it has also created multiple problems, including isolation, loneliness, anxiety and in some cases increased tendency for violent or aberrant behaviour. For those who are now jobless or whose business is going under because of the economic downturn, the impact on the individuals involved, their families and careers is significant, and the uncertainty about the future hard to deal with.

Still, many of us have been able to deal with the tough measures of the restrictions and the home isolation has been a catalyst for relationships to be strengthened and reaffirmed, including developing new ways to work together in order to cope with the new status quo. Students have had to deal with novel ways of instruction, including remote learning and technology-assisted education. Many workers are logging onto their workplace from their home computers and there are even reports that productivity has increased while staff are working from home. Thus there is proof of the renewal and importance of reaching out and being socially connected even while physically separated.

We must acknowledge that both Federal and State Governments have put in place measures to try to reduce the negative effects of COVID-19 restrictions. These measures have included significant initiatives to support employment and maintain financial security. I consider myself lucky to be living in a country where there is still enough social conscience in our politics so that governments are doing all they can to support all who need looking after in these dire times.

As far as we as individuals are concerned, what can we do to support others and help our loved ones, our families, our friends our community? Simple, really:
1)    Look after yourself – be cautious and prudent. Follow the directives of the experts and law-makers, for they will help you stay safe and healthy.
2)    Support the people close to you, first in your household, then your family and friends further afield. Keep in contact – the ways to do this nowadays are numerous and within reach of everyone.
3)    Volunteer to do some work for a mutual aid group in your community (for example, go here: https://www.volunteer.com.au/)
4)    Support local businesses as much as you can by shopping in stores that are struggling to survive. Small businesses have a much tougher time surviving times of economic crisis.
5)    Support the FoodBank if you can (see: https://www.foodbank.org.au/covid-19/?state=vic)
6)    Write a letter to a stranger! Contacting your local nursing home or elderly people’s home you can obtain information on residents who may be lacking visitors while their family and friends stay away.
7)    If you have a garden and you produce fruit and vegetables, consider sharing your excess produce with nearby friends and neighbours. You may also give them seeds and seedlings that you have in excess.
8)    If you can, help students studying at home with some tutoring in your area of expertise (see: https://www.embrace-education.org/volunteer)
9)    Give to charities and support groups caring for those in need: Homeless, people experiencing mental health problems, those who live alone.
10)    Join an online companionship and entertainment group. You can find many of these catering for people with similar interests (see: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-03-17/coronavirus-online-support-groups/12060530)

Keep safe, think before you act, be kind, support those around you, be well!

TRAVEL TUESDAY 244 - YALTA, CRIMEA

 

“... those Yalta nights, with extraordinary women who could drink vodka without swooning until six in the morning and sweaty young people from the Association of Proletarian Writers of Crimea who came to ask for literary advice at four in the afternoon.” ― Roberto Bolaño 

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

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Yalta (Russian: Я́лта) is a resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative centre of Yalta Municipality, one of the regions within Crimea. Population: 76,746 (2014 Census). The city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony, said to have been founded by the Greek conquerors who were looking for a safe shore (γιαλός – yalos in Greek) on which to land.

Yalta is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black Sea, surrounded by the mountain range Ai-Petri. It has a warm humid subtropical climate and surrounded by numerous vineyards and orchards. The term "Greater Yalta" is used to designate a part of the Crimean southern coast spanning from Foros in the west to Gurzuf in the east and including the city of Yalta and multiple adjacent urban settlements.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 243 - CORONAVIRUS DIARIES X

“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly coloured than the day.” - Vincent Van Gogh 

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers shall be removed immediately. 

After a record spike in coronavirus cases in Victoria yesterday, our Premier Daniel Andrews announced the border with NSW would be closing. This is the first time in 100 years the border between the nation’s two most populous states has closed, and the last closure was also due to a pandemic, the Spanish ‘flu of 1919.

Victoria recorded its largest daily increase of 127 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, 16 more than the previous peak of 111 cases on March 28. A second wave of an epidemic could be defined as the return of an outbreak where the numbers of new daily cases reach a peak as high or higher than the original one. Melbourne is unfortunately experiencing just that, with nearly 200 new cases recorded today and another two COVID-19 deaths.

This week, the Victorian government placed the residents of nine public housing towers in inner Melbourne under “hard lockdown” due to the “explosive potential” of increasing COVID-19 cases.  The lockdown requires all residents of these estates to remain inside their homes for at least five days, placing around 3,000 residents under special punitive measures that apply to none other in Victoria. The lockdown is being enforced by a significant police presence on the estates, with officers on every floor, with no warning and with immediate effect.

Other outbreak areas have been given more than 24 hours’ notice for similar numbers of coronavirus cases. For example, an outbreak in the more affluent Mornington Peninsula has not been met with the same Draconian restrictions. The government’s justification for this action is that residents of public housing are vulnerable and living in high density with many shared spaces. But this is true of any large apartment building in Melbourne. Public housing for the underprivileged in Melbourne, however, has long been a neglected area of care and numerous problems have been chronically associated with it.

The poor and underprivileged, the homeless and the unemployed, the drug addicts and the have-nots are more vulnerable to many of society’s ills and it is harder to reach out to them and help them actively in times of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is now proving to be a case in point and unless a greater community effort to help these more susceptible people is undertaken, then Victoria’s outbreak may become a national problem with second wave outbreaks appearing in other states.

Tomorrow at midnight, Melbourne will go into lockdown again in a renewed attempt to stem the return of unchecked infection rates and even more deaths. We have been complacent and the lackadaisical amongst us have allowed the virus to spread, threatening the whole community once again. Stage 3 restrictions in Melbourne means another wave of isolation, enforced social distancing, the closing of gyms, restaurants, hotels, shops with non-essential wares, and of course the stopping of travel.

Looking out on the Yarra River at night, the invisible enemy at the heart of the pandemic is even better camouflaged by the darkness and the shimmer of the reflected multicoloured lights. Pretty images such as this are full of hidden dangers. Complacency and ignoring the advice of experts puts everyone at risk. Over-enthusiastic and misinformed politicians who ignore the warnings of medical experts, in an attempt to restart economies and generate “prosperity” are dangerous and morally reprehensible. Success at the polls and making of the rich richer should not be the priority in these times of crisis when one false step is followed by a return of increased COVID-19 death rates.

A grim Travel Tuesday this week, but I am writing this in a city under a renewed quarantine, where a greater infection risk and the possibility of an unpleasant death have reared their ugly head again. Take care, look after yourself, your loved ones, your community. The world in the past has survived numerous pandemics, a great many economic crises, countless social upheavals, wars, revolutions and the rule of a host of demented, violent and megalomaniac dictators. It is up to us now in these trying times to show a greater intelligence and solidarity in order to overcome this renewed threat. Be wise and prudent and survive. Dead people cannot revive flagging economies. Survivors can rebuild prosperity. The night may be dark, but countless small lights illuminate our lives with multicoloured brilliance and give us hope.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 242 - KRAKÓW, POLAND

“Krakow is one of my favorite places on earth. It is a medieval city full of young people. A wonderful, striking combination.” - Jonathan Carroll

 Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers shall be removed immediately.

Kraków, also spelled Cracow or Krakow, is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła) in the Lesser Poland (Polish: Małopolska) region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life and is one of Poland’s most important economic hubs. It was the capital of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland from 1038 to 1569; the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1596, the Free City of Kraków from 1815 to 1846; the Grand Duchy of Cracow from 1846 to 1918; and Kraków Voivodeship from the 14th century to 1998. It has been the capital of Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999.

The city has grown from a Stone Age settlement to Poland’s second most important city. It began as a hamlet on Wawel Hill and was already being reported as a busy trading centre of Slavonic Europe in 965. With the establishment of new universities and cultural venues at the emergence of the Second Polish Republic in 1918 and throughout the 20th century, Kraków reaffirmed its role as a major national academic and artistic centre.

The city has a population of approximately 760,000, with approximately 8 million additional people living within a 100 km radius of its main square. After the invasion of Poland by the Nazi Regime at the start of World War II, the newly defined Distrikt Krakau (Kraków District) became the capital of Germany’s General Government. The Jewish population of the city was forced into a walled zone known as the Kraków Ghetto, from which they were sent to German extermination camps such as the nearby Auschwitz never to return, and the Nazi concentration camps like Płaszów.

In 1978, Karol Wojtyła, archbishop of Kraków, was elevated to the papacy as Pope John Paul II — the first Slavic pope ever, and the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. Also that year, UNESCO approved the first ever sites for its new World Heritage List, including the entire Old Town in inscribing Kraków’s Historic Centre. Kraków is classified as a global city with the ranking of high sufficiency by GaWC. It is cited as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, as well as one of the most unique destinations in the world.

Kraków has extensive cultural heritage across the epochs of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque, and its architecture includes the Wawel Cathedral and the Royal Castle on the banks of the Vistula river, the St. Mary's Basilica, Saints Peter and Paul Church and the largest medieval market square in Europe, the Rynek Główny. Kraków is home to Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest universities in the world and traditionally Poland’s most reputable institution of higher learning. In 2000, Kraków was named European Capital of Culture. In 2013 Kraków was officially approved as a UNESCO City of Literature. The city hosted the World Youth Day in July 2016.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 241 - ATHENS, GREECE

 

“In cities like Athens, poor houses lined narrow and tortuous streets in spite of luxurious public buildings.” - Stephen Gardiner

The Zappeion (Greek: Ζάππειον Μέγαρο, Záppeion Mégaro) is a building in the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings, conferences and ceremonies, both official and private.

In 1869, the Greek Parliament allocated 80,000 square metres of public land between the Palace Gardens and the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus, and also passed a law on 30 November 1869, “for the building works of the Olympic Games”, as the Zappeion was the first building to be erected specifically for the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern world.

The ancient Panathenian stadium was also refurbished as part of the works for the Olympic Games. Following some delay, on 20 January 1874, the cornerstone of the building was laid; this new building would be designed by Danish architect Theophil Hansen. Finally, on 20 October 1888, the Zappeion opened. Unfortunately for its benefactor, Evangelis Zappas, he did not live long enough to see the Zappeion built, and his cousin Konstantinos Zappas was nominated by Evangelos Zappas to complete the building. The Austrian Parliament Building was also designed by Hansen and followed the same theme in the exterior.

The Zappeion was used during the 1896 Summer Olympics as the main fencing hall. A decade later, at the 1906 Intercalated Games, it was used as the Olympic Village. It served as the first host for the organising committee (ATHOC) for the 2004 Games from 1998 to 1999 and served as the press centre during the 2004 games.

In 1938, the Athens Radio Station, the country's first national broadcaster, began operating in the premises. The building continued to house the National Radio Foundation until the inauguration of the House of Radio in 1970. A number of historical events have taken place at the Zappeion, including the signing of the documents formalising Greece’s accession to the European Community in May, 1979, which took place in the building’s marble-clad, peristyle main atrium. The head of Evangelos Zappas is buried underneath his statue which is located just outside the Zappeion.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 240 - DOVER, UK

“There’ll be bluebirds over The white cliffs of Dover Tomorrow, just you wait and see…” – Vera Lynn (lyrics by Nat Burton)

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

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The White Cliffs of Dover are cliffs that form part of the English coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliffs are part of the North Downs formation. The cliff face, which reaches up to 110 m, owes its striking appearance to its composition of chalk accented by streaks of black flint. The cliffs stretch along the coastline for 13 km, spreading east and west from the town of Dover in the county of Kent, an ancient and still important English port.

The cliffs have great symbolic value in Britain because they face towards continental Europe across the narrowest part of the English Channel, where invasions have historically threatened and against which the cliffs form a symbolic guard. The National Trust calls the cliffs “an icon of Britain”, with “the white chalk face a symbol of home and war time defence.” Because crossing at Dover was the primary route to the continent before the advent of air travel, the white line of cliffs also formed the first or last sight of Britain for travellers. In World War II, thousands of allied troops on the little ships in the Dunkirk evacuation saw the welcoming sight of the cliffs.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 239 - ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

 

“All experience is an arch wherethrough gleams that untravelled world whose margin fades for ever and for ever when I move.” -  Alfred Lord Tennyson 

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

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Arches National Park is a US National Park in eastern Utah. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, 6 km north of Moab, Utah. It is home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch (shown here), in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. It contains the highest density of natural arches in the world.

The park consists of 310.31 km2 of high desert located in the Colorado Plateau. Its highest elevation is 1,723 m at Elephant Butte, and its lowest elevation is 1,245 m at the visitor centre. Forty-three arches are known to have collapsed since 1977. The park receives on average 250 mm of rain a year. Administered by the National Park Service, the area was originally named a National Monument on April 12, 1929. It was redesignated as a National Park on November 12, 1971. 

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 238 - GIZA, EGYPT

 

“Drowsing, they take the noble attitude of a great sphinx, who, in a desert land, sleeps always, dreaming dreams that have no end.” - Charles Baudelaire

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

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Giza, is the third largest city in Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River, some 20 km southwest of central Cairo. Along with Shubra El-Kheima, Cairo and Helwan, the four cities form the Province of Greater Cairo metropolis. The city’s population was 2,681,863 in the 2006 national census.

Giza is most famous as the location of the Giza Plateau: The site of some of the most impressive ancient monuments in the world, including a complex of ancient Egyptian royal mortuary and sacred structures, including the Great Sphinx, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and a number of other large pyramids and temples. The plateau and its monuments have been recorded in the Giza Plateau Mapping Project run by Ancient Egypt Research Associates, directed by Dr. Mark Lehner.

Visiting the Giza plateau and seeing the great pyramids, temples and the Sphinx was one of the most memorable of our travel adventures. Crawling inside the Great Pyramid of Cheops and seeing the burial chamber in the heart of the pyramid was an awe-inspiring experience. Looking at the face of the enigmatic Sphinx and stepping on the sand trodden by billions of feet over the centuries, one could experience a tantalising taste of eternity. Egypt is old and hides in its sands thousands of undiscovered secrets. The wind blows and as it soughs against the stones of ancient temples it is as though it whispers the answers to age-old riddles – although they are spoken in forgotten tongues…

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 237 - BURANO, ITALY

 

“The Creator made Italy from designs by Michelangelo.” – Mark Twain

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Burano is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy; like Venice itself, it could more correctly be called an archipelago of four islands linked by bridges. It is situated near Torcello at the northern end of the Lagoon, and is widely known for its fine lace work, which is very expensive because it is extremely time-consuming to make.

Burano is also known for its small, brightly painted houses, which are popular with photographers and artists. The colours of the houses follow a specific system originating from the golden age of its development. If someone wishes to paint their home, one must send a request to the local government authority, which will respond by making notice of the certain colours permitted for that lot.

Other attractions include the Church of San Martino, with a leaning campanile and a painting by Giambattista Tiepolo (Crufixion, 1727), the Oratorio di Santa Barbara and the Museum and School of Lacemaking.

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CORONAVIRUS DIARIES IX

 

“If you don’t know how to die, don’t worry; Nature will tell you what to do on the spot, fully and adequately. She will do this job perfectly for you; don’t bother your head about it.” – Montaigne

The Coronavirus Verses

“Stop!” He said, “I’ve come to tell you
To prepare yourself for the journey
That you shall make but once.
Leave all behind,
And naked as you came into this world,
So shall you leave it.” 

“I am not ready yet…” She answered,
Come back in a little while,
For I still have much to do,
I need more time.” 

“No, your time is up,
Your last journey must start now.” 

“Come then and take me now
For I have grown tired of this life;
The world that beckons from the great beyond
Is much more attractive,
More amenable to my weary soul,
Which yearns for respite.

This illness a God-sent gift
For those like me who crave eternal rest.
Make my demise swift and easy,
Snuff out my breath
As if it were a candle flame.” 

“I am the messenger, so blame me not,
I come to grant you forgetfulness,
Peace, silence, sleep everlasting.
The black Angel follows in my footsteps,
He’ll be the one to carry you off.” 

“I welcome him, my friend,
And as I gaze into your awful face,
And as your frightful eyes bore into mine,
I am not afraid.

The day is nigh that I shall fall into
Your Master’s icy cold embrace,
Praying that my demise is a gentle slumber
Devoid of dreams,
My rest eternal.”

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 236 - FRASER ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

“I feel we are all islands - in a common sea.” - Anne Morrow Lindbergh 

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

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Fraser Island (K'Gari, Gari) is a heritage-listed island located along the southeastern coast of the state of Queensland, Australia. It is approximately 250 kilometres north of the state capital, Brisbane. Known as Fraser Island, it is a locality within the Fraser Coast local government in the Wide Bay–Burnett region.

Together with some satellite islands off the southern west coast and thus in the Great Sandy Strait, Fraser Island forms the County of Fraser, which is subdivided into six parishes. Among the islands are Slain Island, Tooth Island, Roundbush Island, Moonboom Island, Gardner Island, Dream Island, Stewart Island, and the Reef Islands, all part of the southernmost parish of Talboor.

Its length is about 120 kilometres and its width is approximately 24 kilometres. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1992. The island is considered to be the largest sand island in the world at 1,840 km2. It is also Queensland's largest island, Australia's sixth largest island and the largest island on the East Coast of Australia. It was formerly the homeland of the Butchulla tribe.

The island has rainforests, eucalyptus woodland, mangrove forests, wallum and peat swamps, sand dunes and coastal heaths. It is made up of sand that has been accumulating for approximately 750,000 years on volcanic bedrock that provides a natural catchment for the sediment which is carried on a strong offshore current northwards along the coast. Unlike on many sand dunes, plant life is abundant due to the naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi present in the sand, which release nutrients in a form that can be absorbed by the plants.

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