How much longer??

[Lexicos]

The photos from pilgrims now walking the Camino bring beautiful places and fond memories into the living room. Aaaarrrkkk! It's not easy.

It's interesting to compare the old with the new (sculptures and buildings) and the summer there with the winter here (Australia) and their relative freedom to walk from village to town with our limited license to walk from home to the supermarket.

Goes to show how big a part of life travel has become for some of us, for many of us actually.

How much longer? How much longer the quarantine, the restrictions, the closures etc. etc. who knows?
Not too much longer, I hope.

In the meantime, to those fortunate enough to be making their way to Santiago from all corners of Spain and beyond, keep those pictures and descriptions rolling in.

It's a good reminder (in case we need it) of what we had, what we now don't have, what we should value and, hopefully, what we might get back if we all behave ourselves and if the scientists come up with the goods.

But, for the moment, I'm going to say the Lord's Prayer and then have breakfast .......

 

[Lexicos]

Actually, it's almost Springtime.
Winter is on its way out.....

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Goes to show how much a part of life travel has become for some of us, for many of us actually, in the "first" world.

It's a good reminder (in case we need it) of what we had, what we now don't have, what we should value and, hopefully, what we might get back if we all behave and if the scientists come up with the goods.

Although I've never taken being fortunate enough to travel for granted (health, time, physically, financially, etc), I realise I took my actual freedom to travel for granted; I could go if I wanted to...I will now appreciate that freedom, whenever it returns in whatever form, equally if not moreso as the other factors.
I also think it's interesting that to some degree, it's the very 'first world' lifestyle we lead which is partially responsible for the virus spreading; our travelling around the globe, dining out, social gatherings, etc
Remember the times when the 'risk' associated with those activities was losing luggage, a dodgy meal or maybe catching a cold from a friend? How quickly things change.
Hang in there. At least the Big V seems to be on a downward trajectory new cases wise.

 

[Paladina]

From a recent Guardian's Long Read: 'The sociologist and philosopher Zygmunt Bauman once wrote that the central division within postmodern societies is “the opposition between the tourists and the vagabonds”. The tourists, he explained, “embark on their travels by choice” and “prefer being on the move to staying put”. But for the global poor, “to be free means not to have to wander around. To have a home and to be allowed to stay inside … The vagabonds are the waste of the world, which has dedicated itself to tourists’ services.”' (Luke de Noronha, 'Life after deportation')

Maybe we should stop feeling deprived.

 

[VNwalking]

Maybe we should stop feeling deprived.

Amen.
But I would not put it so starkly, because trying to avoid feeling what we feel (even if it's first-world fragility) is not a healthy option either. We may not deserve to feel deprived, but some do anyway. That needs to be acknowledged and dealt with in a healthy way rather than trying to hold it at bay.

 

[Kitsambler]

How much longer?

The water-cooler talk at our local research hospital here in Seattle is: two more years.
Ugh.

 

[OTH86]

As with any new voyage, adaptability will be the key. Buen Camino to all.

 

[Marbe2]

Amen.
But I would not put it so starkly, because trying to avoid feeling what we feel (even if it's first-world fragility) is not a healthy option either. We may not deserve to feel deprived, but some do anyway. That needs to be acknowledged and dealt with in a healthy way rather than trying to hold it at bay.

Agree!
I feel grateful that I am safe at home, but am feeling increasing frustrated and annoyed because of the stupidity and ignorance of others. Recently, for a week, South Dakota allowed a motor cycle rally...thousands of bikers came into Sturgis SD for the rally. We all knew it would be a super spreader. Most of the group did not wear masks, and were served at restaurants. There was no concern on their part that others might be harmed. Now we are slowly seeing the impact from it with7 cases in Nebraska, 15 in Minnesota, 10 additional cases in North Dakota all tied to the rally, ...and we will experience many more. How do we get out of this mess when we have no national plan and human indifference is at such a level? The virus is just bouncing from one state to another... I live in a state where since since March-we have had full and now partial restrictions. Many of our citizens in the northeast would be able to travel abroad as our positivity rates are low. But as long as we as a country cannot follow common sense guidelines, and are stuck in a vicious cycle of distain for common sense safety measures which COVID thrives in, we will not be able to go abroad.
I am beginning to think there will be no safe travel from the USA as a whole, until 2022, if then... Perhaps those who live in states where there is very low positivity rates could be allowed to travel abroad?

 

[Rj7797]

One day at a time. One step at a time. If you walked a Camino you are prepared for this. This is just a tough few days with bad blisters or tendinitis. Perhaps you're on a lonely 38k trek across the Meseta with no other pilgrims in sight. We'll make it to the albergue though. There will be a bed and a communal meal with many friends, some old, some new. Hang in there. One day at a time.

 

[Mycroft]

Agree!
I feel grateful that I am safe at home, but am feeling increasing frustrated and annoyed because of the stupidity and ignorance of others. Recently, for a week, South Dakota allowed a motor cycle rally...thousands of bikers came into Sturgis SD for the rally. We all knew it would be a super spreader. Most of the group did not wear masks, and were served at restaurants. There was no concern on their part that others might be harmed. Now we are slowly seeing the impact from it with7 cases in Nebraska, 15 in Minnesota, 10 additional cases in North Dakota all tied to the rally, ...and we will experience many more. How do we get out of this mess when we have no national plan and human indifference is at such a level? The virus is just bouncing from one state to another... I live in a state where since since March-we have had full and now partial restrictions. Many of our citizens in the northeast would be able to travel abroad as our positivity rates are low. But as long as we as a country cannot follow common sense guidelines, and are stuck in a vicious cycle of distain for common sense safety measures which COVID thrives in, we will not be able to go abroad.
I am beginning to think there will be no safe travel from the USA as a whole, until 2022, if then... Perhaps those who live in states where there is very low positivity rates could be allowed to travel abroad?

Yes, we Americans are strange people. We think the Gadsden flag with the rattlesnake and "Don't tread on me" indicates our individualism with inalienable rights granted by the Constitution. Like 3 year olds pouting "You can't make me!" Our country's flag is a union of stars and stripes. Many people here are forgetting there is the word "United" in our country's name.

 

[Lexicos]

Motorcycle rally?
Oh yea, why not?
Let's party folks, there's a pandemic!! Yea!!! Woopee .......
"I wanna ride my motorbike Pa an' ain't nobody gonna stop me Ma."
Idiocy. Lunacy.
Some people still believe that the world is flat,
that gravity can be defied and
that 1+1=5
Heaven help us.
Keep that up and our children's children will still be wearing masks.