Sympathy and best wishes for Italy and Italians

BlackTalon · Jul 4, 2020

Wow, definitely a lot less busy than when I visited almost 30 years ago. Looks like a great time to visit.

Mask violations are frustrating, to say the least. Many people still do not think the virus is real.

killer67 · Jul 5, 2020

Thank you for those images of the glory of Italy. It will be nice to see a Venice without the cruise ships that were just drive-by tourists that left the city with no new money and stalled the local
economy

jsducote · Jul 5, 2020

I am incredibly jealous and disappointed/embarrassed to live in a country that isn't welcome there.

Syrte · Jul 5, 2020

Glad to share the bounties. @jsducote don’f be jealous, I’m just lucky to be a one hour plane ride away. Even if you were allowed to go, would it be very wise just for leasure to spend 6 to 12 hours in close quarters with people on a plane? Personally it’s going to be a few months before I venture on a long haul flight. It’s probably wiser to wait until there’s more visibility and data on the virus.

K killer67
Thank you for those images of the glory of Italy. It will be nice to see a Venice without the cruise ships that were just drive-by tourists that left the city with no new money and stalled the local
economy

Alas I’m afraid they got hooked on the money flowing in from the cruises. Not sure they have any more housing facilities left in any event; most Venitians have been pushed out of the city by rising real estate prices.

Syrte · Jul 7, 2020

Well this may well be the greatest problem: people waiting for passport control at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. And that’s for EU citizens.
We’ll be lucky if this doesn’t become a cluster.
It was always unacceptable but now I’m sad to say it’s almost criminal neglect. I think it’ll be a very long time until I next venture outside of French borders.

Stripey · Jul 7, 2020

Syrte
Well this may well be the greatest problem: people waiting for passport control at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. And that’s for EU citizens.
We’ll be lucky if this doesn’t become a cluster.
It was always unacceptable but now I’m sad to say it’s almost criminal neglect. I think it’ll be a very long time until I next venture outside of French borders.

Entry into France via CdG is a nightmare. About as bad as Israel, but because of sheer inefficiency rather than security questions.

MRC · Jul 7, 2020

Syrte
Well this may well be the greatest problem: people waiting for passport control at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. And that’s for EU citizens.
We’ll be lucky if this doesn’t become a cluster.
It was always unacceptable but now I’m sad to say it’s almost criminal neglect. I think it’ll be a very long time until I next venture outside of French borders.

This is why I won't be going to France for this year's TdF 🙁 I use Eurostar + Paris Metro + SCNF to get to my friend's place in Limousin.

Syrte · Jul 7, 2020

MRC
This is why I won't be going to France for this year's TdF 🙁 I use Eurostar + Paris Metro + SCNF to get to my friend's place in Limousin.

You could take a ferry boat with a car as we used to in the old days.

MRC · Jul 7, 2020

Syrte
You could take a ferry boat with a car as we used to in the old days.

I don't drive much any more and my friend says the price of a return ferry Dover - Calais trip (30 km?) has now gone up to over €400 😲 She booked four or five return trips early in January and got a very good rate, but things have changed. I've done the journey by motorbike before, but thanks to a knee problem cannot stay in the saddle for more than 30 minutes. Pedal bikes are OK though and G**gle Maps estimate I could do the trip one-way in 48 hours. Yeah, right.