River Cruisers: How Are Things Where YOU Are?

[Lois R]

5 hours ago, gnome12 said:

They have just announced the continuing closure of the Canada - US border for another month.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I am not surprised.  We are still having high numbers all over the place.

[gnome12]

I am not surprised.  We are still having high numbers all over the place.

I wasn’t surprised either.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[AF-1]

Good luck to everyone who wants to get back on a river cruise.  I have eternal hope;  I feel a vaccine will be approved by early next year; and massive doses will be available by spring.  But that is just me and my optimism

[notamermaid]

@AF-1,

Thank you for your optimism. I am sure it is much appreciated by so many. Me included. Yes, my humble self in this rich and relatively safe country is faltering a bit. I think the heat is also getting to me a bit. But we have 1,415 new cases in Germany in 24 hours and not everybody has even returned from their Summer holidays. Remember the Germans checking out the safe island of Mallorca on the first TUI plane? Well, Spain including Mallorca (as all the Balearic Islands) are now a declared risk zone again. The good times on the island only lasted about ten weeks. Studies again and again show that there are likely to be many undetected cases in any country. Not sure how we are supposed to get through the winter without social distancing and more restrictions still in place. So many cultural events we cannot stage! I feel sorry for all the events managers and fair organizers. Being close to the former as I work in tourism, I know how much they suffer.

 

But back to better thoughts. I have had my annual Summer holiday and am now back at work. I will tell you a bit more about my "long" trip another time.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[Lois R]

1415 cases in one day? We should be so lucky.....I live in Florida (just one state) and we have over 4 times that amount on a daily basis.☹️it is all just pathetic............

 

[notamermaid]

6 minutes ago, Lois R said:

1415 cases in one day? We should be so lucky.....I live in Florida (just one state) and we have over 4 times that amount on a daily basis.☹️it is all just pathetic............

 

Yes, Lois, we are lucky. And wondering how long our luck will hold. Sent an encouraging e-mail to my friend in Charlotte, wishing him all the best and hope to see him as soon as the situation will allow (he was supposed to be in Germany at the end of July) and friends in England will find traditional postcards in their letterboxes next week. I miss them. My hopes for seeing them in Winter are being reduced by every week that passes.

 

Look after yourself. Wanna read your enthusiastic posts about the next booked river cruise come January. 

 

notamermaid

 

[dogs4fun]

7 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Good luck to everyone who wants to get back on a river cruise.  I have eternal hope;  I feel a vaccine will be approved by early next year; and massive doses will be available by spring.  But that is just me and my optimism

I am hoping the same!

[AF-1]

Keep the faith

[djh1959]

Good heavens. here in Victoria we had around 281 cases today.  The most we have ever had in one day is 750 from memory.  Yet we are in stage 4 lockdown, with a curfew and can only leave the house to shop for food for one hour and one hour of exercise, all with masks.

 

What sort of restrictions do you have in Germany, Notamermaid?  And what about in Florida, Lois R?

 

I would love to have our restrictions loosened but it is unlikely to happen until we get down to less than 20 cases a day, if then, unfortunately.

[notamermaid]

djh1959,

You got me there. I cannot remember the restrictions in detail. Since opening up, the separate states have had varying measures in place and it got confusing. Main consensus, or measures covering all states are, I think: social distancing for everyone in public of 1.5m unless they live in the same household. And: providing contact details in hotels, restaurants and similar settings. Wearing masks in indoor public places in most settings (not cinema seats and restaurants while eating and similar). Contact details at events (varying sizes in the different states), reduced numbers anywhere indoors, for example my library, to ensure social distancing. But we can travel anywhere we want with few exceptions in Germany (the crowded coastal resorts) and borders within the Schengen "realm" are open, of course. Advice against travel to risk countries as laid down in a list. Something that is important for travel insurance purposes.

 

I kind of remember what it felt like being in mild lockdown in April, but must admit I have banished the thoughts hoping such a time will never return. Hope and vigilance are key for me.

 

Sending happy thoughts to help you with raising your endurance, it will get better again, remember it will take two weeks to see the results of your efforts.

 

Hope you have great people that are just a phone call away. Have a good week despite everything.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Lois R]

Restrictions? I cannot remember all the details either.   I know here in my county/city a mask is mandatory for going inside stores.

   We don't have a "National Policy" for anything......it is really done state by state.  Florida has 21 million people

in it.....yes, it is a big state and each county basically has their own rules.  

 

I believe bars are still closed but restaurants are open and I think the amount of people allowed inside has been 

reduced.  I have eaten out multiple times and I know there are more spaces between bar stools (You can eat at

restaurants that serve food at the bar) It is "free standing bars" that are closed.

 

You mentioned lock downs........we have not had one since the beginning.........back in March? April?

We are now 1/2 way through August and the numbers are bad.

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

Lois, that means Florida has around a quarter of the population of the whole of Germany. That makes for a scary Maths calculation. The US and Germany are the same in this as regards the federal state not dealing with the health sector, that is the state and the local authorities' responsibility. The difference is in that in a pandemic the federal government gets a bit more power (have not understood how much and how) and "Mutti" Angela Merkel has rallied the states together to find consensus on many measures.

 

I am really sad that it has not worked out so well in the States and with you people in Florida especially.

 

I could not understand why cases can rise so fast again until I saw a short report on the studies that show that up to 40 percent of "positives" are not found. That and the aerosols lingering, or rather floating indoors, go a long way to explain why it is so difficult to get to grips with the virus without all the measures. Even Auckland is back in lockdown.

 

Sigh.

 

notamermaid

 

[Lois R]

Yes, we are as large as some countries😮.....your calculation is correct..........and we are not even the largest

state in the country. That would be California. I believe they have nearly 40 million. 

[djh1959]

Oh you have so few restrictions compared to us!  Having said that the situation seems an awful lot worse.

 

I have no idea which way is the correct way to be dealing with this.  We will have many less corona virus deaths, but suicides and deaths from other things are way up.  So many people and businesses are now destitute and who knows if they will all get back to normal, I very much doubt it.

 

Thanks for your kind wishes notamermaid.  I am lucky.  I have a wonderful husband, and an adult son living at home, so company isn't a problem.  I only worked one day a week and I still have that.   I am considered an "essential" worker, which seems somewhat odd as I do administration, but it is for an artisan baker, so presumably that is why.

 

We do Zoom get togethers with friends and keep in touch with family by phone or Messenger, so it's not too bad really.

 

The frightening thing is that there is talk that we will be like this until well into next year.  That might be a bridge too far for a lot of people.

[ural guy]

19 hours ago, notamermaid said:

 

I am really sad that it has not worked out so well in the States and with you people in Florida especially.

 

Sigh.

 

notamermaid

 

I'm in upstate NY, about 30 miles from Canada.  We haven't had it terrible more due to geographic isolation and low population density than our great efforts.  Our Governor has made some of the tougher choices regarding closings, and tried to apply some metrics based in logic for reopening.  Other states, it seemed to be 'jumpstart the economy' was reason enough to open up.

 

As far as being you being sad, well thanks, but it's on us.  We're not great at being compliant, even if we had consistent, fact based guidance from on high from the start of this.

 

Best I can think of, I'm in Wurzburg out for my early walk.  No traffic, I wait at the crosswalk for a few seconds, and then continue against the little red light.  Omah standing there waiting, will tsch tsch me, and probably grumble something I don't understand, but isn't nice.

 

The states, you're rolling across that intersection.  There isn't following the rule to follow the rule. You're doing what you want, exercising your freedom, and sometimes it interferes with somebodies else's freedom.  But tough, that's you're right.  Germany, you tend to think of the larger entity, and try to have everything in order, with quiet hours, crossing a road properly, driving on the autobahn, etc.  I forget what the term for that is...

 

I work on an Army base, center of discipline, right?  They have a handwash station, temperature check along with a series of health questions before you can enter some of the larger buildings.  The soldier in front of me keeps sliding his mask under his nose.  The medic tells him to wear it properly...he does until he is 5' past the station and then lowers it again.  Even someone supposedly trained to have blind obedience, it just doesn't seem to be there.

 

That's what we're up against, it's in our fabric to want to be different, and not listen to nobody.

 

Of  course that's not everyone.  People in New York City got serious real quick when it's your friends and family dieing.  

 

Thanks again for the sentiment.

 

 

[pully8]

We are in Australia too and totally locked in, no outbound travel and no date of when that will end. 

We have also closed the state borders and this has resulted in people who live in communities near the borders hardship.

Some live on 1 side but children  go to school on the other side, likewise for work and healthcare. Exemptions can be given but not many are issued.

1 family living on a farm have moved into a caravan which is on the state side that permits the children to go to school. Hopefully the authorities will address these issues. Heavy fines are being issued unsure how some will be able to pay.

Military also are assisting. It is surreal.

Meanwhile we were told a group of 300 people will jet in from china via Singapore because they are full paying fees for Uni places. This is despite thousands of Australians still trying to return faced with difficulties getting in bound flights and quotas around how many can fly in. Those who can fly in have 14 day managed hotel quarantine and tested twice for covid. Some have escaped.

Hotel quarantine was badly managed allowing covid to spread and multiple people in aged care are dying every day.

Hospitals in some places are refusing to take aged care people,  returning them straight back.

Truly vile and not like anything most have experienced in their lifetime.

Good to have happy memories of travel and wish those times may begin again. 

Take care.  

[Roz]

@pully8, sorry to hear about the situation in Australia.  Sounds like it's causing a real hardship for some people.  

[pully8]

Yes here and globally challenging for many.

But we must carry on and hope things will improve eventually.

At least people can draw on  memories of happier times. 

Talk of a vaccine today but it has not yet passed clinical trials.

Plans to make it locally and distribute it elsewhere.

Still along way off.

Then there were remarks about it being mandatory but that upset some people.

Some rules are necessary others seem too severe, especially when people see things are not improving despite the sacrifices being made.

Anyway as said we can continue to communicate and think/plan for better times.

Be wonderful to escape somewhere and wait for this to pass. 

Take care.  

 

 

[notamermaid]

Europeans are infecting each other - as predicted - as mobility increases and people return to celebrating in larger groups.

The co**-up (harmless in British English and very fitting word) of the coronavirus testing at the Bavarian borders is showing an effect, one example: One young man returned from Italy, had a test done, told he would get a result within 24 hours if it is positive, was not notified, thought he was okay and went to a party, quarantine for several people! Some politicians got a polite verbal beating for the mess. Germany has had 1,510 new cases in 24 hours, the highest figure since 1 May (!). My state Rhineland-Palatinate has had 105 of those cases. We have had days when we had no new cases.The nearest of those to me is about 1 to 5 km away. It is not dramatic but has me feeling more uncomfortable again. "The Independent" quoted Angela Merkel yesterday as saying: “If the numbers go back down, we can open up more. If they don’t, or rise, we must ask what is needed and in any case a further easing of measures cannot take place now.”

 

Amid all this I think it is time for more light-hearted headlines involving a nudist and a wild boar. I might get into trouble if I link this, so here is the headline for you to look up on the BBC: Cheeky boar leaves nudist grunting in laptop chase

 

"Elsa" is now a star and thousands of fans are campaigning to save her from hunters that might shoot her in the hunting season (after her piglets have grown).

 

notamermaid

 

[jpalbny]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

Amid all this I think it is time for more light-hearted headlines involving a nudist and a wild boar. I might get into trouble if I link this, so here is the headline for you to look up on the BBC: Cheeky boar leaves nudist grunting in laptop chase

 

NSFW!

 

Thanks for a mid-day chuckle. That was really funny.

[ural guy]

notamermaid-  being on the scene, can you confirm that the laptop is safe?

 

And was there a wurst in the case that got the boar's attention?

 

I know in Grafenwoehr they grew to legendary size, with nasty tusks, and caused many night guards to climb on top of whatever vehicle was near during their shift.  We weren't trusted with live ammo away from the ranges, which was a good thing.  You can do enough damage with a blank and a cleaning rod, or so the story goes.

[notamermaid]

@ural guy

The bag with the laptop in it was dropped by the wild boar, I think if I was being chased by a screaming naked human man I also would drop my bounty in disbelief! grin. I could not see any reference to the laptop still working. One can only assume/hope for the owner. That would be a slogan for a company: "strong enough to withstand wild boar"  - or similar words.

 

"Elsa" and her piglets were apparently not too perturbed by the incident and have since been back at the lake. I do not know anything about the nudist being back. The wild boar apparently are sometimes fed with apples and sandwiches, which people are not allowed to do. "Respect the wildlife" and remember they are wild animals the authorities say, fast runners when annoyed and disturbed. What Elsa has learned is that food is often in backpacks and bags and her piglets have already learnt to do likewise, i.e. to rummage through humans' belongings. There is no evidence of there having been a wurst (sausage) in or around the man's stuff, but Elsa enjoyed a pizza before she got hold of the bag!

 

A wild boar is certainly a force to be reckoned with and a male with its tusks is no laughing matter. Apparently they shoot many animals in Berlin as they have got a bit too friendly and close to people over the years. They have no natural enemies, apart from humans surrounded by metal. A neighbour of mine found that out winter before last when he drove into a group of wild boar at dawn. The car went to the repair shop, he was alright and all the animals got away. It can end more tragically, though, sometimes.

 

Well, humans' biggest enemy right now (apart from himself and herself and anything mixed that political correctness demands mentioning these days), caused 2034 reported new infections in Germany on Saturday. Ans what do we do? Host big concerts! It was all for the common good with lots of volunteers. Tim Bendzko, a very popular German singer, and his fans were part of a study to find out how people behave at a concert. Here is how it worked (in brief): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53875370

Coincidence or not, one of Bendzko's most famous songs is called (translated): (I) just need to briefly save the world ...

 

Have a good, healthy week.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2020 by notamermaid
correction

[Daisi]

It will be interesting to see the results, I had read about this earlier, but didn't know when it was to be done.  We have found a way to hold concerts here...show concerts on a large drive-in movie screen with everyone sitting in their cars.  Cars are blocked out to be the 2 metres apart, and you are not allowed out of your car.  I would imagine some friendly officers are around as it would be easy money handing out fines.  In some areas they are letting bands preform (local ones) on a stage while you sit in your car.

[notamermaid]

Daisi,

We have had those drive-in concerts, too. They work, but are really just a compromise. Tim Bendzko has done one himself and as he says at the end of this article, he preferred the unusual concert setting in Leipzig, he could read more emotion in the faces of the fans with masks than from the cars and the blinking lights: https://m.dw.com/en/could-germanys-covid-concert-experiment-help-arenas-hold-large-events-again/a-54661902

They say crowd behaviour like that has not been studied before, so the stadium study was a first and there are other studies like it now in Europe, the scientists are "exchanging notes".

 

Meanwhile, people on the ground and politicians are debating Carnival events - we all know how crowds behave there  😉. But that is for another post.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

 

 

Meanwhile, people on the ground and politicians are debating Carnival events - we all know how crowds behave there  😉. But that is for another post.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

Lol... all I can think about is a comment from a police officer in the UK who, once the pubs opened, stated something to the effect that "alcohol and social distancing didn't mix". 

 

We are getting used to wearing our masks here, I can now go an hour without any signs of a  panic attack (I have claustrophobia).  I am figuring that by the time next spring rolls around, if the cruises run, it will be 2nd nature to wear them and we will have no problems with the cruise.  More and more stores in Canada are saying masks are mandatory (some municipalities / regions already have for any public building), so it's interesting seeing comments from areas where they think they shouldn't have to wear them because they have low numbers.  In my opinion, they better hope the numbers remain low, because most of the areas I hear complaining don't have the medical facilities to cope with a major outbreak...hopefully they will never have to worry about it, but the fuss they are making about wearing masks.....