Once in a Lifetime Global Oportunity - or Missed Oportunity

So this is my first blog of this year 2020. I don't really know why I stayed away from posting anything but I think it has to do with the fact that all of the innocent folk not just learning about a global pandemic of a virus called COVID - 19 from around December 2019, which initially was someone else's problem on the other side of the world but then during the early part of 2020, it started to show itself in western Europe and we had to start to listen to the most confusing sets of messages ever - not just from our government but from all others in their responses, as well as those from the WHO, on how people should behave going forward -- oh and from the so called leader of the major power of the free world -- "It will one day just disappear" -- "It will die out when the weather gets warmer".

Also , it doesn't matter where it came from -- china or anywhere else -- there are constantly new virus's coming and going from all manner of different sources -- wild animals bites -- the Chinese wet markets -- from laboratories -- the start point for the Covid 1 will eventually be found confirmed and a cure found, and all this before the next one comes along that has to be dealt with --- and if anyone is ever in any doubt , there are researchers globally checking and trying to treat new emerging diseases daily, and because of those efforts there is little heard about them.

So  Mr President, neither did it just magically disappear nor did the warm weather kill it and the map and stats below demonstrate where we are now at the end of July.

So the thing is, some 6 months in and the world has no cure , no vaccine, with the best scientists on the planet busying themselves to find the cure, in all the top research establishments and bio-pharma companies around the globe -- and despite what this group that call themselves "American Frontline Doctors" with the lady in the picture as their spokesperson -- speaks volumes of those statements when they get endorsements from the President and even more so when the Potus thinks she is great. Worth a watch and listen to if you want to see what a witch doctor would sound like.

So while I wish the real scientists, and the real Epidemiologists and the Bio Labs the very best of luck from their efforts , I really want to talk about the potential opportunities that could/should come from this situation and that is a chance as the Human Race to make global ---

                                         CHANGE.

Through February and March I heard leading lights from politics , business, from media outlets and well respected folk in the world today, talking of a situation which we had never experienced before with only those who are still alive today who were present during WW11, coming close to understanding what this kind of lockdown measures would have been like, but for the rest of us post WW11 babies , finding it hard to understand what was necessary and even questioning all of the measure that government were putting in place or giving guidelines , in the hope that people would act responsible -- Ok , well in the UK, that worked -- right.

It is not all down to governments to chase a cure for this kind of virus at this time although we see so many examples of some of the largest scientific companies getting in excess of a billion dollars for vaccine research and production such as one of the favourites bin the USA called Gilead Science Ltd, -- See also Handmaids Tale, spooky similarities to companies that someone like Mr Trump seams to like -- and my worry will always be that government sponsored companies will be out for profit if they should find the cure , even though they have already been paid huge sums of money-- even if it found by them and is only made available to Americans, it should be free to everyone as the monies paid is from the peoples tax dollars.

There are people who have decided to put something back to help less fortunate -- ok , so before people start banging on about how these people have got rich off the backs of ordinary people and in some case poor people , I accept that in many cases-- at least they are recognising that they are now in a position to help and with these people and their investment's in scientist , it may be that any cure or vaccine will get to people without extortionate costs.

In amongst all the clever people around the world there are some that have decided that being able to call themselves Billionaire's and just sit back and do nothing was not right and so Bill Gates and Warren Buffett decided to round up a few other billionaires (apparently there were 41 initially and now 200 at this moment who are contributing)-  to see where they could do some good for the rest of the world and formed "Giving Pledge"-----

and who have joined with Philanthropic views with the aim to support initiatives around the world , from Medicine research, to disaster relief aid, poverty alleviation as well as arts and culture.

 

Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have established "The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation" who among other things donate hundreds of millions for scientific research to help find medicines for diseases around the world.

They also research other issues for the benefit of the world in the future and were involved in one such piece last October where along with other organisations they looked at how ready the world were to deal with a future Pandemic.

 

 

Just from a personal perspective , I have read / heard some crap about "what does Bill Gates know about it , he isn't a scientist, -- well for me he is standing up to be counted , has probably learnt more in the many years that his foundation has been in place about the science and the fact that he would be getting briefed regularly from those scientists makes him more knowledgeable than most -- he advised Donald Trump 2 years ago that they needed to invest in technology and equipment to be prepared for a future pandemic -- well that advise worked didn't it.

All a bit Altruistic -- maybe -- get's you a bit cynical -- possibly-- but I would much rather that there was some hope coming out of the efforts of this group than those without them.

The relevance of relating about these -- mostly -- guys around the world who have amassed as much as some countries GDP, is that I believe that they have earnt the right to be listened to by governments. And remember that these are ones that wouldn't necessarily be beating a path to Donalds door right now.

But whatever the government's in leading countries,  did or didn't take notice of , they surely should be taking the opportunity to look at what the future after COVID 19 could look like if they were bold enough to take a real leap of faith and to "Take a Chance on Change", for the good of the population that they are there to serve and future generations.

I wonder if any of them , even in their dark lonely times on their own that they may have a "Wish List", but just in case they do not I have produced mine and am very happy to share this with anyone who may have the time to read this stuff  and open their imagination -- I know that this is a weird time that we havn't seen as a global issue since WW11 and I know how busy everyone is both dealing with "The right now ", but wouldn't it be great for just one of the leaders in the world , took a step forward with a plan of how they would make ----CHANGE.

If I could only get the following list of mine on Amazon like this one below -- that would make life easier

So just in case -- here is my wish list for the future -----

There needs to be a global data collation agreement and use the likes of the foundation above , the Johns Hopkins Institute and other appropriate institutions to make sure that there are solutions in place for the future, a preparedness for the whole world , unlike the current state of this pandemic.

Every government should be in a position to ensure that there is a plan for the future with any further virus's, with equipment and supplies that are always ready and available as necessary and with an Emergency Plan that is able to be implemented immediately, that leaves no ambiguity. 

And just so the western leaders don't sit back on their collective backsides smiling, you all have the chance to change what is going on with exploitation , with basic slave labour in the western European countries, with the use of migrant labour, whether economic or political, being brought west by labour gangs, housed in squalor , with no chance of getting out of this situation --- it is every where in Europe.

- While considering what is possible for the world to change for the better about Racism, gender equality, and general human rights , there has to be an opportunity also to redress the inequality in the world between men and women.

People can point to many examples of where Women have made their impact on their chosen vocations-- Margarete Thatcher, Indira Ghandi, The Queen, and the like but they are even today the exception to the rule. There has to be a way that we can ensure that the chain of learning --- education is the answer -- from the time that they are borne to the time when they are able to make their choices for their futures.

At the time of writing this Kamala Harris has just been appointed Joe Biden's Vice President candidate for the Democratic Parties running pairing for the upcoming November elections. My concern is for her not to end up being some kind of puppet for mixed race population but allowed to really expand into her own person for the future fight for President, in her own right.

But at the same time there can surely be laws enforced that ensure that ALL companies and Corporations, all Political Parties and Governments have to ensure that they seeking out females for the roles that are available - Not just because  she is a woman --and bringing an appropriate balance to the business that also ensures that there is an equality in the payment structure. How can a woman earn less than a man for doing the same job -- it is illogical and just not right.

In the world right now there are hundreds of men who are Weinstein wannabees in the making , all in positions of power, and so many who take advantage of their position especially around women who work for the company and them. There have to be far stronger laws that give protection while at the same time ensuring that there are protections for men from women who bring spurious claims.

Education is where it needs to start to eliminate any thoughts that men may have that women are not as equal and to ensure that we eliminate the need to have to point out that any opening or job should be taken by the best candidate , whatever the gender. This should also apply to any religion that believes that women are subservient to men.

The picture above is an open cast lignite , brown coal , mine -- not in Africa or Asia or even one of the Americas -- it is in North Greece, supplying the fuel for one of the 3 fossil fuel power stations, and this in a country that has around 300+ days of sunshine a year. 

 

There should be a right that everyone has access to cheap fuel no matter which part of the world they are in -- different sustainable solutions will suit different regions in the world. 

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And now pollution.

 

There are so many places in the world that generally the human race do not get exposed to through the media but which destroy the fabric with toxins, poisons, polluting the rivers and the surrounding land , killing anything in the natural habitat.

 

 

As an example -- and one not widely known , one of the most polluted parts of the world in the graveyard for steel recovery from old worn out and scrapped ships, contaminating the rivers and seas in and around Anang , India. You really have to see the pictures and read the data recorded for this activity , along around 50 miles of coast line. However if this kind of thing was better controlled then the less mining for ore would be necessary -- oh, and maybe fewer deaths of those that are working there.

 

There is a huge amount of data collected about what future farming should look like -- which has to include the stop of food being transported from one side of the world to the other -- using refrigerated containers that do little for the carbon footprint. 
This has to include the chance to change peoples eating and dietary habits as well as this can, have a huge benefit to the health and wellbeing which in turn reduces the impact on the health services.

          

 

 

 

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Image of Graphene , with the nanotechnology within the fabric and the nanotubes may bring power not previously seen on the planet. There is a 17 university group headed by Manchester Uni, that are developing this material with among others Intel, with the endless possibilities that this material that can be as thin as Clingfilm but stronger than steel , and that can absorb the energy from the sky, with a view to powering buildings and vehicles -- hope to see it in my lifetime.

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- One area that I would wish for people to find a way to address is that of Religion influences on wars, on abuse, both sexual and physical, on taking advantage of the people through their power , both local and international. To deal with those Religious people to abuse the power that they surely have in communities for their own gratification, should be possible if there is a collective agreement in stamping all this out.

 Way too many people will continue to inform us that their religion is for peace and do not condone wars, genocide,  and brutality and yet the perpetrators of such acts proudly stand up at atrocities with religious banners and slogans, displaying their messages of hate and yet the religions that they purport to follow do nothing to assist in stopping this,  apart from the occasional verbal rebuke.

There is little done as a global collective to educate the world as to the reality of some of the worst of these atrocities -- from the Belgian Congo annihilation's, the British Empire atrocities,  the WW11 genocides by the Nazi's , the Ruanda genocides (although you could see these still going on in Cameroon, in DRC, in Nigeria and round to Yemin and Kashmir and there has to be an opportunity to address these now once and for all, in order that people can worship whatever religion they wish to but in peace and which will help to rid once and for all the extremist groups that are  totally in denial and to which so little is done to ensure that people in the world are both aware of the truth and of what are happening today.

Shouldn't the Human Race be able to expect that the Heads of all religious beliefs to be able to communicate and act together for the good of the world and the future in a way that as a collective , dealing with those extremists within their groups and ensuring that they can all live as they preach -- peacefully.

Somewhere in the future there has to be a time when Jews can live side by side in peace with Muslims -- either that or the alternative will be that they as well as everyone else who have their own disputes,  will be into local wars or into another world war or actually wiped out.

Until these powerful people take the first step then nothing will change but what an opportunity.

Education is what is needed, including people of different faiths being able to demonstrate why theirs is relevant to them and their followers -- it is has to be possible to ensure that with this knowledge there can be mutual respect.

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We still have time to make a difference for the future of the planet.

 

And the experts are telling us that if we lose these little fellas (and Queens of course) then one way or another , the planet will die--- that would be a shame wouldn't it.

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Sorry for the repeat paragraph.

I did actually miss one off the list --- wait for it -- drum roll please -- and that is that the human race learns to be "NICE" to each other, to your neighbor's -- whether those in the house next door of the country next door, or to folk across the other side of the world.

 

That needs to include an allowance of anyone to have their own views and religions without the fear that there will at some point be major conflict, and that can only change if there is education , remove poverty, give opportunities to the whole human race, and provide a future that is fit for our children and grandchildren.

 

Time for a New Dawn.

 

 

Wishful thinking -- of course.

Euro Road trip 2019 Roundup

So last Sunday --- this was started last year and never finished --- was the end of the A team's European roadtrip 2019. I say 2019 as based on the experiences we have had there will surely be more. So I thought I would do a kind of high level compilation and summary, what we saw , what we liked ( not much that we didn't like), to remind ourselves later just what we managed to achieve.

Ok , so Lynda and me started to plot this trip well over a year ago as something that we have always felt that we would like to do. This included the route , where we really wanted to go and more importantly where we were unsure of, what we needed to have in the car -- and of course , our Super Frankie needed to be scrutinised as well, as we didn't need any breakdowns on this trip -- and we also had to decide where to stay , what type of hotel and for how long and finally setting aside a budget that we could manage on . If you didn't know before my wife is brilliant at the coordination of such a trip and has done so well over the years mostly in the states, but also Australia, Barbados, and Hawaii ( ok so its part of the States but feels like some where completely separated).

The map above is just an indicator and doesn't exactly go where we went but it gives an idea. First night we stayed in the Domotel Agios Nicholas , in North Greece , just past Parga -- it is a great stretch of coastline for really great places to stay and this was a good start -- who wouldn't want to swim in a pool that has stars in the bottom.

 A great start to the trip and good job we got a bargain discount as it had only just opened for the summer -- the prices we saw were for rich folk , not us ordinary people.

Next it was into Albania -- this crossing was the one that I was the most dubious about - you read and hear all sorts of stories about the security , the state of the roads , the poverty and the difficulties but do you know what it was so easy. Very courteous at the border crossing , the folk at the hotel were excellent and couldn't do enough --  although our friend Marjon (Mario) might have had something to do with this.
Also the choice of restaurants that evening gave us a glimpse of something quite unique and if people go no where else in Albania then the Mrizi I Zanave is a must --

 

So finally caught up with this  man -- Mario -- after some 9 years or so .

 

For meeting Altin Prenga the owner of the hotel, the restaurant, the farms , the farm shops and the production of processes from fruit and wines and cheeses and understanding his philosophy regarding fresh produce, helping the community and of course his meeting with Rick Stein, we are grateful to have him as a FB friend.
I think Lynda and I will be revisiting Albania in the future.

Montenegro will also be a place we would wish to go back and see in detail as we just drove through on our way to Croatia and it appears to have been well invested in along the coast - but no border issues.

Croatia - in particular Dubrovnic , was a wonderful treat and we got the chance to see the last 2 episodes of GoT when we got back to the UK and could see all those places there - in Kingslanding - that we then saw as being somewhere we were standing 2 weeks before , before the dragon burnt it all down. Oh , and my queen seen sitting on her throne there as well.

Great images that have been seen on the TV but you cannot beat the one with -- The Mother of Dragons

Anyway, back to the trip - thanks Dubrovnik for letting me fulfil a visit since I first learnt about it from my mother back in the early 70's when she visited it and it was everything and more and should be on everyones wish list .

Ok , so there is this border that we have to cross when going north from Dubrovnik that is bizarre and we can only assume that at the carve up of the Baltic states Bosnia & Hertzagova clearly wanted a strip of water -- its around 28 kilometres only.

 

There is a stripof headland that is Croatian and I said top Lynda that they should build a bridge across from this to northern Croatia , thus by-passing the Bosnia bit and low and behold when we got neat there we could see that they were in the process of building just that.

 

Having done a one night stop in a place called Krk - pronounced as the star trek captain-- we headed off to Salzburg and having only just managed to avoid being given away by my wife to a Slovenian Border guard in lieu of a cost of stamping passports, the drive up was very easy and was also a good indication of the change in climates and weather-- wetter and colder but overall still nice.  in fact in the whole trip we only had 2 days rain and that's  when we were driving.

 So it was a welcome to the land of the Schloss, The salt Mines and the bridge of Love padlocks , xmas shops - this was in May but they did good business and oh yes the land of the sound of music - and no , we did not buy me a pair of lederhosen -- so disappointed. 

 

From 3 great days in Salzburg it was on to 3 great days in Lake Como (Italy). Stayed in a place called, Gravedona, which is a fairly low key place unlike Mennagio and Belagio, but we did find a gem of a hotel with a stunning balcony and we managed to find 2 really superb restuarants in little back streets -- don't know if George has ever eaten there or not but his loss if he aint. We did find his Chateaus -- Yes he needs 2 apparently -- but he wasn't home so Lynda will have to wait, to see him.

 

 

 

There was a peacefulness in Como area that was not reflected when you got onto the roads but it was again surrounded by snow capped mountains, very tranquil and a great place to relax.

 

On the next trip we went through St. Moritz, and I have to say that the dropping down from how ever many thousand feet up it is down to normal levels was pretty hairy , especially jockeying with buses , trucks and other drivers.

 

So this was part of the big trip -- from Como to Reims---

 

 

 

This was a place that Lynda wanted to badly go to , especially to visit the Cathedral which had held the majority of the French Monarchs over the centuries until the revolution.

Reims cathedral is phenomenal but we found very little else to get excited about in the city , including our hotel.

From Reims the next day we went to Dunkirk where I got to walk along the sand where nearly 80 years ago the allies were rescued -- well some of them anyway -- in one of the greatest ( good and bad )stories from WW11 and pay my respects to those that either didn't make alive or who went to form the line that protected those who were rescued.

The final story has to be the day after when we drove the short way to the customs post at the Eurostar Terminal where we were booked on the train. We got into the queue with all the other cars and there were around 4 queues and we had the normal swabs taken around the door handles and windows of our car and a Traffic Cone was put in front of the car. When I looked in the rear view mirror the cars behind us were being diverted over to other queues far away from ours and a cone was put behind us.
More swabs were taken and taken back to the building with the trace machines were in . We were getting a little panicky at that point and when we saw all the customs guards with guns congregating in their shed, we saw an officer and asked what the issue was , only to be told that there was a reading on their testing machine of explosives "But don't worry it is probably the machine making a mistake".
Thankfully he was right and we were allowed to go on our way.

So after 3 weeks of the amazing journey over from Greece, we pulled up at our apartment in Carshalton, happy to be home but also in the knowledge that in 2 weeks time we would be on our way back to Greece.

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Frankie all smart and raring to go back to his home in Greece as no-one talks to him here.

So here is the route with one or two bits missing like Corsica, and the touring around the south of France, the Amalfi Coast , around Florence & Pisa and also the area of Puglia but the principle is same.

The first stop over was at the Hotel France which is directly across the road from the Palais of Versailles, a real favourite with Lynda and me.



Even in the years since we went here the first time there has been change from the restoration and the retrieval of fixtures and furniture which have really changed it's appearance now.

This was followed, with a hairy drive around Monte Carlo before heading down the French and Italian Riviera's until we got to Livorno and onto the ferry to Corsica and to meet up after 20 odd years with our nephew Simon and his wife Roberta and their children. Quite nice to be fed by our own family Michelin Star Chef /restaurant owner, at the A Nepita in Ajaccio.

  
After Simon and Ajacio, we stopped in Pisa on the way to Florence and it is an incredible structure --- as a builder you do have to ask "Why".

After 2 days in Corsica and a ferryboat trip and Pisa visit which we would not have missed for the world as we were passing not too far , it was up to Florence to stay at the wonderful " Villa Il Sasso" -- a really great boutique hotel.

 

 

Florence was always a "Too Do" place to visit but since we did this I have learnt so much more about it from mostly Lynda and her need to watch the Masters Of Florence series , with Cosimo and Leonardo Medici -- what real history compared to Rome -- we will be coming back as there is so much more to see

 
 

 One of the towers in Florence and the Cathedral that the Medici Family built and we were watching the series last night -- really got to go back to Florence and do some more exploring.

 

 

From Florence we went down to Pompeii and after checking in to a really decent hotel dead opposite the archaeological site, so a short walk to the start of looking at this outstanding place.

 

When we were starting our wander around in the amphitheatre, we were treated to images and music form Pink Floyds concert in the theatre in 2016. I have watched "Live at Pompeii"  many times since and I just wish I had been there live.

 

So much naturally preserved images and structures.

 

Just a privilege to have seen all these amazing sights.

 

So it was on to the Amelfi Coast and the experience of a lifetime when it comes to driving but of course its only really know for the stunning towns we drive through that are remarkable examples of building vertically up a cliff face.

That stretch of road taught me that there were worse places to drive than in Aegina or Athens or Tripoli or Naples or Paris --- actually it was worse than just about every place I have ever driven before in my life.

The final leg in Italy was down from Sorento to Taranto in the heal of the Italian Boot, for a chill out and a chance to explore Perugia to find the Trullies -- these conical building which were first built in the 1600's to avoid house taxes that were imposed -- they could dismantle one of these in a couple of hours. Also one of my favourite photos of me and Mrs A.

Just when we thought that this was such a perfect end to Italy, we ended nearly getting burnt alive in the Aria Sollis, Best Western,  hotel, right on the beach had a raging fire in the pine trees right next door -- took me a lot of persuading to the manager that he should phone someone to deal with it

We watched for an hour and a half as these heroes continuously dropped water onto the fire until it was under control -- we see them do the same in Greece in the height of summer and they are truly remarkable.


 
So next was from Brindisi across to Igoumanitsa, Greece
 

 We didn't get to Greece mainland until around 9pm so found a Hotel/Resort to stop at overnight near to Parga, before the drive down to Athens and the ferry across to Aegina.

 

I have to say that driving on Greece's motorways like from the north west all the way via Patra and Corinth to Piraeus is a real pleasure.

 

So that was it, one of the greatest road trips we have ever done together, and a real eye opener , as until this point we had mostly considered road trip for the likes of the states and Australia, so with all this on our door step, we couldn't see it for looking.

 

As I am finishing this off, the world is in the grips of the worst Pandemic since 1918 and with so many restrictions around that change from day to day, there is little chance of repeating this right now.

 

However -- Nothing stops the A team from a bit of planning, after all Europe is a very big place ----

 

 

 

 So we are thinking about next year , around May time again and if you take it that we will go spend a bit more time in Albania, especially at the hotel shown above, we will travel up the Baltics west coast and will for sure be looking at Lake Garda, possibly Milan, a bit in Switzerland and other places of interest in France and then maybe doing the west coast of France and the vineyards before finding more places to stop including Florence again, so planning is starting right now.

 

That's it , all captured in one blog, and hope to be in a position to do something similar next year.

 

 

 

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