Freedom, the first casualty in Covid-19 War !
" Every moment is a fresh beginning "
Lockdown means stay home - borders have closed, planes have been grounded & tourism comes to a halt ! As for me, I am trying my best now to adjust to a new life minus travelling for the time being ! Also a good time for me to do a journalling during the coronavirus pandemic for my travel blog, scanning newspapers & follow-ups on local TV media reporting during the stay-home period (March 18 > May 12 2020) - to gain & get a general insight on how the Covid-19 outbreak has inflicted the world & mankind ... a sad story indeed !
" Every moment is a fresh beginning "
Lockdown means stay home - borders have closed, planes have been grounded & tourism comes to a halt ! As for me, I am trying my best now to adjust to a new life minus travelling for the time being ! Also a good time for me to do a journalling during the coronavirus pandemic for my travel blog, scanning newspapers & follow-ups on local TV media reporting during the stay-home period (March 18 > May 12 2020) - to gain & get a general insight on how the Covid-19 outbreak has inflicted the world & mankind ... a sad story indeed !
Covid-9 Current Situation Globally (as of April 27 2020)
Global Total Deaths : 207,900
Global Confirmed Cases : 3,013,836
Italy - 26,644 (197,675)
Spain - 23,521 (229,422)
France - 22,856 (162,100)
UK - 20,732 (152,840)
Germany - 5,984 (157,946)
Iran - 5,806 (91,472)
China - 4,633 (82,830)
Turkey - 2,805 (110,130)
Russia - 794 (87,147)
Malaysia - 99 (5,820)
Global Total Deaths : 207,900
Global Confirmed Cases : 3,013,836
Global Top 10 Deaths & (Confirmed Cases) :
USA - 55,415 (987,332)Italy - 26,644 (197,675)
Spain - 23,521 (229,422)
France - 22,856 (162,100)
UK - 20,732 (152,840)
Germany - 5,984 (157,946)
Iran - 5,806 (91,472)
China - 4,633 (82,830)
Turkey - 2,805 (110,130)
Russia - 794 (87,147)
Malaysia - 99 (5,820)
Scary to know - Spanish flu also known as 1918 flu pandemic lasted 36 months from 1918 to Dec 1920. It infected 500 million people, a third of world's population causing 50 million deaths worldwide ! USA's death toll was 675,000.
Whereas The Great Depression which began in USA after the Oct 1929 stock market crash was the worst economic downturn in the history of industrialised world ! Other factors were bank failures, over-production & drought. Peak global unemployment rose to 24.9% in 1933 !
Whereas The Great Depression which began in USA after the Oct 1929 stock market crash was the worst economic downturn in the history of industrialised world ! Other factors were bank failures, over-production & drought. Peak global unemployment rose to 24.9% in 1933 !
The World's Most Visited Countries - a really topsy turvy world in terms of tourism business for these countries gravely affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, the top 3 countries ie France, Spain & USA received over 80 million visitors a year, it will take months from now on to woo back the millions of international tourists caused by this deadly disease ! Thailand (receiving 38 million visitors), the sole Asian country in the Top 10 League has a lot to catch up to revive their tourism business ! Pattaya, Eiffel Tower, Barcelona, New York New York, Great Wall of China, Venice, Mexico, Oktoberfest, Red Square, Istanbul & Big Ben - all waiting to shine again when this bitter episode is over !
Covid-19 Acronyms & Buzz Words - Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019), PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), WHO (World Health Organisation), CDC (Centre for Disease Control & Prevention), FDA (Food & Drug Administration, USA), MCO (Movement Control Order), EMCO (Enhanced Movement Control Order), Lockdown, SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), Circuit Breaker, Stay Home, Social & Self Distancing, Contact Tracing, Flattening The Curve, Swab Tests, New Normal, Hot Spots, Modified Quarantine, Staycation ...
Battling Covid-19 with Innovation & New Ideas - Ghost patrols, homeless sleeps in cubicles, picnic in tents, super visors for new born babies, police officers in superhero costumes, rice ATM feed the poor, screaming it all out, cash-strapped Thais flock to Chinatown to sell off jewellery, a pet dog wearing a face mask walking in Shanghai, throwing a mixture of water, neem herb & turmeric as a natural disinfectant in Chennai's residential area, spraying disinfectant on an animal figure in a park in West Java, sunlight / heat / humidity weaken virus
The Recalcitrant, Defiant & Fine - church carries on with Mass despite warnings, elderly people refuse to budge from coffee shop, a craving (bah kut teh) that costs S$1,500 (US$340) fine in Singapore, paying a heavy price for breaking rules,
Food security in Malaysia (short & long term plan) - visiting supermarkets & wet markets once or twice a week to shop for groceries & food items - enough to meet my family (4 people) needs in the short term if I have fish, pork or chicken, vegetables, rice or noodles on the table daily or alternate day ! Feel Good Food to lift your spirits ! Diet in the age of Covid-19 ! Hope no one goes hungry during this difficult period !
Malaysia (my home country) living with lockdown - low key rites for the dead, Malaysians prepare for different kind of Raya, a drone spraying disinfectant in Kampung Baru, box marks the spot waiting to shop in Ipoh, people avoiding buses & ferries in Penang, empty shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, all quiet in Putrajaya, clear road in North-South Expressway, families observing Qing Ming at home, Bukit Bintang nearly deserted, tourist hotspot Petaling Street is like a ghost town & Kuala Lumpur International Airport nearly empty !
A world living with lockdown - interesting to know that there was a high demand of specific food items during the lockdown period in the following countries :
Afghanistan - Black Tea
Algeria - Semolina
Chile - Canned Tuna
Iraq - Salted Sunflower Seeds
Mexico - Beer & Tequila
Sri Lanka - Sugar
Tunisia - Cloves of Garlic
Malaysia - Instant Noodles ? Canned Sardines ?
France's Best Lockdown Cook - a South Korean woman who lives in the eastern France (Strasbourg) was proclaimed in France by the country's trendiest gastronomic guide as the best home cook during the local confinement !
Loo & Behold - in most countries on panic buying, toilet roll is probably the most sought after item for shoppers, panic buying / lockdown may drive food inflation
Haircut - every body looks ridiculous, first thing you need to do is visit your barber after the MCO (Movement Control Order) ! Lockdown in Malaysia commenced on March 18 & extended to April 14 & another extension to April 28. The new extended date is May 12, 2020 ! A total of 56 days in quarantine ! Some guys probably looked like Hippies or Vikings when freedom comes ! For some people, they opted for DIY, never mind, if your hairstyle looked terrifying likes the look of North Korean Kim or the good look of Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson ! After the lockdown is lifted, some of us will probably have one way or another gone through a hair raising experience !
Oil prices dead cheap - Very cheap petrol ! So what ? Can't go anywhere ! For e-hailing & taxi drivers, lockdown means no passengers no money !
Happy Earth Day - 22 April 2020, looking forward for better days to come !
Nature heals itself - rivers in Georgetown, Penang turn jade green, air pollution dips, a breath of fresh air in KL City Center, when tourists are away, the dugongs come out to play off Libong island, Southern Thailand, Sungai Melaka river looking clean & clear
A Mark of Respect, the local Chinese will never forget those who died in the Conronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China
Compassion, Humanity & Coming Together - the need to Connect; sunset scene to melt hearts in Wuhan; saying it loud, clear & bright; from SG with love; thank you NHS + key workers; Merci (show of gratitude), Mass Appeal - Bocelli preparing "Music for Hope" event at an empty Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy; Millennium Mascot; Save our family & nation; Thank you for keeping us safe, Christ the Redeemer statute is illuminated wearing a protective mask ...
Religious celebrations, practices, memorial services & customs - business as usual or put on hold ? Or a new way of practising ? Celebrating online ?
Lockdown & Movement Control Order mean a quiet affair or lower profile involving various religious festive events & memorial services happening amid the Coronavirus period in April / May 2020 !
All Souls Day - April 4 2020
Good Friday - April 10
Easter Day - April 12
Songkran - April 13-15
Earth Day - April 22
Ramadan - April 24
ANZAC Day - April 25
Labor Day - May 1
Wesak Day - May 7
Victory Day - May 9
Mother Day - May 10
Hari Raya - May 24
Cinemas & movie-goers - sorry-lah, all cinemas are close for business !
International travellers stranded overseas - travel in the time of coronavirus, tourists delay going home, ships stranded in ports, no where to go
Mankind betting on antiviral drugs & vaccines - 102 potential new vaccines on trials worldwide to treat Covid-19 ? Remdesivir shows clear cut effect, earliest possible release is Jan 2021, faster recovery, saviour to mankind, returning to normal, a race against the odds ! Flame off (Olympic July 2011) if virus doesn't not go away
The aftermath of Covid-19 - move on & brace for change ! Adopt a new & positive attitude in LIFE ! Young or Old - just age positively to live longer ! Stay healthy !
Now & Then (Combo Picture) - Picking a Good Old Day (prior to Covid-19 outbreak) picture from my overseas photo album to match a picture relating to the recent Covid-19 outbreak as reported in a local English press media, bringing back my fond memory after looking at this combo picture one more time !
Bangkok, Thailand (Spray & Pray at Temple of Dawn, Silent Night in Ratchada Railway Market)
Budapest, Hungary (National Pride -The Chain Bridge in Budapest, illuminated with colours of the national flag in celebration of the 172nd anniversary of the 1848 Revolution, all planned events were cancelled due to the Covid-9 outbreak)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) - a 50 billion dirham aid package for banks
Hanoi, Vietnam - women wearing face mask ride past the Opera House
Hong Kong (Rosewood Hotel, Junk Boat & Harbor View) - All smiles probably !
India (Taj Mahal is now closed to visitors)
Jakarta, Indonesia (Not taking chances, volunteer spraying disinfectant in Jakarta)
Kaifeng, Henan, China (Cautionary welcome - staff members wearing masks & veils welcoming tourists at the Qingming Shanghe Park in Kaifeng, the great outdoors in Tian Shan Tian Chi, Urumqi, Xinxiang)
Kathmandu, Nepal - A Hindu holy man feeding monkeys at Pushupatinath temple during the lockdown)
London, England (Forlorn & Bereft - empty Westminster Bridge, All Quiet in Regent St, London)
Luang Prabang, Laos (Desolate, quiet during the Covid-19 pandemic)
Montreal, Canada (Colours of hope as a symbol of support during the Covid-19 pandemic)
Macau (Bright light in a dark time)
Phuket, Thailand (Nothing to crow about)
Siem Reap, Cambodia (Angor Wat woefully empty)
Venice, Italy (The Grand Vacuum of Venice, a citizen wearing a protective mask on a bridge in Venice, a combo of two images showing Rome's Spanish Steps last year & earlier this week, when in Rome - women disinfecting their hands at Central Piazza Venezia)
The Recalcitrant, Defiant & Fine - church carries on with Mass despite warnings, elderly people refuse to budge from coffee shop, a craving (bah kut teh) that costs S$1,500 (US$340) fine in Singapore, paying a heavy price for breaking rules,
Food security in Malaysia (short & long term plan) - visiting supermarkets & wet markets once or twice a week to shop for groceries & food items - enough to meet my family (4 people) needs in the short term if I have fish, pork or chicken, vegetables, rice or noodles on the table daily or alternate day ! Feel Good Food to lift your spirits ! Diet in the age of Covid-19 ! Hope no one goes hungry during this difficult period !
Malaysia (my home country) living with lockdown - low key rites for the dead, Malaysians prepare for different kind of Raya, a drone spraying disinfectant in Kampung Baru, box marks the spot waiting to shop in Ipoh, people avoiding buses & ferries in Penang, empty shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, all quiet in Putrajaya, clear road in North-South Expressway, families observing Qing Ming at home, Bukit Bintang nearly deserted, tourist hotspot Petaling Street is like a ghost town & Kuala Lumpur International Airport nearly empty !
A world living with lockdown - interesting to know that there was a high demand of specific food items during the lockdown period in the following countries :
Afghanistan - Black Tea
Algeria - Semolina
Chile - Canned Tuna
Iraq - Salted Sunflower Seeds
Mexico - Beer & Tequila
Sri Lanka - Sugar
Tunisia - Cloves of Garlic
Malaysia - Instant Noodles ? Canned Sardines ?
France's Best Lockdown Cook - a South Korean woman who lives in the eastern France (Strasbourg) was proclaimed in France by the country's trendiest gastronomic guide as the best home cook during the local confinement !
Loo & Behold - in most countries on panic buying, toilet roll is probably the most sought after item for shoppers, panic buying / lockdown may drive food inflation
Haircut - every body looks ridiculous, first thing you need to do is visit your barber after the MCO (Movement Control Order) ! Lockdown in Malaysia commenced on March 18 & extended to April 14 & another extension to April 28. The new extended date is May 12, 2020 ! A total of 56 days in quarantine ! Some guys probably looked like Hippies or Vikings when freedom comes ! For some people, they opted for DIY, never mind, if your hairstyle looked terrifying likes the look of North Korean Kim or the good look of Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson ! After the lockdown is lifted, some of us will probably have one way or another gone through a hair raising experience !
Oil prices dead cheap - Very cheap petrol ! So what ? Can't go anywhere ! For e-hailing & taxi drivers, lockdown means no passengers no money !
Happy Earth Day - 22 April 2020, looking forward for better days to come !
Nature heals itself - rivers in Georgetown, Penang turn jade green, air pollution dips, a breath of fresh air in KL City Center, when tourists are away, the dugongs come out to play off Libong island, Southern Thailand, Sungai Melaka river looking clean & clear
A Mark of Respect, the local Chinese will never forget those who died in the Conronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China
Compassion, Humanity & Coming Together - the need to Connect; sunset scene to melt hearts in Wuhan; saying it loud, clear & bright; from SG with love; thank you NHS + key workers; Merci (show of gratitude), Mass Appeal - Bocelli preparing "Music for Hope" event at an empty Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy; Millennium Mascot; Save our family & nation; Thank you for keeping us safe, Christ the Redeemer statute is illuminated wearing a protective mask ...
Religious celebrations, practices, memorial services & customs - business as usual or put on hold ? Or a new way of practising ? Celebrating online ?
Lockdown & Movement Control Order mean a quiet affair or lower profile involving various religious festive events & memorial services happening amid the Coronavirus period in April / May 2020 !
All Souls Day - April 4 2020
Good Friday - April 10
Easter Day - April 12
Songkran - April 13-15
Earth Day - April 22
Ramadan - April 24
ANZAC Day - April 25
Labor Day - May 1
Wesak Day - May 7
Victory Day - May 9
Mother Day - May 10
Hari Raya - May 24
Cinemas & movie-goers - sorry-lah, all cinemas are close for business !
International travellers stranded overseas - travel in the time of coronavirus, tourists delay going home, ships stranded in ports, no where to go
Mankind betting on antiviral drugs & vaccines - 102 potential new vaccines on trials worldwide to treat Covid-19 ? Remdesivir shows clear cut effect, earliest possible release is Jan 2021, faster recovery, saviour to mankind, returning to normal, a race against the odds ! Flame off (Olympic July 2011) if virus doesn't not go away
The aftermath of Covid-19 - move on & brace for change ! Adopt a new & positive attitude in LIFE ! Young or Old - just age positively to live longer ! Stay healthy !
Now & Then (Combo Picture) - Picking a Good Old Day (prior to Covid-19 outbreak) picture from my overseas photo album to match a picture relating to the recent Covid-19 outbreak as reported in a local English press media, bringing back my fond memory after looking at this combo picture one more time !
Bangkok, Thailand (Spray & Pray at Temple of Dawn, Silent Night in Ratchada Railway Market)
 |
| Bangkok (Jan 2016) |
 |
| Ratchada Railway Market, Bangkok (Aug 2018) |
Budapest, Hungary (National Pride -The Chain Bridge in Budapest, illuminated with colours of the national flag in celebration of the 172nd anniversary of the 1848 Revolution, all planned events were cancelled due to the Covid-9 outbreak)
 |
| The Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary (May 2009) |
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) - a 50 billion dirham aid package for banks
 |
| Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE (Jan 2018) |
Hanoi, Vietnam - women wearing face mask ride past the Opera House
 |
| Hanoi, Vietnam (May 2007) |
Hong Kong (Rosewood Hotel, Junk Boat & Harbor View) - All smiles probably !
 |
| Hong Kong (Dec 2013) |
India (Taj Mahal is now closed to visitors)
 |
| Taj Mahal, Agra, India (Nov 2018) |
Jakarta, Indonesia (Not taking chances, volunteer spraying disinfectant in Jakarta)
 |
| Jakarta, Indonesia (July 2017) |
Kaifeng, Henan, China (Cautionary welcome - staff members wearing masks & veils welcoming tourists at the Qingming Shanghe Park in Kaifeng, the great outdoors in Tian Shan Tian Chi, Urumqi, Xinxiang)
 |
| Qingming Shanghe Park, Kaifeng, Henan, China (May 2017) |
 |
| Tian Shan Tian Chi, Urmuqi, Xinxiang, China (May 2006) |
Kathmandu, Nepal - A Hindu holy man feeding monkeys at Pushupatinath temple during the lockdown)
 |
| Kathmandu, Nepal (March 2013) |
London, England (Forlorn & Bereft - empty Westminster Bridge, All Quiet in Regent St, London)
 |
| London, Britain (May 2011) |
 |
| London, England (May 2011) |
 |
| London, England (May 2011) |
Luang Prabang, Laos (Desolate, quiet during the Covid-19 pandemic)
 |
| Luang Prabang, Laos (Jan 2011) |
Montreal, Canada (Colours of hope as a symbol of support during the Covid-19 pandemic)
 |
| Montreal, Canada (May 2019) |
Macau (Bright light in a dark time)
 |
| Macau (Dec 2013) |
Phuket, Thailand (Nothing to crow about)
 |
| Phuket, Thailand (June 2013) |
Siem Reap, Cambodia (Angor Wat woefully empty)
 |
| Angor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia (Feb 2018) |
Venice, Italy (The Grand Vacuum of Venice, a citizen wearing a protective mask on a bridge in Venice, a combo of two images showing Rome's Spanish Steps last year & earlier this week, when in Rome - women disinfecting their hands at Central Piazza Venezia)
 |
| Venice, Italy (May 2011) |
 |
| Venice, Italy (May 2011) |
 |
| Spanish Steps, Rome, Italy (May 2010) |
 |
| Piazza Venezia, Rome, Italy (May 2010) |