'Bookends' Saint-Germain-Des-Pres, Paris (Metro)

Yes, indeed, John, a tip of the hat is what I intended. And I'm sorry to hear about your passport. I have suffered the same experience myself and know that it is no fun.

Thanks for the confirmation and the tip of the hat.

As to passports, in previous times, passport issuance was no problem (e.g. before 9/11) and at times I was trawling so much, I was issued 2 passports at a time -- one permanent one and a temporary one limited to a term of years (I won't say how many) for use when sending out or visas.

These pairs were renewed numerous times and on one or more occasions one was lost and/or stolen and literally 'no sweat'.

Then came 9/11 and a passport loss was seen as some sort of breach of national security -- and eyes darkened and started staring if a person had more than one loss.

I went to my doctor who explained to me that when traveling when I lacked sleep more than two or more days of continuing travel, function was more likely to be impaired, and even though, say, photography, might appear unimpaired, I was still impaired of the ability to multi-task - e.g. keep track of everything -- OK to focus (no pun intended) but not so good at keeping my eyes on everything. 

I think someone reached into a shirt pocket and got it in he various crushes getting on and off Metro cars (pickpockets are common in Europe).  In any case it never turned up and I was offered a 'new one' on the spot, but only for a limited term, and I was intending to go on to Moscow and needed one for more than a limited term or couldn't get that Russian visa I needed for onward travel (no visas on passports with six months or less to go by Russian law and law of most countries).

So, there I was, needing a passport, plenty of money and not wanting to cut short my onward trip which involved visiting (former) in-laws including in a regional Russian city. . . . and begging for a full-term passport.

And them telling me 'only a short-term passport and go back to the USA to get a full-term one.

I finally got the passport, but only with an after-hours approval and my cameras which were parked with 'security' were (I saw) carried into the main building and I am sure 'reviewed' by the office staff (which had this and other fabulous photos on it).

Frankly if you travel as much as I do and haven't lost or had a passport stolen, you probably are way too anal.  Once in Moscow, they registered passports at a hotel (I won't name it) owned or operated by mafia my future wife later told me.  'Come in AM to pick it up after registration by OVIR (registration agency) and pay a small fee', the registration lady told me.  I paid and along with many in my group, passports disappeared -- and who knows how many identities were stolen?

That same trip a VERY BIG credit card company stopped a dinner charge, called me to the phone from the table, and informed me 'we will pay for this meal now that we've verified your identity, but your card number has been stolen/compromised'.

Luckily I was in Moscow and I was able to get a new/replacement card on the spot the next day at that company's Moscow office.  (thank God, as a bank-issued Visa might have taken a month, two months or longer).

Same with the passport (on another day) (I think the same trip). 

Those were the days when the Mafia ruled Moscow . . . . and especially that particular hotel which I visited as part of a group . . . and had no choice in choosing.

(I had no further major credit card problems I can recall  . . . . since, however) 

The same thing happened early in my life to a former wife in NYC, however.  Someone dipped her AMEX card from her purse on a day of a partial blackout when she was in the Times-Square - Grand Central subway shuttle and someone was caught charging thousands or tens of thousands on it . . . . . someone Hispanic who didn't look Crosley/like or or a socio-economic level that related to the spending going on.

(we got a call at home shortly after she arrived - AMEX was very alert, even long, long ago. She noticed the theft, called to report it just as a Hispanic woman was trying to use it to purchase something very expensive; she got caught, I understood).

I keep my passport in a special place, but traveling they want to see it so many times now -- numerous security checkpoints - that if I put it in its secure place, I cannot find it or get to it, so compromises have to be made, sometimes.  It's terribly frustrating, because I am not a terrorist of course . . . . and frankly love the USA very much . . . . . especially the present Adm. which I back 100% especially as the new president grows into the job.

(but then he's a fellow alum -- same school and all -- and I'm not at all jealous he did better than I ;~))

john

John (Crosley)

I like this symmetry.

Obviously I did too.

I fumbled, numb and shaking, with my lenses, one coated with a chocolate bar that had partially melted rendering it useless, but another worked, just barely.

This was a scene that HAD to be taken, and I had to press myself against the opposite wall just to take it all in with the minimum focusing distance, 70 mm of my 70-200 mm lens, but it all worked out.

Thanks very much for the kind comment; I apologize for the long wait for a reply.

john

John (Crosley)