Being romantic=having fleas. Hilarious! And yes, the old passports were much more fun and inviting. Grand that you're still getting out there, aquarium face and all. 😁
Beautiful piece, Richard. Old passports, while still blank used to have a boring, administrative look to them. Once you added someone's picture and few ink stamps on the pages, they became extremely evocative individual works. (Love the Robert Redford looks on your first one). When you receive your new 2024 passport, you will be amazed by the amount of illustration and decoration that has been included on every single page. They have become incredibly colorful objects. Sadly the story they tell is all preordered. Still nice to look at, but not much character or room to add any. I am sure that they had to do that to try to make them impossible to forge, but I too miss the old ones, you know, when Ripley could just doctor the picture from his hotel room in Italy, with just a pair of scissors and a bit of glue. Bon voyage, Monsieur Goodman.
Really glad you liked it, and I love the reference to your old cafe friend, Patricia Highsmith. Yes, we're a changed society. I still miss French and Italian money! That was one of the true eye-openers for me as a young guy, to see a composer (Debussy) and an author (Saint-Exupéry) on paper money! You almost didn't want to spend it!
Oh, what a nostalgy-evoking story. Just wonderful! Thank you, Richard. Congratulations on the new passport and wishing you an exciting trip to Paris. And . . . a new passport in ten years.
Good on you! Don't assume this will be your last passport. I am 87, my passport expires next year and the plan is to renew. I doubt seriously there will be another 10 after that but who knows what's next? We are off in 10 days for a trip to South America and I am as excited as I was for my first trip abroad many years ago. I believe travel keeps our minds, bodies and spirits more active and alert than if we stayed home, comfortable and sedentary. It's a choice and we're fortunate to choose to travel. Depending on one's health status, even in these later years, travel is near the top of our list of continuing activities. Keep going where you can when you can while you can. Thanks, Richard.
Ah, here's another of your pieces that strikes a familiar chord with me. I too am in the process of renewing my passport, and although I'm "only" 72--or will be in a few months--I wonder if this will also be my last one.
I too still have my first passport, with its photo of a passably pretty young woman. All I could think of as I selected one from a series of images for the latest one is "Gee, I look old."
And alas for passport stamps!--nowadays, even the boring ones are disappearing. Joe and I were so crestfallen to learn that our passports wouldn't get stamped when we entered Australia that the customs people took pity on us and dusted off one from the back of a drawer to humor us.
Being romantic=having fleas. Hilarious! And yes, the old passports were much more fun and inviting. Grand that you're still getting out there, aquarium face and all. 😁
Brings back great memories. I have kept my old passports. Will be in Paris in June. La vie est magnifique
.. lovin it ! 🦎🏴☠️🇨🇦
Such fun to see this!!!
Wonderful! Bon voyage!
Beautiful piece, Richard. Old passports, while still blank used to have a boring, administrative look to them. Once you added someone's picture and few ink stamps on the pages, they became extremely evocative individual works. (Love the Robert Redford looks on your first one). When you receive your new 2024 passport, you will be amazed by the amount of illustration and decoration that has been included on every single page. They have become incredibly colorful objects. Sadly the story they tell is all preordered. Still nice to look at, but not much character or room to add any. I am sure that they had to do that to try to make them impossible to forge, but I too miss the old ones, you know, when Ripley could just doctor the picture from his hotel room in Italy, with just a pair of scissors and a bit of glue. Bon voyage, Monsieur Goodman.
Really glad you liked it, and I love the reference to your old cafe friend, Patricia Highsmith. Yes, we're a changed society. I still miss French and Italian money! That was one of the true eye-openers for me as a young guy, to see a composer (Debussy) and an author (Saint-Exupéry) on paper money! You almost didn't want to spend it!
Oh, what a nostalgy-evoking story. Just wonderful! Thank you, Richard. Congratulations on the new passport and wishing you an exciting trip to Paris. And . . . a new passport in ten years.
Thanks, Marina. I hope your wish comes true!
Good on you! Don't assume this will be your last passport. I am 87, my passport expires next year and the plan is to renew. I doubt seriously there will be another 10 after that but who knows what's next? We are off in 10 days for a trip to South America and I am as excited as I was for my first trip abroad many years ago. I believe travel keeps our minds, bodies and spirits more active and alert than if we stayed home, comfortable and sedentary. It's a choice and we're fortunate to choose to travel. Depending on one's health status, even in these later years, travel is near the top of our list of continuing activities. Keep going where you can when you can while you can. Thanks, Richard.
I'll do my best, Gary!
Ah, here's another of your pieces that strikes a familiar chord with me. I too am in the process of renewing my passport, and although I'm "only" 72--or will be in a few months--I wonder if this will also be my last one.
I too still have my first passport, with its photo of a passably pretty young woman. All I could think of as I selected one from a series of images for the latest one is "Gee, I look old."
And alas for passport stamps!--nowadays, even the boring ones are disappearing. Joe and I were so crestfallen to learn that our passports wouldn't get stamped when we entered Australia that the customs people took pity on us and dusted off one from the back of a drawer to humor us.
What a great story about Australia, Laura! Maybe I'll ask the customs person in Paris to look for an old stamp for me!