Travel Guide

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(CNN) — As movement around the world grows more and more restricted, it’s hard to imagine what travel will look like when it eventually ramps back up.The staggering global scale of the coronavirus pandemic makes it especially devastating, but the travel industry has rebounded from past crises and experts believe it will bounce back again.”People haven’t changed in that they still want to go places, but they’re going to necessarily be a lot more cautious about what they do,” said Adam Blake, a professor of economics and head of research in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom.”And they’re going to need not just persuading that it is safe to travel, but they’ll need to see actual physical changes made to make travel safer.”For now, we don’t know when or how the pandemic will pass. But once the public health crisis improves, travelers will also need to see steep drops in prices to get them moving again, analysts say.Here are eight things travelers are likely to see once the industry is able to rev its engines in the direction of recovery.Cruises will be very cheap. But it might not matter for newcomersDiamond Princess was quarantined in Japan in February.Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images Travelers who are comfortable with cruising will find very low prices as cruise lines restart service, said Christopher Anderson, professor of business at Cornell University’s Hotel School in Ithaca, New York. The challenge will be in attracting new customers to cruise travel, “which will be essential to survival,” he said, after global headlines about coronavirus outbreaks on ships, travel restrictions and denied ports of call.Anderson suggested that reconfiguring some of the new ships that are still under construction with bigger staterooms and less passenger density might be a way to attract new customers. Reducing buffet food service and leaning more toward a la carte dining across rate tiers might be another way to reassure travelers who are skeptical about cruise travel, he said.Cleanliness will be addressed — a lot”Everyone, whether it’s cruise, lodging or hotels, are going to have to change how they monitor and clean the environment that consumers interact with and communicate that back to guests in order to increase their comfort level,” Anderson said.Jan Freitag, senior vice president of Lodging Insights for hospitality analysis firm STR, underlined sanitation as well, referencing “new, visible measures” needed to show how clean properties are.Whether that means hand sanitizers everywhere or regularly disinfecting hard surfaces, “there will be a clearly communicated regimen to let the customers know, ‘here’s what we’re doing to keep you safe,'” Freitag said.Hotel room rates will drop more before they come back upHotels will need to clearly communicate cleaning procedures to guests.FRANCK FIFE/AFP/AFP/Getty ImagesHotel rates in the US declined by 30% the week of March 21, according to Freitag, and “rates will definitely go down before they come back up.”Historically, in times of great uncertainty such as in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks or after the end of the recession in 2009, it has taken twice as long for room rates to rebound than it did for them to drop to their lowest point, Freitag said.He doesn’t anticipate the collapse of any segments of the US hotel industry, but there will be lodging disruption that in many cases will be invisible to guests. Hotels may change hands behind the scenes but remain operational and under the same brand.Travelers may feel safer in hotels than vacation rentalsAnderson says one “saving grace” for hotels may be traveler discomfort with alternative lodging options such as Airbnb and other vacation rental sites because those properties may struggle to communicate and standardize rigorous cleaning standards.”I’m going to want the safety and security of established cleaning protocols that I get from an established lodging provider,” Anderson said, so he anticipates a negative impact in the short term for Airbnb-type rentals.Look for lower airfares and emptier planesPeople will be more comfortable traveling by air if planes are less full, says Anderson.”If we really want to turn this around, airlines have to be flying with empty middle seats and prices dramatically lower than what we had last summer,” he said.Several carriers last week announced plans to eliminate some food and beverage service and middle seat assignments to cut costs and reduce interaction on board.Anderson sees business travel rebounding first, followed by domestic leisure travel. Trans-oceanic travel is likely to lag, he said.Business travel may spur recovery for airlinesWhile many businesses may get more comfortable with conducting meetings virtually, Anderson expects the desire for in-person dealings will help spur airlines’ recovery.”I believe people need interaction, and it is possible a prolonged pause in regular business dealings may jump start air travel as people look to get back to business and create opportunities,” he said.Air travelers will have more booking flexibility — for a while Anderson expects that airlines — which extended a series of waivers and flexible rebooking options as the outbreak advanced — will continue to be less stringent with cancellation and change fees — for a period of time.”As we get into 2021, we’ll be back to the old way I imagine,” he said.Increased sustainability is a possible windfallA silver lining for travel in this crisis? The opportunity to address issues that were top-of-mind before coronavirus arrived, said travel broadcaster Peter Greenberg in a recent video.Overtourism, sustainable travel and the environment were among travel’s most talked-about topics before the spread of coronavirus.”We can get back to this in a much more responsible and ethical way when this crisis ends,” Greenberg said.

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(CNN) — The wars, revolutions and fallen empires that transformed the world map in the 20th century have a surprising beneficiary: capital cities. By 2000, that number would grow to more than 200, as new countries emerged out of the collapse of the British and French empires, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. Most countries chose a single city as their capital. “This is a place where politicians get together to pass laws, where the central administrative apparatus of the country are generally located,” says Gordon, a professor of urban planning at Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario. “There are very much synergies in locating these all together.” But some countries simply decided that when it comes to capital cities, more is more. From the shores of Benin to the Kingdom of eSwatini, there are nations across the globe with two or more capital cities.Their reasons vary. When countries are formed from distinct regions, as in the case of the United States or South Africa, Gordon notes that regional competition for power can be a factor. “None of them wants their rival to get the advantage of being the seat of government,” says Gordon. “There’s very complex politics involved with this sort of thing.” The United States resolved that conflict by founding Washington, D.C., on a relatively undeveloped stretch of the Potomac River. In contrast, South Africa opted for distributing the national government between the cities of Cape Town, Pretoria and Bloemfontein. Sometimes, choosing a capital is easier said than done. The sunset in Dar es Salaam,Tanzania, is lovely to see.ShutterstockIn 1973, Tanzania declared that a new capital would be established in Dodoma, hundreds of miles inland from the colonial-era capital of Dar es Salaam. “Empires had central administrative places for each colony, which were typically on the coast, so they had good access by sea back to the imperial capital,” says Gordon. “A trend in decolonizing countries is to move the capital into the center of the country to make it more accessible to all citizens.” But the cultural pull of historic capitals can be hard to overcome. Dar es Salaam still hosts many government functions, and it wasn’t until 2019 that the Tanzanian president moved his office to the “new” capital of Dodoma. Tanzania isn’t the only country where leaders dithered over where to put the capital.”Canada took years and years to decide on Ottawa,” says Gordon. “The capital used to move every two years, because the Federation could not agree on where the capital should go.” As travelers wait out the coronavirus pandemic, armchair traveling and hopefully planning their next adventures, consider which capital of these countries to visit in future — either or perhaps both? Politics aside, Gordon sees an upside to his own country’s complicated geographical past, and to a world map whose nations maintain more than one capital city: “It’s great for Trivial Pursuit.” Benin: Porto-Novo and CotonouPorto-Novo is the official capital of Benin, where the Grand Mosque is located. ShutterstockThe energetic port city of Cotonou welcomes travelers to Benin with colorful hustle and swinging rhythms, and it comes as no surprise that the country’s biggest city is also the seat of government. The official capital, though, is an hour away in Porto-Novo. Here, the blare of big-city life gives way to tree-lined streets and historic architecture.A division of powers between the two cities has been in place since before Benin achieved full independence from France in 1960.Bolivia: La Paz and SucreWrapped in the snowy peaks of the Andes Mountains, La Paz is a show-stopper of a capital city. Cable cars drift above a tangle of downtown streets, and an independent populace fills historic squares during frequent protests. But while La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, the constitutional capital is hundreds of miles away in the city of Sucre.In the early days of colonial rule, silver from the mines surrounding Sucre turned the mountain city into an Andean powerhouse. A burgeoning tin industry helped make upstart La Paz a fierce rival for economic and political power, and it remains the seat of Bolivian government to this day.Chile: Santiago and ValparaísoThe historic quarter of Valparaiso in Chile shines at night.ShutterstockAs members of Chile’s national administrative and judicial bodies watch snow fall in the mountains around Santiago, the national legislature can enjoy a colorful Pacific Ocean sunset from the city of Valparaíso. The two spectacular cities are just 72 miles away from each other by road, but they’re a world apart. In Santiago, the official capital, high-rise buildings glimmer a cool gray-blue against a backdrop of rocky summits.In the national legislature’s seat of Valparaíso, the UNESCO-listed historic center is a tumbledown gem with a rainbow palette and bohemian flair. Côte D’Ivoire: Yamoussoukro and AbidjanHolding onto the presidency for more than three decades comes with some perks.President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who ruled Côte D’Ivoire from 1960 to 1993, took advantage of his time in office by making his boyhood home of Yamoussoukro the country’s second capital in 1983.Compared with the original capital city of Abidjan, however, Yamoussoukro remains sleepy. Abidjan is the de facto seat of government, where sleek artwork at Galerie Cécile Fakhoury meets modernist architecture and colorful markets.Czech Republic: Prague and BrnoThe President of the Czech Republic is officially based in Prague Castle.ShutterstockGothic spires and Baroque rooflines line the Vltava River in Prague, a charismatic city that’s a showpiece of Czech culture and history. Among the most impressive sites is Prague Castle, part of the city’s UNESCO-listed historic center. Founded in the 9th century, the sprawling castle remains the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. But the Supreme Court of the Czech Republic is in the country’s less-known second capital, the energetic Moravian city of Brno. Here, students fill stylish cafes, and adventurous visitors can go underground into an maze-like ossuary that holds tens of thousands of human skeletons. Kingdom of eSwatini: Mbabane and LobambaFormerly known as Swaziland, this landlocked country packs a dramatically varied landscape into less than 7,000 square miles of territory. In the mountainous west, escarpments break free of green hills that plunge to hot, dry grasslands just above sea level. Perched in the heart of the Dlangeni Hills, Mbabane is the administrative capital. If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of the absolute monarch of eSwatini, King Mswati III, you should head to Lobamba, the royal capital. That’s where the royal family resides in the Ludzidzini Royal Residence, one of several royal residences across the country. eSwatini’s annual arts and music festival is just one stop on the African festival circuitMalaysia: Kuala Lumpur and PutrajayaPutra Mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia, is located at the edge of a manmade lake.ShutterstockA jumble of minarets, futuristic towers and street markets, Kuala Lumpur is a maximalist immersion in Malaysian life and culture. Rooftop bars buzz through the night here, and rush hour brings traffic at a standstill.It’s the national capital, too, the seat of the legislature and the official home of Malaysia’s monarch. But even governments need a break from big-city life.In 1995, the government began constructing Putrajaya, a quieter metropolis that wraps around a massive artificial lake. What the new capital lacks in heritage it makes up for in space. With plenty of room to grow, oversized landmarks have blossomed in Putrajaya, including the bubblegum-pink Putra Mosque, which has become a sightseeing touchstone. Montenegro: Podgorica and CetinjeGrand mansions and museums testify to Cetinije’s years as a seat of power in Montenegro, and the President’s official residence is still in the city’s Empire-style Blue Palace. Now designated the Old Royal Capital, Cetinije lost prominence to the larger city of Podgorica — then called Titograd — after the Second World War.Now, laid-back Podgorica is where the official government is located. Known as Birziminum in Roman times, the city morphed into Slavic Ribnica and Socialist Titograd before becoming Podgorica in 1992 as Yugoslavia crumbled. Netherlands: Amsterdam and The HagueTraditional houses line canals in Amsterdam, the official capital of the Netherlands.ShutterstockWith historic canals, ultrahip locals and a reputation as one of Europe’s hottest party spots, Amsterdam has plenty of name recognition. But even though the Netherlands’ constitution designates the city as the country’s capital, the real work of governing takes place in The Hague.The Netherlands’ main governing bodies, including the states general, executive branch and supreme court, have been located in this dignified city for centuries. To see the city’s inner workings, join a guided tour of Het Binnenhof, a historic complex of buildings clustered around the Gothic Knight’s Hall, where the King of the Netherlands still comes for his yearly speech from the throne. South Africa: Pretoria:,Cape Town and BloemfonteinThis is the only country to have three capital cities, a unique arrangement designed to share power across regions. With a spectacular location between the shoreline and Table Mountain, Cape Town was the capital of Britain’s Cape Colony and remains the legislative capital of South Africa. By dividing the remaining branches of government between Pretoria and Bloemfontein, the emerging Republic of South Africa helped distribute power across the new country. Each one has its charms: Pretoria is known for the exuberant jacaranda blooms that appear each September, while Bloemfontein exudes laid-back hospitality.Sri Lanka: Colombo and Sri Jayawardenepura KotteBeaches line the urban waterfront of Colombo, home to Sri Lanka’s national and executive bodies of government.ShutterstockColombo sprawls maze-like along the Sri Lankan coast, reeling past bright bazaars, colonial-era landmarks and golden-sand beaches. It’s a city with gutsy magnetism, a figurehead that’s the starting point for most travelers exploring the island country.The national and executive bodies of government are in Colombo, too, but the official capital is in nearby Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, often called Kotte. There, the modern Sri Lankan Parliament Building is located on an artificial island in the middle of the manmade Diyawanna Lake. Tanzania: Dar es Salaam and DodomaSometimes moving out takes years. In 1973, the Tanzanian government announced it was moving from the coastal capital of Dar es Salaam, and identified Dodoma as the perfect central location for a new capital. Despite a suite of grand buildings and wide streets in Dodoma, however, many key government functions remain in Dar es Salaam. Maybe it’s just too hard to walk away from Dar es Salaam’s cultural diversity and Indian Ocean breezes; there’s even a gorgeous marine reserve just off the coast here.But after nearly half a century of a move-in-progress, Tanzania’s government might finally make the jump to Dodoma. In October 2019, President John Magufuli moved his office there.

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(CNN) — Vermont Governor Phil Scott ordered all lodging, including hotels, Airbnb and campgrounds, to suspend operations on Monday. Scott said the new order further clarified the types of lodging that he suspended last week.The order suspending lodging applies to hotels, bed and breakfasts, as well as short-term rentals such as Airbnb and campgrounds, Scott said. That includes online advertising and booking, he said. “If you don’t need to come to Vermont, please don’t,” he said. “This is about public health and safety which is our top priority.”Scott issued a stay-at-home order on March 26. “We need everyone to limit activities outside of the home and to practice social distancing at all times to slow the spread of this highly contagious and potentially deadly virus,” Scott said at the time. His new order comes after Vermont’s lodging properties — there are 318 — were checked for compliance this weekend.Lodging establishments can only provide housing for health care, public safety and other essential workers, state-organized emergency shelter for homeless individuals; use of of quarantine facilities as arranged by the state; and limited “extenuating circumstances” for the care and safety of the state’s residents. Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling said state police and local enforcement checked all of those 318 lodging properties in the state over the weekend for compliance. Last week, Scott ordered all lodging in the state to be suspended. Of those properties, which did not include Airbnb properties and other short-term vacation rentals, 88 were open.The governor’s order allows “existing guests to remain through the end of their scheduled stays.” However, they can’t allow extended stays or book new reservations except for under exceptions listed above. Schirling said half of the 88 properties that were open were compliant with the governor’s order, meaning they are housing military members, visiting nurses, flight crews and other essential personnel. Schirling said the other 44 properties that appear to be non-compliant received a letter from the Vermont Department of Health and the Vermont Department of Public Safety yesterday telling them to bring their operations into compliance.The Vermont Attorney General’s Office will be following up with them today.Regular monitoring will continue, Shirling said, adding that would look like law enforcement in the parking lot and checking in with staff to ensure compliance.”Again, this relates exclusively to the health of Vermonters and the capacity of our health care system,” he said.Scott also announced a new order today that tells anyone who enters Vermont from another state to self-quarantine for 14 days.”That means heading directly to where you’re going with no stops in-between,” Scott said in a news conference.CNN’s Molly Silverman contributed to this story.

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(CNN) — With coronavirus spreading across the globe, thousands of travelers have called off plans for vacations, work trips and family visits.Responding to travel bans and a surge of requests for cancellations, the short-term rental platform Airbnb is offering unprecedented flexibility to delete bookings without penalties. When the policy was announced, some owners of short-term rentals saw their vacation-rental calendars wiped clean.As Airbnb has expanded its cancellation policies related to the Covid-19 pandemic, hosts like White have lost a significant source of income. On Monday, the company responded to some of those host concerns with the announcement of a $250 million Host Relief Fund to cover some costs of coronavirus cancellations. The reimbursements are funded by Airbnb, and will go to hosts with qualifying cancellations, paying 25% of what they would normally receive from a canceled booking.The best quarantine experience of your life?It’s a great view from Richard White’s rental condo at Carolina Beach.Jen Rose SmithConfronting the sudden and still significant income loss, some hosts are working to accommodate the changing face of travel during coronavirus. Even as more states issue stay-at-home orders, they’re tweaking listings with a speed that showcases just how nimble the gig economy can be.Those coronavirus-ready listings reflect the varied ways small businesses are reacting to news of the global pandemic. Others saw an opportunity to offer well-appointed getaways for guests looking to self-quarantine in comfort.”Escape from the boring and change up your environment to have the best quarantine experience of your life,” wrote a host in Cathedral City, California, in a listing inviting guests to “quarantine in style for 50% off.” (The listing has been changed to be more generic.)A 5-bedroom house located near Palm Springs, the now-discounted listing offers optional perks including a grocery-delivery service, private yoga classes, a private chef and private massage. The California property also highlights an enhanced cleaning protocol, which now makes use of an alcohol-based disinfectant. Cleanliness is a theme echoed in other listings, as well, such as a two-bedroom apartment in Nashville, Tennessee that was titled the “Perfect Self-Quarantine.” (It’s also since been edited.)Along with photos of two bedrooms and two fold-out sofas, the listing features official-looking checklists touting “Medical Grade Decontamination,” and cleaning protocols reflecting CDC recommendations. Airbnb itself has provided hosts with recommended cleaning practices, which include meticulous, labor-intensive steps to protect both guests and cleaners from the virus. Where the gig economy meets local bansThe Carolina Beach city council has banned short-term vacation rentals in light of coronavirus. Jen Rose SmithBut even the gig-economy hustle of short-term rental hosts can’t overcome local rulings banning short-term rentals altogether. In Carolina Beach, Richard White saw his remaining bookings disappear when the town council announced on March 24 that any rentals with terms of fewer than 90 days would need to be vacated by March 27. (The town made an exemption for renters providing essential services related to Covid-19.)”The town made the right call in shutting down the rentals,” says White. “Our feeling from the beginning was that everyone should be isolating, and staying at home and staying in place on their own to help, and that’s what we’ve been doing.” Even so, White faces a major income loss. And Carolina Beach Mayor LeAnn Pierce understands the challenges faced by owners of vacation rentals as the community closes its doors. “In 25 years of business, we have been through hurricanes and all kinds of things, but I’ve never had to lay off all my [hotel] employees like I did last week,” says Pierce, who owns the town’s Drifter’s Reef Hotel.As Pierce watched news of the spreading coronavirus, though, she was concerned by a surge of phone calls she received from people from across the country deciding they’d rather quarantine at the beach.”My council believes that the only way to defeat the virus is to flatten the curve, and we’re following the CDC guidelines,” says Pierce. “We’re 6,500 year-round people in our community, and in the summertime we get 30-40,000. We can’t manage that number of people in a pandemic.” ‘We ask you to respect our community’Carolina Beach isn’t the only vacation destination hoping to stem the flow of outsiders. Recent days have seen a series of bans and recommendations that are disrupting the ability of short-term rental owners to bring in income. Vermont Governor Phil Scott ordered all lodging, including hotels, Airbnb rentals and campgrounds, to suspend operations on Monday, allowing guests to finish their stays. His order allows new bookings only for essential workers and at state direction (for people in quarantine or who may be homeless.)In a live-stream briefing on March 27, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that stays in vacation rentals across the entire state would be suspended for two weeks. (The ban does not apply to travelers already staying in a vacation rental.)In Mono County, California, where travelers come to ski at Mammoth Mountain or hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the health department announced on March 21 that short-term lodging facilities could only be used to house essential workers, or for measures contributing to coronavirus mitigation and containment efforts. The same week, the Mono County town of Mammoth Lakes asked outsiders to stay away entirely. “As a small, remote mountain community our healthcare facilities lack the capacity to handle a widespread outbreak of COVID-19,” said the announcement on the town website. The desert communities of Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, popular as getaways for vacationers from Los Angeles, made similar decisions. On March 25, the City of Palm Springs released a statement that vacation rentals, hotels and home shares could only be used for purposes related to the mitigation and containment of coronavirus. The city directed that all bookings through April 20 be immediately canceled. “Residents of other communities need to stay at home where they live,” said Palm Springs Mayor Geoff Kors in his statement, “so as not to add to the spread of the virus in the Coachella Valley, endangering our residents, frontline workers and local healthcare system.” The economic impact on short-term rental hostsRichard White, the Carolina Beach rental host, works in the film industry, but the rent from his four rental condos is key to his livelihood. In 2018, he says, rentals provided the bulk of his income. “We’re in a situation where the film job I had shut down,” says White. “And now the rentals are all shut down.” Like White, many Airbnb hosts are wondering how to cope with the unexpected shortfall, which could be significant. The loss of that income could strain already-tight budgets. In a recent survey conducted by Airbnb, 53% of responding hosts said short-term rental income helped them stay in their homes; 49% said they host on Airbnb to make ends meet. “Right now, none of us knows what the future holds,” says White. “There’s a misconception that Airbnb hosts are these big businesses. But we’re just regular people trying to make a living.” A $250 million relief fundIn addition to the $250 million Host Relief Fund announced on March 30, Airbnb created a $10 million Superhost Relief Fund, offering grants of up to $5,000 for hosts who rent their own homes and need help making rent or mortgage payments. (This fund only applies to top-rated Superhosts, and some Experience hosts.)Bookings with check-in dates from March 14 through May 31 qualify for the special reimbursement, as long as the reservation was canceled due to coronavirus. The policy applies retroactively, and payments will be issued starting in April.Guests benefit from the updated policies, as well. Airbnb is extending penalty-free cancellations through May 31 for bookings made before March 14. (A previous policy extended to April 14.)The company hopes the changes will help repair damaged relationships with hosts following several chaotic weeks in the travel industry.”We have heard from you and we know we could have been better partners,” wrote Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky in a letter to hosts released on March 30. “What you need are actions from us to help, not just words.”

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(CNN) — The plan to move to France had been in the works for months. We bit the bullet and quit our jobs, packed our poky London flat into boxes, and then watched the world come crashing down around us.When France went into coronavirus “confinement” we decided to move, fast. My French boyfriend and I scrambled out of London hours after Boris Johnson announced the UK would impose its own lockdown to curb the spread of the virus.Fortunately, very few people had the same foolish idea to flee the UK that morning, and we were able to keep a ridiculously safe distance from our fellow Eurostar passengers.Still, we knew the risk we were taking. I wasn’t even sure if I, a dual British-South African citizen, would get past border control. (I did, but it took some convincing.)Before we knew it, we were spat out at Paris Gare Du Nord, and stood squinting in the spring sunshine at the empty streets, bars and restaurants as we waited for a taxi to take us to a friend’s apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt.Arriving at an unusually quiet Gare du Nord.Katy Scott/CNNFrance, like many other countries around the world, has entered a stringent lockdown and ordered residents to stay indoors. Any non-essential outing can draw a fine of up to €200 ($210).It’s easy to forget you’re in a completely new city when you’re confined to an apartment. We had grand plans in a pre-coronavirus world to visit new neighborhoods and get a feel for them before deciding where to settle. Now we need a signed and dated permission form — or “attestation” — to leave the house once a day, and can’t venture farther than one kilometer in any which direction, for no longer than an hour.Instead of people-watching from the street-side terrace of a quaint cafe, I now catch a glimpse of the outside world each evening at 8 p.m. when my neighbors throw open their doors and windows to clap for the health workers fighting this deadly virus. Sunning on my little balcony.Katy Scott/CNNIt’s the highlight of my day, this show of solidarity. I race onto our little balcony and make eye contact with a little kid standing on his kitchen counter, banging on a pot with a wooden spoon, and a young man cheering in his Batman dressing gown from his balcony. For two whole minutes I feel part of this little pocket of Paris.When cabin fever began to take its toll, I plotted the one-kilometer radius around our apartment to see how far I could possibly go, painstakingly wrote out my permission slip indicating my reason for going outdoors to exercise, and set off to explore my new ‘hood.Within one kilometer I found a lovely little path along the Seine where I could peer into the empty “péniches” (houseboats) as I passed. Crossing the river I spied the remnants of a Renault factory, which once covered almost an entire island on the Seine. A view down my deserted street.Katy Scott/CNNWhile there are a handful of people out, the only real noise I hear is the wail of ambulances in the distance — a sobering reminder of the eerie world we are living in.I use another permission slip a few days later to go to the boulangerie and corner store. I love grocery shopping when visiting new cities almost more than I do going out for meals because I’m always enchanted by the array of goods on offer. This time I did not dawdle.There’s suspicion in everyone’s eyes, and awkward shuffling as we try to keep a safe distance. No one is greeting one another in the streets, not a “bise” between friends or a “bonjour” between strangers. It’s cold and strange, but reassuring that people are not taking this lockdown lightly.It’s looking like we’ll be anchored here for some time and I’ve slowly coming to terms with that. I’m fortunate to be in Paris, and in good health, and have the rest of my life ahead of me to explore this city.So, for now I’m staying indoors as I much as I can bear, and will continue to live vicariously from my balcony, waiting until 8 p.m. each evening to clap along with Batman and my pot-banging buddy.

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Editor’s Note — CNN’s series often carry sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However, CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Our sponsorship policy.(CNN) — On Asia’s 50 best restaurants list, updated annually, most of the top spots are usually awarded to upscale restaurants in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.And this year was no exception. On March 24, the Oscars of fine dining in Asia saw swanky Singaporean restaurant Odette clinch first place for the second year running. But edging its way toward the top 10 is New Delhi-based Indian Accent — one of only two restaurants in India to make the list and the only one in the top half, coming in at number 13 this year. Launched in 2009 by acclaimed chef Manish Mehrotra, the restaurant is celebrated for its reinterpretations of Indian classics like puri, paneer, and spicy Goan curry. One of Mehrotra’s signature dishes is a coin-sized piece of naan bread stuffed with melted blue cheese.Mehrotra began developing his concept for Indian Accent over a decade ago while working as a chef in London, where popular Indian classics like naan and chicken tikka masala can be found at eateries throughout the city.The chef, now 46 years old, wanted to show the world that Indian food could be much more complex than simple curries. “I don’t want to give a new identity to Indian food,” Mehrotra tells CNN Travel. “We just want to tell people that there is more to Indian food than what they know about.” Medu vadai, or doughnut shaped fritters from South India, is one such dish he is keen to share. They’re are presented on top of a banana leaf, as per tradition, but are made from tofu rather than lentil. The rings are lightly dusted with a spice mix he calls ‘gunpowder’ and served with colorful quenelles of baked beetroot and lentil chutney. The manicured plates, often served as part of a tasting menu, are a clear departure from the family style dishes shared at many Indian restaurants.”There were few restaurants which were doing high end Indian food,” says Mehrotra. “I wanted to do my version of high end Indian food.”Situated inside The Lodhi Hotel, the restaurant is decorated in a smart, modern style and seats 120 diners. The cocktail bar is a standout feature — it’s latticed cabinets are lit up in a warm amber glow.Relative to other restaurants in New Delhi, Indian Accent is not cheap. The chef’s tasting menu is an eight-course meal that starts at 3,900 rupees (around $53). Compared to many other restaurants on the 50 best list, however, it’s a steal. Nonetheless, when it first opened, Mehrotra says many felt his menu was too upmarket and overpriced. “Almost 10 and a half years back, this was something very new to this country… people were bit skeptical about it,” he says. But over time, Mehrotra’s restaurant won over customers and critics alike. He’s received numerous awards and Indian Accent is now one of New Delhi’s hottest spots to eat and be seen. Recent guests include Priyanka Chopra and Bollywood actress Azmi Shabana. “Manish Mehrotra is India’s greatest modern chef,” says Vir Shangvhi, author and television host, in a 2017 review of Indian Accent.The success of the New Delhi restaurant has led to openings of Indian Accent in New York and London — both of which have been received favorably. For Mehrotra, the most important thing is the food. He just hopes more customers continue exploring the regional spices and delicacies of India. “This is Indian cuisine done in a different way,” says Mehrotra. “It is taking the world along with us and moving forward.”Indian Accent, The Lodhi, Lodhi Road, New Delhi; +91 11 6617 5151

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