Author Archives: azahar

we’re on fire, folks… please don’t visit

27 Thursday Jul 2023

Posted by in sevilla, tourism, travel

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , ,

wildfires

A couple of articles caught my eye this week…

As my home city of Athens burns, I can only watch in amazement as sunseekers fly in

Jetting off to the sun? The adverts are selling you a ticket to climate disaster

We are on fire here in many ways. First of all, yes, wildfires are ripping through the Mediterranean and *checks notes* causing holiday goers all kinds of distress. Or that’s how it’s being played on most media.

My question is, why the fuck are they here anyhow? Do they not read the news? Or even the weather reports? Do they not give a shit about anyone other than themselves? I’ve come to realise that these “sun seekers” are ignorant at best, borderline sociopaths at worst. Of course they are being played by travel companies, airlines, hotel chains who NEED them to keep travelling so badly that they offer crazy deals while bombarding everywhere with their relentless “get away” advertising campaigns.

I mean, airlines were still flying people into Rhodes in the middle of an evacuation crisis due to wildfires. And we’re not just talking about tourists – at least they got to flee to the nearest airport to get home while locals lost homes and businesses and lives. But it’s been clear for months that we are in serious drought conditions here, our forests are kindling, and residents face water shortages, with food shortages coming up soon. So WHY are people still coming here to holiday??

What are we? Nothing to you? Nobodies? Or are our towns and cities just places for you to pretend you are at least temporarily living a better life than the one you actually have?

Sevilla is not on fire, yet. But we have not had enough rain for TWO YEARS. So clearly our resources are very low and already water restrictions have been put into place in various places in Andalucía. Also, with record high temperatures the past month there is a real threat to our power grid, that it can withstand the needs of our residents. OF OUR RESIDENTS. Think about that.

When tourists come here en masse during difficult times they are mostly benefitting airline companies, hotel chains, tour companies… very little trickles down to us. Because think about it… you are here using our precious water (we don’t have enough) and still expect your pool to be filled while enjoying your all-day hotel air-con (while we worry about how our power grid can support us) … and you’re not giving a thought to that? Well, maybe you should. I hope you will.

summer sick

26 Wednesday Jul 2023

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, health

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

,

summer sick

Yep, getting annoyed with people (yet again), in this case those who are posting on their social media that they are sick with a cold, the flu,  a mystery virus (maybe a norovirus!), brand new allergies they’ve never had before, unexplained fever, gastroenteritis, well heck you name it. They are “summer sick” with ANYTHING BUT COVID. Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT FUCKING TESTING FOR COVID.

And why would that be? Other than the mass global denial that is going on everywhere. Covid is over! Omg we can all go back to NORMAL.

We all know Covid is not over, it’s simply permutating and getting smarter thanks to us. I really hesitate to start spouting what may sound like conspiracy theories but I mean… where has all the Covid data gone since about a year ago? No testing, no nothing, and even possibly no new vaccines this autumn…

Meanwhile, yesterday evening my right nostril suddenly started STREAMING… got all itchy and sneezy. Basically became a one-nostril mucus factory (you can imagine). Left one is fine. And so okay, I have had sinus issues all my life, cannot leave the house without a whack of tissues (either kleenex or paper towels) in my bag, but my nose ALWAYS RUNS. All my life with this. But last night was different. Itching, sneezing, pressure below my eye… something wasn’t right.

And so this morning I did a Covid rapid test – because WHY WOULDN’T I? – and it was negative. But I’ll be testing daily until the symptoms subside simply because it might be Covid. For everyone who thinks Covid is behind us (usually a line of thinking to justify them not giving a shit about anyone else) you may find out sooner than later that you too are “vulnerable”.

I have been accused of being JUDGEMENTAL, and all kinds of other things, because I still take Covid seriously, test every week, stay home if I have any “just a cold” symptoms, etc… And when I’ve had to travel for work I always test that morning. Because what if I was Covid positive? Yes, I would have to abort my plans, it would fuck everything up, it would end up costing me money… but what is the option? Getting on a plane or train knowing you have a highly transmittable air-born disease and you could infect almost everyone. Just because you put yourself first.

Well, that’s just not me. If it’s you, maybe take a good look at your life priorities and then hopefully come to the realisation that this world we share isn’t just about you.

new moos!

25 Tuesday Jul 2023

Posted by in work

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

new moos

It’s been years since I ordered new biz cards, for the obvious reason of Covid and all that has followed, and even after getting back to work they just didn’t seem relevant any more. Like, who still uses business cards? Well it turns out that plenty of people do and, after finding myself at a couple of work events where I was asked for my card, I decided it was time to put a few in my bag for such occasions. But of course the info on my old cards was out of date so… new Moo cards for 2023.