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So tomorrow we head into Fase 2 of the big SAVE CHRISTMAS programme set out by our various governments, which vary from region to region. For Andalucía as of tomorrow here is the deal…
17 Thursday Dec 2020
Posted andalucia, coronavirus, covid, sevilla, spain
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So tomorrow we head into Fase 2 of the big SAVE CHRISTMAS programme set out by our various governments, which vary from region to region. For Andalucía as of tomorrow here is the deal…
16 Wednesday Dec 2020
Posted andalucia, christmas, Malaga, malaga getaway
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Quite bittersweet stuff on social media this week with those MEMORIES they pop into your timeline so you can remember where you were on this day however many years ago. I mean, they are usually quite nice, but this year – and especially this week – I am just reminded almost daily that I SHOULD BE IN MÁLAGA.
I don’t actually remember the last time I didn’t go to Málaga in December, even for a couple of days. It’s become such an annual thing… Málaga in the summer and Málaga at Christmas. Needless to say I didn’t get there this past summer either. And in theory I could go as of this Friday, when they relax the travel restrictions so that we can now travel between provinces within our regions. In fact a friend very generously offered to pay for my train fare. But I just can’t. First of all… don’t wanna die! And of course I would not risk infecting other people outside my small living bubble (not an official bubble, but it’s somewhat bubblish).
Since… October??… I started only going out maybe a couple of times a week. During the summer and even September things felt almost normal in spite of the restrictions and even I was feeling less threatened by the virus, while of course taking all the precautions when out. But then numbers started climbing again and I decided to stay home more. Turned out that Andalucía in November had the highest number of new Covid cases and DEATHS since April, so that was probably a good decision. For those who don’t know, I am high risk for catching this fucker, with compromised immune system due to previous cancer and chemo.
01 Tuesday Sep 2020
Posted andalucia, coronavirus, sevilla
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So why isn’t this front page news? Instead we’re hearing about kids going back to school, but now you can’t smoke on restaurant terrazas and weddings can only have 100 people. Oh, and beaches will be closed after 9.30 pm in some areas. Because… why?
Honestly, our governments are just making shit up as they go along. Even these numbers can’t be trusted, other than to be pretty sure that there are far more confirmed cases and deaths than are “officially” reported. And there is still NO PLAN. Probably because nobody wants to admit they have no idea what they are dealing with or how to proceed. So we are given random guidelines and then they watch to see how many of us get sick and die.
Happy September everyone!
26 Friday Jun 2020
Last week I went to the Alcázar with my friend Corinna, the first time either of us had been there for ages. Thing is, it’s free for Sevilla residents but it’s always so bloody crowded that we usually just can’t be bothered. But as they had just reopened the palace and gardens, and it was before foreign tourists were allowed to arrive, we took advantage. And it was lovely. There were a few people, mostly Spanish, but no tour groups, and we often found ourselves with nobody around us in the gardens. Heaven.
Here are some pics…
15 Monday Jun 2020
Posted andalucia, coronavirus, sevilla, sevilla shutdown, spain, tourism, travel
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So remember when I was mostly concerned about tourists from the EU Schengen countries (and frankly, also from Spanish virus hotspots like Madrid and Barcelona) suddenly being allowed to travel freely throughout Spain from July 1st? Well it turns out those were the days!
In a blink of an eye the Spanish government caved once again and now we are opening our borders to Schengen countries NEXT MONDAY. That’s right, the very day that we are released from lockdown after 100 days. Without giving us any time at all to adapt and see how we do here with implementing the “new now” regulations as well as dealing with our own homegrown Covidiots. Like, we now have to deal with untested asymptomatic carriers coming here ON FUCKING HOLIDAY from day one. But okay, at least this new deal excluded tourists from the UK (aka Plague Island) so I thought that was at least one less worry. Except now it looks like it actually may become a worry, and a big one.
Ah who am I trying to kid? Of course our government is going to cave again and allow UK tourists in. Bear in mind there will be no testing or quarantining involved with anybody coming here. Just a quick temperature check (useless for infectious asymptomatic carriers, approx 40% of people who test positive for Covid), fill out a form, and welcome to Spain. The only question now is when? Also next Monday? Or will they stick with the original (still way too soon) date of July 1st?