Category Archives: sevilla

getting back to normal

27 Wednesday May 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, lockdown, lockdown sevilla, sevilla, sevilla shutdown, shopping

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roof

So as of last Monday we are in Phase 2 in Andalucía (Madrid and Catalunya are catching up and are on Phase 1). This means that more public spaces are opening, bars and restaurants have a bit more flexibility, non-essential shops and department stores are also allowed to open, and some restrictions are lifted for general circulation around town and within the province. All of course with the required “social distancing” measures, and all kinds of disinfecting, cleaning, etc going on. Ah, and masks have been mandatory since last weekend. If all goes well, Phase 3 is meant to start on June 8th.

What could go wrong? Well, plenty. I still see (from my balcony) too many people not wearing masks, walking too close to others, basically not giving a shit. So I am personally still in Phase 0, only going out for essential shopping and taking out the rubbish, otherwise I am staying home and staying safe. And walking on my roof (view from rooftop in photo above).

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constancia is back!

26 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by in animals & pets, music, sevilla, welcome

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constancia-2

You may remember Constancia from back when I first met her in October 2018. Well, I had known of her for years previous to that, passing her in the streets almost every day, but that was the first time I stopped to chat with her. And we became friends in a way. After that I would always greet her and chat a bit, blow her a kiss (she loves blowing kisses) and sometimes I would give her some cash or some food. She lives with her husband just beyond 3 mil, and she really does work hard, out there every day with her little dog and her accordian. Often I would pass her coming home after a tapas tour, going on midnight.

Anyhow, just before Christmas I saw her while on my way to pick up clients for a tapas tour… and she was without her little dog. And my heart just sank. So of course I stopped to ask what happened, and of course the dog had died (ripe old age, she’d had a good life) and I couldn’t do anything but hold Constancia in the biggest hug I could manage and kiss her cheeks. Oh man, it was so heartbreaking to see her without her dog and knowing how much pain she was in. And worse then to tell her I had to go (I ended up late for my tour) but that we’d talk soon.

 

Next time I saw her we talked about her getting another dog and I said I could check rescue shelters and help her find a new pup. But Constancia was very clear. She wanted the exact same breed as Piti, she wanted a female, and she wanted a young puppy. Well, I’m all about adopting rescues rather than buying from breeders, and how would she even find another Bichón Habanese anyhow, but you know what? In the end her husband found one, a mini replica of her old dog.

And I know all this because when I was doing a “rubbish run” last week (wearing my latex gloves!) I took the long way home and suddenly saw Constancia with her accordian and five-month old brand new little Piti out in the street. Oh my god… big air kisses all around and the little pup was so adorable and very friendly. And I saw Constancia smiling again. Made my day.

latex

25 Monday May 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, seasons, sevilla, weather

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So of course l picked the hottest day of the year to start wearing latex gloves. I actually bought a box of them when I was out early last week and then temps got up to 38º (and probably more in the city centre) over the weekend. Yes, it was fucking hot. But I really had to take out the rubbish so thought it would I should try out the gloves. Single use, about 35 cents a pair, lightly powdered inside so relatively easy to put on. Have to admit that I did feel a bit “safer” with them on, but yeah, hands got pretty sweaty. Though not as bad as wearing the plastic bags at El Corte Inglés supermarket. Hello new normal.

it’s obligatory!

20 Wednesday May 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, lockdown, lockdown sevilla, sevilla, sevilla shutdown

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Remember yesterday’s mini-rant about seeing so many people in the streets still not wearing masks? Well, as of tomorrow it will be obligatory to wear a mask in all public indoor spaces, as well as outdoor spaces where it isn’t possible to keep two metres apart. That last bit spells trouble though… srsly, you’d think the government would know better by now than to give us options.

What I noticed yesterday was that, even in wider streets and in squares, people still weren’t being careful enough with “social distancing”. Meanwhile, most of the streets in the old centre of town are barely two metres wide, making it impossible to keep a safe distance apart. Add to that the fact that wearing a mask is uncomfortable as fuck, especially in The Heat, I am predicting mask mayhem. Entitled selfish assholes will start bleating about their Freedom and Rights, there will be protests, more pot banging bullshit.

Me? I almost suffocated yesterday wearing my mask. But I learned that I shouldn’t go out there when it’s 33º without a cloud in the sky. Duh. Not that difficult. The main problem is that people want things to go back to the way it was before and they have yet to accept that it just ain’t gonna happen. Nothing is ever going to be the same again. They also have yet to cotton on to the reality that you don’t just get freedom and rights handed to you for nothing, they come with obligations and responsibilities attached, and one would hope with some respect for those who came before us, and including today’s frontline heroes, who have made and continue to make much greater sacrifices than simply wearing a fucking mask. Honestly, I get so tired of people sometimes. Not you guys though.  🙂

Blog buddy Jodi Ettenburg @legalnomads has written an excellent, informative (and less sweary) post on the subject of mask wearing…

WE SHOULD ALL BE WEARING CLOTH MASKS, AND HERE’S WHY

a stroll through sevilla

19 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by in city walks, coronavirus, lockdown, lockdown sevilla, sevilla

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The thing about my rooftop walks is, now that it’s heating up, I have to either go up early morning or else after 8 pm because any shade up there totally disappears around noon. And since I’ve got used to lazy mornings, well, it’s evenings or nothing. But because I had to take out rubbish in the afternoon I ended up taking the (extra) long way (6000 steps) to the supermarket because I was dying to see my Sevilla again. I decided to go as far as Plaza Virgen de los Reyes (my favourite square) and was surprised to find out it was basically a construction site. Turns out they are using this “down time” to finally pedestrianise Mateas Gago, the street that comes off the square and where I lived the first 18 years. Bad news for the bars that are already going to struggle without any tourists, but I suppose there was never going to be a good time to do this.

It was lovely to be out walking around again, and I managed to stay at least 2 metres away from people, but it was shocking to see how many still aren’t wearing masks. I had mine on and nearly suffocated – it was 33º by the time I went out – but I mean, c’mon guys. If/when the second wave hits it will be largely due to these Covidiots. Though as my friend Ricardo tells me, there really aren’t any “Covidiots”, they are just the same idiots as always.

Gotta say it was tempting to sit down somewhere and enjoy a cold beer, but I’m not there yet. Perhaps in a couple of weeks, depending on how things go. Meanwhile, enjoy this stroll through Sevilla. It really my heart good.

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