Tag Archives: covid-19

freedumb

10 Monday May 2021

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freedumb

Spain’s state of emergency officially ended at midnight on Saturday, a day earlier than originally planned, and predictably streets throughout the country filled with drunken assholes celebrating their freedumb into the wee hours. It is to weep. Lots of tweets from health care workers expressing everything from fear to heartbreak to rage.

The most important changes are the end of the curfew, extension of opening hours for hospitality, allowing large group events, but all of these still require that people wear masks (inside and outside) and maintain social distancing. Which is the ONLY reason I’m going anywhere in the next couple of weeks. The government says they are adopting a gradual de-escalation with the goal of returning to “normal” by July. Because hey, it worked so well last time. Gawd help us…

maskless asshats

07 Friday May 2021

Posted by in covid, sevilla, tapas bars

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maskless

I’m kind of annoyed with myself. I had seen a new account pop up on Instagram for a very typical old-style tapas bar in Triana. It had a cute logo and seemed to be keen on interacting online, so I decided to go try it out. Because as much as I love many of the new innovative bars and restaurants in Sevilla, my heart belongs to the traditional tapas bars. Anyhow, on Wednesday I asked Peter if he wanted to go there with me and at first he said he didn’t really feel like going out, but in the end I convinced him that a walk and some nice food would do him good. Plus I had a nice “take away” for him to pick up on the way home.

And yes, it was a nice walk. We stopped for a quick cold beer en route and then managed to get the last available table at our destination (inside, but next to an open door and window). Unfortunately the food wasn’t great, but that wasn’t the reason I ended up regretting going. At first everything seemed fine, with all the waiters wearing masks and there were only three tables inside, spaced well enough apart. But then half-way through our meal I noticed that the guy behind the bar (serving drinks to the waiters taking care of the terrace and food to the tables inside) started pulling his mask down while he was behind the bar (he’d pull it up again if he stepped out from behind the bar, but still). And then just as we were about to finish I saw the cook and his assistant come out of the kitchen AND NEITHER OF THEM WERE WEARING MASKS. They didn’t have them pulled down, or on their wrists. They simply weren’t wearing them at all. So we quickly finished our last tapitas, got the bill and left. Continue reading →

no feria

16 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, fiestas, sevilla, spain

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The Plaza San Fransicso is all dressed up with nowhere to go after the various “no Feria” activities were (thankfully) cancelled this week. Starting Saturday, and throughout the following week, there were supposed to be flamenco fashion shows along the Avenida, various outdoor concerts, private group lunches in selected Casas Palacios, and yeah, even bullfights. Which leads me to ask… what the actual fuck were these people thinking?? It’s a fair. Yes, it’s Spain’s biggest Feria and, no, we didn’t get to have one last year, and it turns out we don’t get to have one this year. But so what? Because it’s just a fucking fair.

Don’t get me wrong, I love so many of our festivities here, and have also been missing them. I’ve lived in Sevilla for almost 30 years, so these have become a part of my way of life. But I mean… PANDEMIA, guys. And so, taking into consideration those who have lost their jobs, businesses, homes – their lives! – I don’t think it’s not a huge ASK for still healthy people to just say, hey no problem, we’ll do it next year. Something to look forward to.  🙂

wall of hearts

15 Thursday Apr 2021

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You know what – goddammit – they aren’t just fucking numbers. They are people who got sick, who died. They are also people still suffering from long Covid, even if they didn’t happen to be people you personally knew. I honestly don’t understand why it has to happen to someone you know before you take this to heart. Are you that self-centred, selfish and borderline narcissistic? Whatever happened to empathy? Social conscience and responsibility?

Anyhow, we are going back into Level 3 here in Sevilla, predictably after the Save Semana Santa Shitshow that happened here a couple of weeks ago. They say the numbers are rising? Actually, the sick and dying are rising. Don’t forget that. All of those people had lives, families, loved ones. Just like you. And just because you’ve been “lucky so far” doesn’t mean you haven’t infected others. I’m so angry today I could spit. Just stay the fuck at home. Follow the rules. NOBODY needs to take a fucking holiday during a pandemic.

one down, one to go…

12 Monday Apr 2021

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So after spending all day in a total tizzy (my vaccination appointment wasn’t until 5.30 pm) I made my way to the health centre, bared my chubby arm, got the jab, and then went for a cold beer. Peter had met me there on the off chance that someone might not have shown up for their appointment and he might luck out and get his too. But it turned out that they were calling people by year of birth and he is just a couple of weeks away from his. It was actually very efficient. I was called within less than a minute of arriving, then was told to wait for 15 minutes before leaving. I waited half an hour just to be sure – I once had an anaphylactic reaction after a chemo infusion (after I got home!) and don’t ever want to experience that again.

And so that’s one down and one to go. On July 1st. Guess I should know soon enough if I am going to have any nasty side effects. So far so good… 🤞