16 Tuesday Jun 2020
Posted in coronavirus, restaurants, sevilla, tapas bars, welcome
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You know, there are always the bottom feeders who try to milk every opportunity for everything they can squeeze out of it. Look at this bill from a bar in the Canary Islands, charging a COVID TAX for serving beer. So you know, this is totally illegal, just like the dread Bread & Service Charges that show up on bar bills throughout Spain, and you are not obliged to pay it.
This has been a public service announcement.
15 Monday Jun 2020
Posted in andalucia, coronavirus, sevilla, sevilla shutdown, spain, tourism, travel
Tags
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?
27 Wednesday May 2020
Posted in coronavirus, lockdown, lockdown sevilla, sevilla, sevilla shutdown, shopping
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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).
18 Monday May 2020
Posted in coronavirus, home, lockdown, lockdown sevilla
People keep asking me how I am holding up during lockdown, am I bored, going stir crazy, am I making plans, making sourdough etc etc.
To be honest I think for the first month I was in a bit of a daze. I didn’t know what was going on and neither did anybody else. And that part actually hasn’t changed. But what has changed, at least for me, is that I feel less of a need to try and do anything about, well, anything. Instead I am observing. Watching and waiting. Because honestly, why waste my energy?
Meanwhile, I do seriously wonder how the hell I ever held down a full time job. Especially as, being freelance, my job was actually 7 days a week. Yeah, not every day all day, but I was pretty much always working, or at least “on call”. And yet I always found time to work, get all the chores done, see friends, do the shopping, keep up with an exercise routine.
But now? It takes me half the day to organise taking out the rubbish and maybe slipping in a quick supermarket run (and this only happens about every ten days or so). And when I am expecting a delivery, that also seems to take up half my day. Can I do a rooftop walk? What if I miss them? Should I time that with hanging up my laundry? I am suddenly overwhelmed.
For example today. I can’t believe it’s already 16.00. ALL I did today was get up, have coffee and breakfast, then did some cleaning up, changed the cat sand. After that my rooftop walk (approx 1 hour). Then I hung up some laundry (big evening activity coming up – changing the bed sheets!)
Meanwhile I will eat my late lunch soon (my one meal of the day), while watching something on Netflix, then possibly have a short accidental siesta in my chair. In between now and bedtime there will be some Instagramming and chatting with friends on Whatsapp, maybe a snack. Then suddenly it will be 23.00 and I’ll wonder where the hell the day went.
Have to say that all during this lockdown time I’ve been frustrated, sad, scared, worried, and have also had times of enjoyment and optimism, meanwhile not sleeping much… but I haven’t once felt bored. How about you?
14 Thursday May 2020
Posted in coronavirus, crafts, humour
Tags
Behold! my masks have arrived! I wore this to Walmart and Petco today. When someone tells me my mask has penises on it, I kindly let them know this is how I determine they are too close, kindly back the fuck up.
I want one!
casa azahar 