Tag Archives: lockdown

100 days of solitude

22 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, health & happiness, sevilla

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

unlock

Yesterday marked the official final day of lockdown in Spain. I started counting Day 1 as March 14th, so that makes it 100 days, but I see some other “official” numbers vary by a day or two. Doesn’t matter. For me it’s been 100 days of lockdown, which have been mostly spent alone, until a few days ago when I dared to meet a friend for lunch. Other than that, there’s been no human contact other than at the supermarket. My last hug was on March 11th. The only times anyone has even touched me since then was when I went to have blood taken, and the other day when the oncologist poked and prodded my belly. This has been hard for a girl who loves her hugs!

What else has been hard in terms of lockdown itself? To be honest? Not that much really. Sure I’ve been a bit bored at times (not often), worried, lonely, anxious, but I’ve also been surprisingly patient and even content, making sure my days include things I enjoy (cooking, chatting online with friends, cuddling cats, writing this silly blog) and I’ve even set up a workout routine for those days I don’t get out for a walk. But as I’ve said here before, I’ve already had training for this when I spent a year and a half basically “locked down” by cancer, chemo and several major abdominal ops. And then I read this very good article by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett which reminded me that I’d also had even more previous training with my agoraphobia, which used to made it impossible to leave my home.

Continue reading →

lockdown beer o’clock

12 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by in sevilla, tapas bars, welcome

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

beer oclock

So exactly three months since my last Beer O’clock I finally ventured into a bar for a caña. I had to go out and pick up my blood test results so decided to turn that outing into a 10,000 step walk. It felt so good to just stand at a bar again, the beer itself was almost beside the point. Still wouldn’t eat out anywhere, waiting to see how things go after we’ve been in Phase 3 for two weeks (ten days from now), which will then be the official end of lockdown. Experts are saying we’re headed for a second wave. Hope not!

lockdown day 82

03 Wednesday Jun 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, lockdown, lockdown sevilla, sevilla, welcome

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

triana bridge

Sevilla is now in Phase 2, with Phase 3 supposedly coming up on Monday June 8th, the final two-week stage of the government Covid de-escalation plan, scheduled to “finish” on June 22nd, at which point… who knows? Well, it means we will no longer be in an official state of emergency, though since not all provinces are in the same phase right now this will probably be extended until at least the end of June. But other than opening up our borders again to international tourists in July I haven’t heard of any other major changes coming up after lockdown.

We were supposed to have some travel restrictions lifted in Andalucía on Monday, allowing people to move about between the eight provinces, but since Granada and Málaga are still going to be in Phase 2 then, it looks like this is going to be postponed. The rest is mostly relaxing restrictions for businesses that deal with the public and I think hotels (and tourist apartments) can start reopening then too. Nightclubs, theatres and cinemas will also be allowed to open with limited capacity (30-50%). Oh and beaches too, as long as people respect social distancing. Srsly? Just waiting for all those super crowded beach pics on social media. So, as for me…

Continue reading →

getting back to normal

27 Wednesday May 2020

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , ,

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).

Continue reading →

a stroll through sevilla

19 Tuesday May 2020

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

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.

Continue reading →