Spain out of lockdown!

We are continuing to have extremely hot and humid weather here in Mallorca and would love to have some rain as has happened in the UK, but so far, no dice!  It tried to rain a couple of days ago but the tiny amount we briefly had just contributed to a rise in humidity so we ended up worse off 😓  It really isn't the best thing in the world to be wearing a mask in such hot and sweaty conditions so I do understand the temptation when people don't wear them or wear them over their mouth but under their nose - BUT we need to plod on and just keep wearing them for all our sakes 😷 Once the cooler weather comes I'd like to think people would be more amenable to wearing them, I know I'll find it a lot easier come the winter! 

Yesterday we were lucky enough to celebrate a friend's birthday at the Real Club Nautic Port de Pollenca (RCNPP) with drinks on the poolside terrace.  Once the pool area was closed for the day they carefully bleached the pool surround which was good to see.

If you have never been to the RCNPP (yacht club), it might be one to try some time.  The restaurant and poolside terrace/bar area plus cocktail bar the far side of the pool are all open to non-members.  The actual pool however is only for use by club members.  But if you do visit the Port and are staying in a place with no pool, there is always the lovely pool at the Rosa Blanca (White Rose) at Gotmar (opposite the Habitat apartments) - in fact we intend to go there next week for breakfast and a swim (you need to be a customer there). There is also Laguna pool and bar/restaurant on the Formentor Road up towards the Illa d'Or end of town.  

A similar approach to the cleaning of the yacht club pool area is taken with regard to the sunbeds on the beach.  At the end of each day, at 7pm, a tractor comes along the beach to spray disinfectant on all the sunbeds and they are sprayed and cleaned again in the morning.  Every possible measure is being taken to ensure that people can have a safe time enjoying themselves on the beach.  The majority of visitors now seem to be Spanish visitors and there seem to be fewer and fewer British ones.  This is just my perception of course, but other residents I have spoken to seem to share it.  In any event, any visitors are welcome in order to keep the local economy's head above water in these very challenging times.

On Tuesday night we stayed up quite late to look out for the annual Perseid meteor shower which occurs around 12th August.  We lay on our reclining chairs on the roof terrace and after a while our efforts were rewarded with 3 definite sightings 🌠 We were watching the sky from different angles and Ian saw the first one but they're very quick and I was gutted I missed it.  But patience prevailed and I saw the second one which was so perfect it was Disney-like!  I was so thrilled I almost fell out my chair 😂  The third one we both saw which made honours even and we retired to bed as we'd had quite enough astro-gazing for one night.  But we're glad we saw some as I've never actually see one before.  

During lockdown, but mainly during and since the phased lifting of lockdown, we have kept ourselves amused with a few online orders - mainly through a well known site beginning with 'A' 🤔  I mean, haven't we all?!  Anyhow - if you arrange for a delivery of a parcel out here by any delivery firm whatsoever, you will very likely receive a text or some other notification of approximate delivery day and possibly even a time.  You will, however, be out at that time.  No really, you will.  You can stay in all day, ears aquiver to the slightest noise at your front door or for your apartment buzzer.  But you will hear nothing.  This seems to be because a specially trained team of Spanish delivery ninjas (and this includes Correos, the Spanish Royal Mail) will silently leave a hugely regretful notification that you were very sadly out when they called and you will have to rearrange delivery, in fluent and rapid Spanish, or trek to a delivery depot or the Post Office to collect said parcel.  One particular delivery firm doesn't even do the ninja notification - they just send you a text telling you you were out.  It happened to me once when I was looking down at the empty road from our apartment at the exact time they said they had unfortunately found me absent.  On the bright side, you have to REALLY want whatever it is you're ordering so you never know, you may save some money.

In local news the PAC (health centre) in Pollensa - which is the central one for the area - reports that as at 13th August there have been 16 coronavirus cases in the municipality, 5 of whom have been discharged so that means currently 11 cases.  But of course, the wider picture is that numbers are on the increase, not just in the Balearics or Spain but in many countries.  I guess this is to be expected as people are freer to move around both within their own region or country, or internationally.  In terms of the impact on the current tourism season in the Port, the Bahia is the latest hotel to state that it is closing for this year.  Generally speaking I think we're all feeling that this is pretty accurate 😂 :

One of my daughters is coming out to visit next week 💕 #excitedmuch,  so the next blog will be on Thursday 20th.  In the meantime, stay safe and hasta jueves!