Spain in the new restrictions!

How is everyone in the UK 4 days into the second lockdown?  Hope everyone's ok.  The weeks here seem to be going past fairly rapidly now and, given that this hasn't been a year that we'll ever forget but for all the wrong reasons, that is not necessarily the worst thing if I'm honest.  Mind you, I don't think I've ever looked forward so much to Christmas possibly because that's a reference point of normality which I think a lot of us need right now.  And we're going to Stay restaurant for Christmas dinner so that's certainly a wonderful treat to look forward to 😃

On Friday we went to Bar Bondia (near the Pollensa Park hotel) for a one-off Elvis aka Dennis extravaganza (who hasn't performed at all in 2020 but gave us his all for nearly 2.5 hours 🎤 he never stopped and must have lost about half a stone in weight!  We had sausage baps beforehand - delicious - and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  It was almost like being back to 'normal' and we agreed we haven't had such a good night in a loooooong time.  Here he is in all his glory:

After admiring 'Elvis's" exertions, I'm still keeping pretty fit and since I re-started running after the heat of the summer, my 5km times are almost back to my PB pre-summer.  Gyms are still allowed to be open here thank goodness, so classes continue as normal.  In many of the mainland regions life has continued as normal, with non-essential businesses such as restaurants, bars and gyms remaining open just as they are here, albeit with obligatory mask-wearing etc and curfews varying from 10pm-midnight until 6-7am.  But things are starting to change as today Andalucia has announced the closure of non-essential activity (details not yet clear) and Murcia has announced the closure of bars/restaurants for the next two weeks.  The autonomous regions have for the most part kept their borders closed though, although the Balearic border is still open as such but it isn't possible to travel to the mainland unless for a seriously good reason.  And of course flights to and from the UK for example are few and far between due to the second lockdown there.  Sadly numbers of coronavirus cases in the Pollensa area have gone up and are apparently now at 43 which is more by some way than we had during the spring which is slightly concerning, but I guess something we just have to accept can happen here as it can happen anywhere and the numbers are still low considering the population of 16,000+ so......

Earlier this week we went to the big Eroski and sat outside at the nice little cafe there to have a coffee in the sunshine beforehand.  And what should be there but this little beauty:

Hands up who had a Chopper bike? ✋ Yep, me too.  It was certainly very unexpected to see one and it was in immaculate condition so I had to take a photo of it.  It wasn't locked or anything so we assumed its owner was just inside and keeping a close eye on it.  Anyway, in due course a guy of a 'certain age' came out, got on it, and off he pedalled.  I like to think he'd had it since his youth and looked after it all these years. 

Yesterday, before the radio show (the studio is in the cloisters in Pollensa) I popped into De Cor - also The Present House, check out their online shop or via FB - to have a browse.  My goodness, their lovely shop is choc full of gorgeous things.  Anyhow, I treated myself to a gorgeous lime, basil & mandarin scented candle - I've been meaning to get one for ages as so many people have raved about them.  The scent is divine 💕

Today, after watching the Remembrance Day coverage at the Cenotaph we took the dogs for a walk in the lovely sunshine along the bypass towards Formentor and then down into town and back through the square.  What a truly beautiful place this is 💝

When we walked past the car park at the start of the Boquer Valley walk, it was so full that cars had parked down the service road of the bypass.  Anyone thinking they'd have the place pretty much to themselves would have been sorely mistaken!  It reminded me of the fact that I'd never thought of the Spanish as walkers/hikers particularly, seeing it as certainly more popular amongst those of us from countries further north.  But during the cooler weather here the Spanish in their hike boots and rucksacks, flock to the countryside and mountains which is something I hadn't expected before living here.  Anyway, to reward our rather more modest exertions - well that's our excuse and we're sticking to it 😂 - went for a yummy roast dinner at Liberty Kitchen - their roasts are so generous we simply didn't have room for a dessert!  

Stay safe everyone 🤗 and hasta el próximo domingo.......