Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 78

Another beautiful day dawned and we made the most of it by going for a 20km bike ride before breakfast.  We cycled down the seafront and then out towards and past Hotel Llenaire and off into the countryside coming out at Pollensa.  En route we stopped at 'goat villa' twice (we cycled a large loop) - a villa in a large plot which is given over to a herd of goats and which I've mentioned before.  Oh to have a 'spare' villa with land and just be able to say "Where shall we keep our goats?  Oh I know, let's put them in that villa we don't know what to do with, that'll do nicely!".  I can but dream.  In any event, there are currently some kids and an impressively bearded billy goat who seems more than happy with his lot in life - a harem of nanny goats and a villa with views of the Tramuntanas 🐐 It's a hard life but someone has to do it!

The goats jumped up onto the wall and were desperately trying to reach the olive tree leaves so Ian helped them out - they were very grateful and suddenly we had the whole herd over.  This is a photo of 'goat villa' -nice isn't it?

On the final leg we noticed some sweet donkeys in a field with a pony - totally idyllic and I'm sure I notice these simple scenes much more now than I used to - although maybe that's not strictly accurate; I've always noticed them but think I appreciate them more now 😍

Once back we went for a little walk and updates from around the Port are that Naciente has everything out in the garden area so I assume have just opened for business; Laroc (near Coral) opened about a week ago; Marc's (just round from Bonys) opened up on Friday; and Tiberi (opposite Marc's) has taken all the terrace tables that were inside and put them outside the doors, locked together, so I assume something is happening there but am not sure what yet and no-one was about to ask.

This afternoon was spent up on the roof terrace and in the hot tub, a reminder of how lucky we are to live here 💕

In wider news, the national government has just asked for a 6th - and importantly, final - extension to the state of alarm here which will take us to the 21st June.  This will need to be passed in Congress next week.  From that date the de-escalation plan will be over and people will be able to travel between regions without restrictions provided there are no unexpected problems.  In addition, regional governments will recover all of their powers to control the de-escalation - apart from issues of mobility - from next weekend, 8th June, by which time more than half the country will be in Phase 3  This is a faster movement than expected apparently.  But the fact that Spain has now registered its lowest number of new Covid-19 cases in three months and that the Balearic Islands have registered no new cases at all today is all an indication that we are, currently, heading in the right direction 👍

Stay safe and hasta luego!

Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 77

The day started with a 5km run whilst Ian went off to do some work on our boat which we hope to get in the water next week.  And I smashed my PB for 5km by 2:17 which was fantastic but rather puts the pressure on me now and I'm not sure I'll be beating the time again any time soon 🏃

Updates for the Port are that La Roca beach bar will be opening soon, their wooden building was lifted onto the sand yesterday which is great news if you like to sit on the sand listening to live music on a Saturday at the Llenaire end of the beach - and let's face it, who doesn't?!  And the shoe shop on the corner near Ca'n Ferra with a shop front on the main street is closing soon - evidently not due to recent events but because the owner is retiring.  I'm not sure how long that shoe shop has been there and am sure someone will tell me in due course, but I suspect it's been a landmark in the Port for some time and it will be sad to see it go 😞

So....today was hot tub launch day.  Now, our budget doesn't extend to one of those giant square wood/fibreglass hot tubs and anyway I'm not sure our roof terrace would support the weight!  Plus we're quite high up and it would need a very tall crane indeed....but I digress.  Anyway, with the above in mind we bought a really good quality inflatable one last year after doing our research, reading reviews etc.  It has turned out to be an excellent purchase - once inflated it is solid, it bubbles amazingly well and is easy to put together and get started.  The sun heats the water very well but it has a heater to assist.  Usefully as it's inflatable, it can be taken down and stored over the winter which is exactly what we had done.  But it was time to get that little beauty up and running again now that the warm weather is here.  Here it is in all its glory:

Cheers! 🍻

This evening's dog walk was along the harbour wall and we could see just how busy it has been in the port today.  The slipway has been even busier than last week (weekends are always popular) with locals putting in day boats to go out for a family trip plus lots of people going out on boats from the marina.  Mind you it's nowhere near as busy as it would be normally at this time of year and probably it seems busy by comparison with the still silence of a few weeks' ago.  Anyhow, looking across to La Fortaleza we counted at least 20 day boat sized boats anchored there.  We like to go out on ours during the week precisely to avoid the busiest periods and I'm really looking forward to doing so next week.

Spirits here are generally good and Spain on Thursday reported only one death in 24 hours for the second consecutive day.  However infections have risen as of today with most cases in Madrid and Catalonia.  And the rise is happening as the de-escalation progresses so we need to be so careful.  More locally, there have been no Covid-19 related deaths in the Balearic Islands today which is very good news indeed.  But we mustn't become complacent as demonstrated by 11 members of the same family in Palma who have just tested positive 😱

Tomorrow we have a bike ride to look forward to which I'm sure will earn us a nice soak in the hot tub 😎  

Stay safe and hasta mañana!

Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 76

This morning we went to Mi Querencia in C/Juan XXIII for breakfast.  Tea and coffee are served in lovely assorted cups and saucers and it has very much the style of a UK ye olde tea shoppe.  Ian had some bits and bobs to sort out at home including getting our hot tub on the go so I went off to collect the keys from the agent for a friend's apartment to check that all was well.  Certainly in the heat, drains with standing water do get a bit whiffy here so a flush through of water with some disinfectant and - sorted!  Ian made good progress with the hot tub (more about that tomorrow) and before we knew it we had to head off to Moll de Bellagio for lunch in their lovely back terrace with friends.  And so passed a long afternoon of food, wine and friends!

In general news, the regional government of the Balearic Islands' request to move all islands into Phase 3 on Monday 1st June has been refused.  If I'm honest I think this was probably the right decision as two weeks is the best length of time to assess any effect on Covid-19 cases as we move through the de-escalation and taking a short-cut sets a precedent and before you know it - it's a slippery slope!  However the good news is that, given that a number of regions were behind Mallorca in the de-escalation plan, 70% of Spain will be in Phase 2 by Monday 👏  On a cautionary note, we have been warned to expect new outbreaks as the de-escalation happens.....  But I understand there were no Covid-19 deaths in the Balearic Islands today which is good to hear.  The regional government's request to the national government to allow inter-island travel has not yet been responded to - hmmm, I think they are pretending they didn't hear that one.....  

Locally Arux, next door to Nostalgia in what was the Australia Bar, opened today and we intend going along some time over the weekend - they're doing breakfasts, tapas etc.  And Bar Toni just beside the church and up from Bar Manolo (where Sabor used to be) is now open too.  Today I also walked past what was Guru but as there was no work going on I nipped up to the door to read what was on the licence for the work and it said 'Sama Bar Restaurant' - so no exact details but.....we shall see!  The council are obviously expecting visitors though because they've installed the meters in the car park by the marina although not on the streets but then that's the same as it was last year.  Usually we get a warning as the meters are there but covered over for a few days but this year one minute it was free parking and the next, meters were up and running.  Sneaky!!  On a more negative note, Kashmir in the square has been emptied of all furniture etc inside - it has drapes up over the glass doors but I managed a sneaky peak down the gap at the side - I'm sooooo nosey 😜

Late afternoon found us having a drink in Meraki (next to Bonys) in the square and pondering what the structure in the middle was!  

It was very festive and looked like a performance was in store which indeed turned out to be the case.  After a while a little queue of parents and children formed and some circus performers started warming up on the side aware from the church,  All the children and parents were wearing masks.  We could see some of the show when a performer was doing acrobatics or dangling from a hoop suspended from the high point of the bunting and very entertaining it was too.  I'm sure all the children enjoyed it 😁 and certainly deserved some live entertainment after all those weeks confined to their homes.

I reflected on the fact that not so long ago the square was deserted and silent, and police patrolled regularly.  Now, despite the social distancing and masks, the place was busy, colourful and humming and, importantly, there were children; children were so conspicuously absent for so long that they still seem like somewhat of a novelty even now 😍 

Almost forgot - this morning as we sat a Mi Querencia a large boat on a lorry came down the street to be put back in the water.  This happens quite regularly but they stopped right by where we were sitting because the power cables across the street were caught in the top of the boat so someone had to get up there with a boat hook and lift them up like this:

It always impresses me how they manage to get such large boats down the main road to the sea both in terms of width and height - and this boat was by no means the largest I've seen go by.  Mind you, we usually see them from our apartment above; sitting at ground level and seeing one go by is a bit different!  And it kept us entertained during breakfast.

Tomorrow is hot tub launch day - bring it on! 😎

Stay safe and hasta luego!

Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 75

Good grief, 75 days since all this started!  Mind you, Phase 2 is feeling pretty good and we're all sticking to the hand washing, mask wearing, social distancing new 'normal'.  If and when tourism does re-start it will be very interesting to see if visitors are as rigorous as we are at whatever rules are in place at the time.  

Updates from the Port that I have seen today are that work on the Daina is now going on so maybe they're intending to open in July when the government has said it would like tourism to recommence, or maybe they just want to finish the work and be done with it - who knows?  Work at what was Guru is full steam ahead now with the canopy installed above and it's all looking very smart.  The windows are all whitened out so I can't see what may be going on inside but will keep a watchful eye!  And Brisa Marina opened a week ago, forgot that!  All in all, quite a few restaurants and bars have opened or are opening so if you're intending to come here should travel be possible, there will be plenty to choose from even if there won't be quite as many choices as before.

This morning was taken up with a video call with my oldest daughter as a family quiz evening is planned for Saturday.  I then headed out to the charity shop and, in a fit of confident enthusiasm, bought a 1,500 piece jigsaw puzzle 😳  Counting all the pieces just to check they're all present and correct will be no mean achievement, and then sorting out the edge pieces, never mind doing the actual jigsaw.  I reckon it'll take me 2-3 weeks minimum.  But first I have to get through two 1,000 piece ones - what have I started??! 😂

Sooo....today I took the dogs to La Gola again for their lunchtime walk, stopped to look at a rather lovely egret and, whilst my back was briefly turned, Alfie did a cheek and shoulder dive into something so unmentionable I won't mention it, but suffice it to say I gagged 🤮 And there I was, in La Gola with a delighted and very over-excited dog, plastered with something unmentionable which was also on his collar (although mercifully not his body harness) and his furry sister (a real princess, our Tally) who recoiled in horror and backed away which was pretty much my reaction too.  Alfie then decided that our combined reaction meant he'd better shake himself....he shook off some of what can only be described as bits of the aforementioned unmentionable (lol).......and I was wearing shorts and flip-flops........  I felt violated 😱  I had to use a piece of nearby rubbish to scrape off...... well never mind, you get the drift!  I briefly toyed with chucking him into the water in La Gola but even through the fog of gagging I realised this would not be a good doggy parent look so the three of us took the walk of shame back home taking the quietest back roads I could manage.  I say walk of shame, Tally and myself were mortified; Alfie on the other hand strutted along as if life didn't get any better.  By the time we reached the relative sanctuary of the bottom of the staircase to our apartment I was borderline hysterical.  He was marched straight into the shower via a visit to the cupboard under the sink because I was not touching him without marigolds on and I knew the delights of removing his unmentionable covered collar (one that comes off over his head so think about that for a moment 😱) awaited me.  He's a wriggler in the shower, so trying to hold a lively dog covered in unmentionable with one hand whilst turning on the shower and getting his collar off with the other was no easy feat let me tell you.  All I will say is that the smell was so bad that although the actual unmentionable was removed the first time, it took two further shampoos to get rid of the smell.  Once his fur had dried, he was liberally sprayed with doggy conditioner which smells divine but the liberality on this occasion was such that he now smells like the perfume area in a department store.  I only started speaking to him again about an hour ago.

This evening's dog walk was a calmer affair and we went along the harbour wall where we could let them off their leads and no risk of....well, you know.   It was pretty windy but gorgeous and this beautiful classic yacht, which I've been admiring for a few days as it's been moored alongside the yacht club quay, was out and making the most of it:

She had the headsail down by the time this picture was taken but had been using it just beforehand - absolutely beautiful 😍 the sea is normally getting busy at this time of year but at the moment, this gorgeous yacht had the bay almost to herself.

We still don't know if the Balearic Island regional government's request for the islands to all move to Phase 3 of de-escalation on Monday and for travel between the islands will be approved.  Formentera is ahead and would move to Phase 3 on Monday anyway.  But approval of the request would mean all the islands de-escalating at the same time, with Mallorca, Minorca and Ibiza only having been in Phase 2 for one week instead of the two-week time frame set out for each phase.  We will have to wait and see what the national government decides......

Stay safe and hasta pronto!

Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 74

Wednesday morning means it's gym class morning 💪 so that was my first of the day's activities followed by a quick 2km run on the running machine listening to some great music on the theme of talking as suggested by listeners to the Graham and Sarah Saturday Show on English Radio Pollensa.  Currently we can't broadcast as the mayor has yet to give the go-ahead to the radio station returning to normal running, so each week I post a theme as normal, but instead of a live show I put together a playlist instead and share some of the music that would have been played had we been able to broadcast.  The suggestions are always so good!  Suggestions this week ranged from "A Little Less Conversation" Elvis and "Road to Nowhere" Talking Heads to "Jive Talkin'" Bee Gees.  If you want to find it then look on the I Love Puerto Pollensa FB page or go to the Graham and Sarah Saturday Show FB page 🎧 There's also the Top 10 from a year gone by plus a bit more great music from across the decades including one or two new releases.

I took the dogs for their lunchtime walk in La Gola which is slightly inland just before Tolos where the seafront goes over the water channel.  It's a small wetland where the SIller and Gotmar torrents merge and flow into the sea, so the water is a mixture of fresh and salt water.   Here is a view looking inland today:

It was restored and equipped as a little park in 2007/8.  There's an Ornithological Centre there which was built in 2010.  I haven't seen it open very often but it does open from time to time and there are signs throughout the wetland with information about the different birds that can be seen there.  This is a view looking out towards the sea:

The lovely family who live in the house with the tower used to be our landlords when we first moved out here and we have been in that house - and it's as gorgeous as you'd imagine! 😍

I left La Gola by what used to be the Buddha Bar which was empty for a while but opened up last year as Ca'n Pep Restaurant and Grill.  I had long admired the large elephant on their terrace and was interested to learn that recently he had been relocated on the roof but toady was the first time I'd actually seen it for myself.  Puerto Pollensa's very own Dumbo 😂

After lunch we headed off to Lidl to do the main weekly shop - it still feels to me like a bit of an event despite the fact that we now have much more freedom.  Lidl and Cala san Vicente are the furthest I've travelled anywhere since lockdown started 74 days ago so it's hardly surprising really!  

Updates from the Port include Arush which is the new cafe opening on Friday in what was the Australia Bar next to Nostalgia.  They will be doing breakfasts and snacks and will be open through into the evening apparently.  They're lovely and I teach their older daughter so I really hope they do well.  And the terrace at Marc's was being jet-washed today so maybe they're opening in the not too distant future although currently they still have brown paper up over the windows etc.  

In more general news, today Spain started the first day of 10 days of mourning for all those who have died from Covid-19 😢  Flags are being flown at half-mast in honour of the nearly 27,000.  And yesterday Spain proposed that the EU open up travel routes between regions in the EU that have controlled the spread of the virus.  Basically parts of a country could open up to tourism before the whole country which would certainly help the Balearic Islands' economy!  Meanwhile, the regional Balearic government has asked for the whole of the region to enter Phase 3 of de-escalation on Monday 1st June instead of 8th June which is the date currently scheduled.  Whether this is granted, we will have to wait and see.  Phase 3 is enticing particularly because it means hotels could open their communal areas at 50% of capacity so you can see where they want to head with all this........ 

Stay safe and hasta luego!

Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 73

We woke up good and early as Ian was going to Palma for a few hours today.  So he headed off clutching his mask for the bright lights of Palma and after a leisurely start, I headed off for the rather less exciting, but nevertheless enjoyable, delights of the charity shop here in the Port.  I had a lovely browse wearing my mask and having cleaned my hands with sanitiser at the door first, and found a QI board game, a microwave rice steamer (our old one is falling apart) and a lovely top - all for the princely sum of 11€.  If you're here on holiday and need buckets and spades, beach towels and all that sort of thing and don't want to bring it here, why not buy from there and then return it on leaving - like a cheap rental and all in a good cause.  Also a good place to buy games for children if they aren't supplied with your accommodation.  But I'm jumping ahead a bit as Spain has announced that we have to wait until 1st July for tourism to resume.

A coffee at Pascalinos beckoned - and let's face it, there are few places that can beat the view from there while you drink it 😎  I saw and chatted to several friends and dodged the now over-cheeky sparrows who, once encouraged, were looking for crumbs - lockdown seems to have made them extra confident.  One of them actually picked up an entire rich tea biscuit for a few seconds which was bigger and heavier than he was!  They flew so close that you could feel the breeze from their little wings.  Once the word got out, we had about ten of them and it started to feel like an outtake from a certain Hitchcock film.  In future, my rich tea biscuits are staying firmly in my possession 😂

Without commenting further, I have seen the photos of Southend-on-Sea beach yesterday on the UK Bank Holiday Monday.  From yesterday we have been allowed to go on the beaches here; this is the beach near Stay restaurant today at late lunchtime:

Good social distancing by all concerned 👏  mind you, I still haven't been on the beach myself but fully intend to do so in the next couple of days.

To return to masks - they are quite hot to wear and just a teensy bit claustrophobic, especially with sunglasses on which, once inside, steam up 😎  I'm certainly glad I didn't have to travel all the way to Palma whilst wearing one.  But I'll just have to get used to it and am sure by the end of this week I'll be fine.  And I do love wearing one of my bespoke ones and styling it out like a boss 💃😷  I even chose today's pattern based on what I was wearing 'cos that's the way I roll!

I can report that work on the terrace of what was Guru is now gathering some serious pace; no indications yet as to what is planned but whatever it is is clearly intending to open at some point in the not too distant future so I'll keep an eye on that!  Joker, on the other corner from Pascalinos, is also putting things out on their terrace, cleaning etc so it looks as if that will open soon too.  And a couple of days ago the gardeners were hard at work in the garden of the Hostal Bellavista where the vegetarian/vegan restaurant Bellaverde is.  There was a decent sized truck backed in through the gates that was almost full so it's possible they may be scheduling an opening soon, either that or the weeds had become seriously impressive.....

Stay safe and hasta mañana!

Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 72

The first day of Phase 2 dawned somewhat overcast which was rather a pity given that it was the first day we've all been allowed to go on the beaches.  But that's life!  In any event, I didn't have a beach trip lined up for today which given that it actually rained at lunchtime was not the worst decision.  However I got the day going with my online gym class - this will be the last week of online classes because next week the gym re-opens although classes will be strictly distanced with markers on the floor to indicate this.  In addition we will have to 'sign up' to a class to ensure there aren't too many people as it won't be possible to squeeze someone in - once the class is full in terms of distancing, then it's full!  So things will be a bit different for a while but we will just have to get used to it - the new normal and all that.

I went to a friend's home for a cup of tea and a catch-up and brought with me some divine lemon tart from Mi Querencia Pasteleria Cafeteria which has finally opened in the shop that used to sell Mallorcan souvenirs, olive oils etc on the main street opposite Dickinsons property office.  I say 'finally' because they were due to have their opening on the very weekend we went into lockdown poor things.  Anyway, it's lovely and quirky and Karen's cakes are the stuff of legend.  

I finished my 300 piece (don't laugh!) jigsaw puzzle of flags today rather quicker than its challenging 1,000 piece predecessor.  

But.......the flag one comes with a colouring book of flag facts and information - admit it, you're laughing now! - and I am that sad that I will use it 😂 but I'm also laughing now because I know which are the only two square national flags and I didn't know that before. One day that will come in useful in a pub quiz, mark my words.....

The town is definitely feeling buzzier and people are out and about everywhere.  We're now allowed to exercise out of our previous time slots but have to avoid the slots still allocated to the over 70's.  I have heard rumours that locally a couple of people have been stopped and fined for not having masks with them (you don't have to wear one all the time but have to have one should the need arise as it were).  But everyone I have seen has one either on over their mouth and nose, hanging jauntily under their chin for a quick lift into place or looped onto their lower arm; I like to keep people guessing and carry mine in my bag - but it's definitely there 😇  Tomorrow, Ian is taking someone to Palma for some boating supplies and as they are from separate households they both have to wear masks in the car for the journey there and back and everything in between.  Luckily it's not scheduled to be scorchio but I suspect it will still be a bit hot and sweaty 😷💦

The other big news of the day (apart from a bit of a kerfuffle in the UK 😳) is that Spain has announced that it will open for tourism from 1st July.  This is of course wonderful from an economic point of view but due to restrictions in other countries, flights, the fear factor - who knows how that will shape up in terms of beneficial impact on the Port?  Like everything else just lately, we will simply have to be patient, as ever, and wait and see.....

Stay safe and hasta luego!