Spain out of lockdown!

The theme of this week is not so much things getting quieter as getting noisier - due to the gale force winds!  Last night was the worst so far; I'm not sure many of us got much sleep due to the banging or crashing as terrace furniture slid all over the place and shutters left open kept slamming against the wall (one of my pet peeves here - to hear the rhythmic SLAM ... SLAM... - it's hypnotic and not in a good way!).  It rained too but that didn't make the noise so much as the wind.  In any event I think most of us didn't get much of a night's sleep last night and the season of storms is definitely upon us 🌬

An event that everyone will be well aware of is the fire at Albufera (near Playa de Muro).  It has apparently affected more than 300 hectares of land, with three properties burned out and two others damaged.  As ever, the brave emergency services including the locally based fire planes, did a fantastic job and eventually nature assisted by providing some rain.  Although I'm sure many people have seen a lot of coverage/photos of the fire, but for those who haven't, you get an idea of the scale and ferocity of it from the second photo:

I think everyone is just grateful that no-one was killed or seriously injured 🙏

In local news, La Llonja has now closed for the season as has Ben & Jerrys on the seafront.  As far as I'm aware, everyone else is plodding on.  We went for a menu del dia at El Posito on Friday and had my all time favourite food - tumbet.  El Posito's tumbet con huevo (I may have mentioned this before!) is the stuff of dreams and here it is in all it's glory 😍:

I really and truly could eat it every single day...............

Ironically today (27th September) is World Tourism Day.  I'm not sure that this year there is a very great deal to celebrate as tourism has been so badly hit by the pandemic.  It's probably better to focus on hopes for next year.  Lots of flights in the autumn are being cancelled so I think it is safe to say that the 'season' has been - and gone.  Mallorca is so dependent on tourism we have to absolutely hope that next year brings better times.  

The weather has brought slightly cooler temperatures here and those of us who live here are walking around saying "My goodness, it's a bit chilly isn't it?" when it's 22 degrees 😳  Mind you, in our defence we have been used to 10 degrees warmer than that until lately so cut us some slack!  I believe it's very chilly in the UK now and friends said that yesterday in outer London it was 11 degrees which sounds horrendous 😱  In those temperatures I would most definitely be wrapped up in so many layers you'd be hard pressed to see who I was!

This brings me to......now that autumn is here, I for one am overjoyed that the Great British Bake Off has started again 💕 it's like a big TV cuddle 😆 and it really is wonderful to have something like a semblance of how life used to be, back in our lives.  And once Strictly Come Dancing starts, I will be more than happy just to add some enjoyable escapism to live - don't judge me!

So far work wise, teaching is going well and all the students are being wonderful at observing the rules around social distancing, mask wearing and sanitising.  It is probably the children who are coping the best with things if I'm honest; they just seem to get on with it and accept things as they are.  I'm not going to pretend that it's easy teaching or learning a language whilst wearing a mask but we have all adapted pretty well and everyone is enjoying their classes, including me!  

Today we went twice to Meraki in the square - once at lunchtime for a coffee - and saw several birds using the water in the upside down tables at the now closed Maxims, as a bird bath.  They drank, fluttered and played in the water which was adorable:

Tonight we went for a couple of beers and found that there was a sort of story telling/circus-y performance in the square for children; the parents seemed pretty involved and there were lots of actions that everyone enthusiastically joined in with.  It was lovely to see families enjoying themselves in a safely distanced, outdoor, mask wearing environment:

So....as autumn draws in......stay safe and hasta octubre! 

Spain out of lockdown!

Gradually the Port is getting quieter......and quieter......but there are still plenty of businesses open who will appreciate your support if you are able to travel out here.  It's similar to how the Port is in winter but with heat thrown in!  Everyone is definitely looking forward to next year and better times ahead.......

You will probably have seen that numbers of cases of Covid are rising throughout Spain as well as here in Mallorca.  Local newspapers are reporting that the medical authorities on the island were braced for a rise in numbers Oct/Nov but it has come rather sooner than expected.  But importantly, hospital admissions are far less than they were previously and of those who are, there are fewer seriously ill patients than before and their hospital stay is far shorter.  It is believed that this is partly due to the age of patients being much younger and also a better understanding of how to treat patients with Covid.  In terms of numbers in Pollensa municipality, there have been 32 cases in total so far.  In any event, it's important not to become complacent as time passes and it does seem that most people locally are wearing their masks, hand sanitising and keeping social distance.  Mind you, the other day a friend was getting on a bus and an elderly gentleman tried to get on without a mask; the driver told him in no uncertain terms to put one on or no bus journey - he complied 😷  

With regard to the tightening of regulations out here, the closure of all the childrens' playgrounds is one which is both poignant and telling.  The authorities are focusing on children gathering in an educational setting which I totally understand but it is nevertheless a very sad sight to see:

I recall when the country was working through the phases of de-escalation, the most memorable moment for me was the opening of the playgrounds and hearing children playing again.  Throughout lockdown here, children were not allowed out and it was almost as if they'd vanished apart from a glimpse of one playing on a balcony.  So to see the playground closures again is heartbreaking 😢 on the brighter side, this evening a number of small children were playing happily in the square so........💪

This past week for me has been a busy teaching one.  Adults and children are still attending English classes, probably in greater numbers than I was expecting if I'm honest.  I'd thought that many wouldn't return due to financial or health regulation issues but it's certainly wonderful to see that I underestimated their determination to progress their English!  And it was so lovely to see everyone again.  Mind you, one or two of the teenage boys had grown about a foot taller and what with that and the mask wearing, I barely recognised them! 😂  It's great to be back doing what I love doing and am really proud of one of my younger classes who have been working on superlatives - closest, most interesting, biggest etc - using the planets of the solar system and behold (proud teacher moment! 😊) their wall display:

The students at N1 Language School are the BEST!

In local news, the new restaurant Salma (where Guru used to be) has closed - for the season by the look of it - as has Bar Coral whose last night was.....well.....last night!  A number of other restaurants/bars have shortened their opening hours too but importantly they are still open.  We only eat out occasionally and were lucky enough to do so tonight at Ambrosia.  Gorgeous burgers and divine risotto - what's not to love 😍

English Radio Pollensa 107.9FM is doing its bit to support local businesses in these challenging times - the businesses are displaying a radio sticker and we're doing adverts on air during the three weekend English Radio Pollensa shows for these local businesses:

Bar Bondia     Simply Pilates Studio    Hamill Care International   Ovenclean Mallorca

Love Letters Language School   Corner Shop, Pollensa   De Cor, Pollensa   

Liberty Kitchen   La Granota hoe Shop   Finca 49   Rollings Property Services

Nostalgia Bar Bistro   Himalaya Indian Restaurant   Pollentia Rentals

If you want to hear some great music why not tune in via www.englishradiopollensa.com to the One4All Show 1-4pm (12-3pm UK time) on Saturdays; the Easy Like Sunday Morning Show 10am-1pm (9am-12noon UK time) on Sundays; and the Sunday Lunchtime Show 1-3pm (12-2pm UK time) 🎧 🎶

In the meantime, stay safe and hasta el próximo domingo!

Spain out of lockdown

Well, another week bites the dust and it really is VERY quiet here.  But more about that later.  From my perspective it's a second busy week teaching and I'm back in the old routine already - albeit with masks, hand sanitiser, wipes....... and, for my adult classes, a visor!  The adults prefer me to wear a visor so that they can see my mouth for pronunciation, and a couple of them also wear one; I must admit it makes understanding what they are saying much easier I must say, especially for those who have a strong accent.  But my goodness, how many times have I knocked the wretched thing with my hands - I 'talk' a lot with my hands, don't judge me 😳 - and then have to re-position it, re-wash hands.......and repeat......often 😂

We've had quite a bit of rain lately but the last few days have been lovely, with blue skies and sunshine.  This makes the lack of people here even more poignant as normally the season for visitors without children or with very young ones, would be in full swing.  But the number of tourists here you could almost count on two hands - I exaggerate of course - but you get the idea.  There are still plenty of places open to enjoy a drink or a delicious meal should you be heading out here any time soon, but there have been some recent closures of which the major one is Bar Bonys, who shut up shop earlier this week.  So no more amazing cocktails for a while but they will be back next year 👍  However Stefanos in Gotmar (around the corner from the Rosa Blanca) has shut for good and Al Mattarello in C/Juan XXIII (specialist Italian food shop/delicatessen) is also closing for good shortly.  Sadly I am sure they won't be the only ones 😢  However, in a triumph of hope and optimism in the face of all that this year has thrown at us, some brave souls have opened Manolo's in what was Rincon de Mami with an extensive menu, eat in or takeaway.  They are apparently linked to Manolo's in Alcudia but not to eb confused with Manolo bar/cafe on the corner of the square near the church; as reported some weeks ago, the Manolo who owned that passed away and now the once thriving premises lie empty and forlorn.

During the past week a food bank in Puerto Pollensa, inaugurated on 4th September, for families in the area who are in need, opened its doors on Monday 7th; it is a joint enterprise by various bodies including the council and social services.  People have also been donating felt tip pens, colouring pencils and other items of stationery via some local small business drop off points for those families who are unable to provide them for their children who are all returning to school, in staggered year groups, from tomorrow.  The very large box of stationery that I saw in Tartas de Alba certainly indicated that people had been very generous in their donations 💕

This week we've been lucky enough to eat out twice - once at Liberty Kitchen where I had yummy fish and chips and Ian had their mixed grill, and once at Himalaya Curry House whose portions are so generous we always end up taking a 'doggy bag' home which provides Ian with a light lunch another day.  Brilliant value.  

Today we went to Cala san Vicente again for another Sunday dog walk, but in different woods to last week's walk.  We are so lucky to be able to walk in such beautiful surroundings:

Both main beaches in Cala san Vicente were actually pretty busy (in a socially distanced way), lots of people enjoying the weather and water activities.  But it is telling that very few of the cars we saw parked near the beaches were hire cars 😦

We have watched, with interest, the new restrictions announced for the UK as from tomorrow although it does make you wonder if people will have enjoyed themselves a little too much this weekend before the rules come into effect......  This week, the Balearic government announced a clampdown on the mandatory mask wearing and also on the prohibition of smoking/vaping in public places.  The curfew for beaches and parks is firmly in place, and bars/restaurants must shut by 1am, and no more people allowed in or on terraces from midnight.  The saddest restriction of all is to see the playgrounds all taped up again since yesterday, to prevent children from mixing there now that the schools are starting back from tomorrow.  I can see the need to prioritise education but it is a sad sight to see.   In addition, other children's leisure activities have been prohibited or limited.  In gym classes the required minimum distance is now 4m, and fairs and festivals are forbidden.  Difficult times but we need to pull together to get through it all and in the meantime I will leave you with this thought 😂:

Stay safe and hasta el próximo domingo!

Spain out of lockdown

We had a fair old storm earlier this week - the lightning was so bright it woke me up and we were treated to one of the biggest and longest claps of thunder I think I've ever heard!!  Mind you, I do love a good storm and the ones in Mallorca are storms on steroids 😂  I took this photo when I took the dogs out first thing on 'the morning after the night before' when it had gone very, very still and the water was like glass and reflected the amazing sky:

This week at last I returned to teaching (and earning money!) for the first time in 24 weeks!  What a great felling it was to be back at work and I feel very lucky 💕  The school has made every effort with safety measures - we have hand sanitiser everywhere, separate waiting areas for the two classrooms, mats which are sprayed as each student enters and cleans their feet, individual pens/crayons etc, masks all round, distancing - the list is endless!  Each student also uses a wipe to clean their books, table and chair area at the end of every lesson.  But we've all settled into things quite well and the youngest students have taken it all in their stride, the older ones are fine but more reflective about the new 'normal'.  And it's wonderful that the parents have confidence in us to provide a safe environment in which their children can learn English.

Unsurprisingly it's the adults who are the ones who find it more of a challenge which I guess is to be expected.  In any event, the adults (both beginners and high level) expressed the view that learning a language and not being able to see the teacher's mouth was definitely a drawback so I am now the proud owner/user of a visor for my adult classes and they are all going to get them too.  Now I don't know if anyone has used a visor outside of a hospital but it takes some getting used to!  It's like wearing a wide brimmed or tall and fancy hat for a wedding for example, and trying to get into a car - or is it just me that finds myself ducking and diving as I do so?  How the Royals do it I have no idea!  Anyhow, with a visor the boundaries of your face area are suddenly much larger with the added 'bonus' of the fact that your eyes can't see the new boundary as it's clear for obvious reasons.  And I'm the classic 'talks with her hands' kinda gal - I like to think of it as expressive thank you very much - but this meant that I had swiped the visor nearly off within the first couple of minutes of wearing it.  And kept doing it.  This added an entertainment value to the adult students that was hitherto absent in classes and I'm beginning to wonder if their enthusiasm for me to wear a visor is less about their ambitions for great pronunciation and rather more about a class sweepstake as to how long it will be before I dislodge it! 🤔

On Friday we had another wonderful menu del dia at El Posito - my goodness, their 'huevos con tumbet' (egg with tumbet) is my idea of total food heaven and their tumbet has to be the best in Mallorca!  There are still lots of places that are open and if you are still able to travel here in the next few weeks there will still be plenty to choose from.  However the following have all closed in the last week or so: Tolos, Angelos, Ca'n Panxo, Neptuno, Tiberi and Iru.  It is now extremely quiet here and quite unlike a normal September BUT it is still gloriously beautiful 😍 and the sun is shining 🌞

Today we took the dogs for a lovely walk in the woods at Cala san Vicente.  Luckily we didn't come across any goats as our two dogs' lifetime ambition is to meet one at close quarters 😳quite what they would do once they achieved this I'm none too sure and suspect the goat would have a very great deal to say about the matter too.  But there wasn't a sniff of a goat to be had, so after about eleventy billion wees (and other more substantial toilet offerings) - perhaps I should emphasise I refer to the dogs, not us! 😂 - we had a coffee at Cafe Mallorca opposite Cala Molins before making our way back to the car through a different path in the lovely woods.  A perfect Sunday activity 😎

Next week it's back to a normal routine of sorts with me back at work.  The weather is predicted to be stormy again for several days so I guess we'll be experiencing some more wonderful thunder/lightning displays.  In the meantime.....stay safe and hasta el próximo domingo!

Spain out of lockdown

I'm back!  Quite literally, because I've been over to the Valencia/Alicante area to see friends and relatives for a week.  We had a fantastic time with stupendous mountain views but here in the Port where the mountains meet the sea is still .........😍💕

This photo was taken this morning at about 8:30am by the 1919 roundabout.

My daughter's visit to PP included a girls' evening out to Palms Bar and a fantastic performance by Abba's Angels.  Believe it or not, I've never seen them perform before and they were fab - and also very funny.  Definitely one to put on the list of 'must dos' for next year's visit!

On Saturday 22nd we spent a few hours in Pollensa.  After a yummy breakfast of 'tostada con tomate' and coffee at Ca'n Moixet in the square, we headed off to the Calvari steps to see the outside part of the Joan Bennassar exhibition "Human reasons".  I haven't yet discovered if he is related to the famous Dionis Bennassar, whose work I adore and is on display in the wonderful Casa Museu Dionis Bennassar (which sadly is closed at the moment, I presume due to the 'C' word!).  In any event, Joan has created sculptures which are placed at intervals all the way up the Calvari steps and at the top in front of the chapel too. 

They are also on display inside the deconsecrated church at the cloisters and the whole project is his response to the most dangerous crisis he believes humans face: forgetting humanity.  Certainly it was thought provoking during these strange and unsettling times.

Our trip to Valencia/Alicante was wonderful and we had a great time.  I was interested to find out what it's like to fly currently, albeit internally.  Palma airport was quite busy all things considered and especially given it was fairly early morning.  Nothing, of course, like it would have been in normal times, but nevertheless.....  Plenty of security staff in evidence, complete adherence to mask wearing etc.  Our Vueling flight to Valencia was well spaced within the aircraft and we even lucked out on being allocated seats in Row 4 with extra legroom - bonus, as we hadn't paid any extra.  Everyone had to check bags into the hold, only a handbag or small rucksack was allowed in the cabin.  The flight is only about 50 minutes but there was time to serve light refreshments if people wanted - we had coffee to help us stay awake after our early start 😂  Disembarking was very orderly and done strictly row by row.  Valencia airport isn't very big but well organised.

Our return was from Alicante and I was shocked at how quiet such a huge airport was that I've always found to be very busy, never mind in August(!) 😞   Many of the shops and the majority of bars/cafes/restaurants were shut.  Only passengers were allowed into the terminal which resulted in a great deal of wailing and pleading from a nearby elderly Spanish lady who wanted to see her daughter off - but to no avail.  The flight back was uneventful but on landing at Palma, the aircrew seemed less proactive than before and once they'd made their announcement about leaving row by row, left the passengers to it! The middle part of the aircraft had been left empty and passengers were balanced front and back - and a younger man proceeded to gallop up the aisle from the back to disembark.  Whereupon Ian rose majestically (he's 6'3"!) and waving his arms let him know in no uncertain terms to keep his distance and wait - my hero! 👏  Sooooo......I felt perfectly safe travelling during these strange times but don't be afraid to remind others of the need to conform with the rules if you're feeling uncomfortable.

In local news, you'll be aware by now that the Balearic government has imposed stricter measures including gatherings of no more than 10 people, there's a curfew of 9pm on beaches and parks, the % occupancy of bar/restaurants has been restricted and that no smoking/vaping can take place in ANY public area including bar terraces.  But there are still plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants soldiering on in Pollensa and the Port who would be delighted to see you should you still be intending to come out here.  The beaches are still lovely and the sea is still warm - what's not to love? 💖

In even more local news Voss in the square has closed for the season as has Trattoria de Razza in the same little street as Liberty Kitchen and Tierra de Fuegos.  And the Miramar closed its doors for the season today 😟  I've also noticed the Torre Playa next to Sail & Surf has now shut.  But, as previously mentioned, there are still plenty of hospitality options to choose from.

I start work tomorrow teaching and that is going to be very different after all these months off; as a result much of yesterday was spent lesson planning.  There are lots of safety measures in place at the school including mats for cleaning shoes as students enter the classroom, directional arrows, hand sanitiser everywhere, cleaning wipes - you name it, we've got it!  As a result I will be doing the blog weekly from now on, on Sundays. 

Stay safe and hasta domingo!  Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go........

Spain out of lockdown

The season here, such as it has been, is now very quiet and there are very few UK visitors evident here.  However there are a number of Spanish visitors on holiday which is definitely helping local bars/restaurants and shops.  The Bahia is closing and the Miramar is now closing its bar and restaurant.  Transunion transfer buses are a rare sight indeed and there aren't very many rental cars about either.  However a lot of businesses are hanging on in there and I know a great many people have everything crossed for them.

On Monday we went to the airport to collect my daughter and can report that there are very strict measures in place there.  Masks are compulsory in all parts of the airport and those of us waiting to collect someone had to do so outside the main door and not inside by the gate itself.  Police were in evidence and a very enthusiastic security guard (one of several) was moving people along, even those looking on the board to see if a flight had landed.  Top tip if you have someone to pick up and prefer not to wait outside in the heat and a mask - buy a drink at the small cafe where you can sit and clearly see the gate and people coming out 👍  In any event, it was calm and very controlled but completely different to how it should be in mid-August - very strange and disconcerting indeed.

Today as part of my daughter's visit here, we drove up into the mountains for a visit to Lluc Monastery.  It is such a lovely, peaceful place and normally we only go during the winter months to avoid the crowds and traffic.  But today it was pretty much the same as in the winter apart from the VERY hot and sweaty weather.  The church has very strict directional arrows and you can no longer go in via the entrance on the facade, but it's still absolutely beautiful:

We wandered around the gorgeous botanical gardens at the back and enjoyed the dappled sunshine amongst the verdant trees and plants with the sound of trickling water never far away - I could have stayed there all day 😍

On Tuesday we went to the Rosa Blanca for breakfast and a swim in their lovely pool.  The Rosa Blanca is by the Duva Habitat roundabout and does a great breakfast.  The pool was sparkling and we very much enjoyed a few happy hours relaxing there.  And yesterday we went on a wonderful boat trip round to Playa des Coll Baix on the peninsula as you go around to Alcudia.  The sea was a tad challenging aka very bouncy, but once in the calmer waters of the bay, we swam and had lunch in such gorgeous surroundings it was hard to believe it was real!

On the beach, a family of three goats were doing the rounds of the picnicking visitors, preferably when all concerned were in the sea so that they could munch happily and unhindered on bags of crisps and anything else they could find 😂 Here is one of them with one of our friends:

They weren't shy about accosting people sitting eating either and caused quite a stir amongst many parties!  My personal favourite was when one of them pushed its way into a makeshift shelter at the end of the beach which gave shade to a couple who were....well, let's just say they weren't fans of beachwear 😂  I can say this for certain as the man wasn't frightened to stride into the sea wearing a snorkelling mask and very little else 😳  In any event, I'm not sure who was more startled when the goat muscled into the shelter from behind..........  

In other local news, the annual Pollensa wine fair which had been rescheduled until 3/4 Oct has now been cancelled altogether for this year.  It is such a pity but no-one is surprised.  I guess it would have been too difficult to ensure social distancing, especially given that attendees would have to not wear a mask in order to taste the wine 😟  But it does look as if I will be returning to work as a teacher at N1 Language School from 1 September with plenty of special measures in place - watch this space!

Tonight we are off to Palms Bar to see ABBA Angels and on Saturday we are having a day out in Pollensa prior to the radio show on English Radio Pollensa.  Then on Sunday we are flying to Valencia to see some friends and family in the Valencia/Alicante area.  So the next blog post will be Monday 31st August.  So.....hasta entonces and stay safe!

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!