In total, we are now 6 weeks in lockdown and an end seems only partially in sight. How beautiful there are still many great and above all exciting things that we can already look back on.
First of all, the shower situation has relaxed. If we thought at the beginning, we might only be able to shower with our solar shower outside from now on, the so-called “emergency shower” has become the “normality” for everyone again. Is a much more relaxed and warmer option just because of the weather (we’ve fortunately caught the craziest March/April in 30 years). We also discovered a dog shower behind the washhouse for us. Yes, read correctly, a dog shower!!! Means only that there is a larger sink with shower basin for the dog. In any case, there is warm water there and you can shower outside almost unobserved if the weather permits.
The shopping situation has again only partially relaxed. We go shopping together, as allowed by the Policia Local, so on the way with distance, then one of us waits in front of the supermarket and then it goes packed, with distance back again. This ran most of the time without any problems, but just as we had relaxed inside, the Guardia Civil stopped us right at the start of the trail. It is important to know that the Guardia Civil and Policia Local are not the same institution and unfortunately do not seem to have the same information. Added to this was the language barrier, we speak almost no Spanish, the Guardia Civil no English at all, German hardly to speak. With the help of a translation app we were able to make it clear where we “live” and why we are on foot and not by car, our ID cards were photographed and we were allowed to leave at the end. But what this does to one, perhaps one or the other can imagine. This was a fast and tense shopping at the gas station, we wanted to be back on the place as soon as possible. Once again the thoughts circulated, this is not all doof and it is better to go, but in the end the positive thoughts and the desire to stay remained.
Have you also experienced tense situations with the police during this time?
The last point that always brings a bit of tension is the wearing and availability of masks. So far, we always use a scarf and disposable gloves that we have heard from friends from Germany during our shopping rounds. In the supermarket itself there are disinfectants and that is enough. On one of our last shopping routes, a woman simply stopped, asked us in Spanish if we needed masks and gave us them. What a beautiful moment, we felt like a part of the community of this small town on whose edge we currently live. Like our neighbours, who all drive to go shopping, we now use these masks as soon as we are at the supermarket, in addition to the gloves. And one of our neighbors brought us even more masks that he had received through the official offices. It’s just nice that everyone here thinks of the other.
And it goes on with the great and beautiful sides of this time here. In addition to everything that keeps us pondering, the thoughts that make us happy to be here prevail. One of them is, it always feels like summer. We already had many days when the hammock hung and we enjoyed the time with sunbathing. Even the pool, which is not heated but cleaned regularly, has become an option. Just sit on the edge, let your feet dangle while the sun shines in your face. Then it is quite peaceful and just beautiful.
Sport has also become an everyday companion. In the meantime, we no longer feel stupid about running round after round on the course, the neighbors wave from their campers or ignore us or ask us not to make you a bad conscience. But there was also the question of whether we also do yoga, which sounded almost like an offer for a common sport. And, we have rediscovered our love and the fun of table tennis. We haven’t played for years and now we’re standing here with a vat full of balls and two very rocked bats, we got them from the course owners, and have a lot of fun getting better every day. In addition, there are the daily walks to simply have a few steps on the watch and one or the other, small, strengthening unit. All this clears the head and just does well!
Every evening at 8 p.m. in Spain, people who work in the field of health care and also in the public sector are remembered. We do not hear that or whether there is clapping, but we hear the ship’s horns from the port of Garucha. Always a moment of silence and pause. It is an exceptional situation for everyone here and in the world, and we will be very aware of this again at this minute.
It was precisely from this exceptional situation that a wonderful idea came from one of our British neighbours. The distance “garden party”. Yes, a gathering of people is forbidden here as well and yet it is a nice thought to sit in a circle, with 2 m distance from each other, everyone brings their own drink and there are a few hours of exchange, laughter and simply a moment of light-heartedness. What comes out of such funny meetings, not only we shower “secretly”. Some use the dog shower and others use the for severely disabled people, so here are other new solutions. After that first evening everything was different. Another encounter, even if it was very nice before, now everything is a bit more connected in these times. Which, by the way, also leads us to the pizza already made by these neighbours, very tasty carajillo (coffee with liqueur) or gazpacho was brought to the door unasked. Not to mention the great shopping offers.
Anke (you may guess which of us) has discovered cooking and baking in the van for herself. When it comes to cooking, we are both unbeatable by now, baking in the Omnia is one of us. So much and healthy and well portioned 🙂 we have never cooked before. One of our neighbours has a small bed with rosemary, radishes, salad, potatoes, chives and more. Shortly before they left, they told us to eat everything and to use the self-planted things. So we even have a small vegetable patch of our own here. We have already baked bread ourselves. Buying the Omniaofen was one of many good ideas for this adventure. Oh, by our definition, the afternoon latte macchiato with Baileys and cream also belongs in the category of cooking. And for breakfast, we don’t have pancakes…
