Bring the Music Back!

 (There's a song with that title that is a Radio Caroline regular - but Mt Google can't find it as we write, so this will have to do!)

Eic at Anno 2011 in October!

The great anticipation this week has been the possible restitution of live music here in Corralejo (or La Oliva to be exact!) Dropping in at Anno 2011 early on Ruth saw that the poster advertising Eric's session there was back in place. This would be on Thursday. Such was Greyrocks' desire for it that we decided that the "Moth" (teetotal) day would be abandoned! But the gods were not on the same wavelength and stormy weather was forecast so it didn't happen! (The demise of a Moth day did!)

On Friday Ruth went to a Ladies' Lunch at the much acclaimed new tapas bar El Zampa. After a long and excellent set of tapas and wine the four of us moved to Shakers in the "music square" and to our delight at 7 pm the duet of singer and cellist which had been in action before lockdown set up and played! A veil will be drawn over what happened to Ruth after the group moved on, but here was the rebirth we have wanted!

Today we googled Retro in the hope that Friday rock (and supper) might be back on the cards! No sign of that, but as we sat at Africa's chiringuito we were passed by the "man himself":- Peter the vocalist of Straight Ahead! He said the issue might be "indoor v outdoor", but there was hope of an imminent resumption.

In the meantime there had been a spell of delightful Spanish music from a duet of licensed street musicians (guitar and drums) playing near El Anzuelo! They got a decent tip from Greyrocks! 

This improvement is based on improving Covid numbers so has to be seen as "dodgy". We are confirmed as staying in Level 1 until 5th March, but last week saw a run of three days with new caes in the high twenties! Eek! We think this can be traced back ten days or so to the days of "Not Carnaval" and brilliant surfing conditions.  Horror stories abound: Lidl closed in the capital, 300 Dominicans (from the island - not monks!)  at a party in Lanzarote, and a judge there caught elsewhere for the second time breaking rules! And what about here in Corrie a speed-dating evening for digital nomads, and a positive Czech cooking in a communal kitchen? Mama mia! These fingers remain firmly crossed!

"Going for the One" Yes!!

 'Rejoicing on the island today, for at midnight we passed into Level 1 (traffic lights: green)! This is definitely worth noting, as the others moving down or already there are our considerably smaller neighbours of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. Ruth thought we might move at the previous review, but this didn't happen in part as there were a few days with "bad" data, and caution was being exercised with it being the beginning of Carnival time. There has officially been no Carnival, and the one for La Oliva has always been the very last of the season, but it seems that anything that was going to happen in recognition is over! (Last week a bar in Santa Cruz de Tenerife was fined  EUR 20 000 and closed for three months for hosting a festive party)

The reduction in restrictions is not going to make much difference to Greyrocks. The main changes are the removal of all curfew and a latest closing time in bars of 1 am, social groups including table capacity moved up to ten, and the resumption of some sports. Unfortunately there in no relaxation of the ban on live music. This is regulated at municipio level, and the attitude of the mayor is one of the crosses we in La Oliva have to bear!!

The good news is - of course - that the easing reflects the improving and relatively low incidence. Here is a different graphic, showing that "IA" - new daily cases over a 7 day period per 100 000 residents:

Today's bulletin for Fuerteventura:

Active cases: 65 including 3 in hospital of which one is in ICU.

Total deaths to date: 8

There are a few glimpses of  better times economically as some shops, bars and restaurants that have been closed for a long time are reopening,, but tourism levels depend on policies in the home nations and those relate to the Canaries as a whole, or even the whole of Spain, so Corralejo still has the air of a ghost town during the week! The weekends see local visitors flocking in, and the most buoyant sector is still the surfers. Last weekend there was "surf to die for" and the harbour area was heaving with punters using the water taxis.

For us February has been uneventful other than a flutter of excitement about Fibre broadband - which came to nothing in the end! What a buffer!