"You aint goin' nowhere!"

Last Friday there was great excitement in the Greyrocks home as details were published in the press of the proposal for deescalation for the autonomous region of Canarias! It was a complicated four stage process, which, it was said could - if approved on Sunday - start next day with provision for"exercise" and for the over-65's to be "let out" everyday from 11 to 1, and other adults fairly free movement but on alternate days based on house number. It came with messages about Madrid's acceptance of our special circumstances, and Ruth spent hours - despite her post-Thursday hangover - translating, summarising and forwarding it. However there was a particular discrepancy with regard to children throughout Spain, who were to be allowed to go out - with specific conditions from Sunday. Sunday came and went with that being the most notable development. We would hear about the overall plan on Tuesday, apparently!

We saw a few children with adults from our balcony and when Ruth popped to the supermarket she passed a woman accompanying two girls with bikes and she greeted them with a jolly "Por fin!" (at last) which was returned with a smile! Throughout the day we saw many such groups and it all seemed gentle, with no evident policing but in line with the "rules". However we have since heard that on our nearby promenade there was a lot of rule-bending!


After that the "hour per day" for under-14's has become the norm, and it also seems that the troops have left for somewhere less "cushy"! News snippets indicated that the Canarian proposal was not being warmly welcomed. and this morning the details of the national plan emerged with just a couple of minor concessions over timing for the major islands (treated separately) and a considerable acceleration for La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa. Ruth had a go at processing the press report. It is here in all its contorted glory. (to follow) Let's see how it goes, but the sense is emerging that movement off the island is going to be a long way off! Watch this space, but we are pondering where  to go for that first meal out - on May 11th, after consuming a take-away Chinese on May 4th!

Good News, Bad News!

Pretty self-explanatory, and sourced from El Diario!

Almost six weeks of lockdown now, and the good news is that the island continues its status as minimally touched by the Covid-19 infection itself. The Canaries vies with the Balearics and Murcia in league tables of the state of spread, and our island of Fuerteventura continues to be clear of all associated deaths. The number of "active" cases has fluctuated this week between an all-time low of 11 and today stands at 13 Greyrocks' home "municipio" has just 1! This hasn't stopped it having the most active policing - to the point of official complaint. We have managed to dodge it on most of our individual trips to the supermarket, and in the last few days there has been a much lower presence. This is perhaps because car journeys have greatly increased since Monday when construction and manufacturing could resume. cars may only have a maximum of two occupants - with any passenger being in the back. So good news:- we are most unlikely to pick up the virus here, and the heavy policing is easing along with the regulations.

The bad news is that the restrictions on adults getting some exercise remain in place. From Sunday children can be taken out for an hour with a few other limitations but the childless and dog-less are still required to stay at home. Many representations are being made from the Canaries for early lifting of the lockdown, and it is possible that the three barely- affected islands might lead the way. (Graciosa. La Gomera and El Hierro)

But when??????

 However there is an irony here in that it  is very bad news for migratory species such as Greyrocks! With tourism being so crucial to the economy but risky in terms of importing infection the resumption of inward flights needs to be very tightly regulated, so our leaders have asked that we be the last region to be opened up. Hence we have no idea when we might be able to fly out and start the summer!





Meanwhile

..this is where are!

Stranded!

On Monday this creature - about 3 metres long - was spotted beached on Bristol Playa near Greyrocks' home in Corralejo! It is thought to be a rorqual. Bob saw the surrounding crowd and heavy lifting gear as he rode past at speed keen to return from shopping without detention by the patrols! This has become an issue locally, with us hearing almost daily of someone being "caught" for some infringement of the rules and some serious fines. We have each been stopped once:- Bob returning from shopping, and being ready to show the receipt but be mentioned that he had also been to the Health Centre and was waved on, and Ruth on her way to the supermarket by way of the promenade, and being challenged. The Guardia involved saying something about going to the nearest by the quickest route and not just walking for fun!

Fuerteventura active cases and recoveries

Today being "stranded" has meaning as we would have been on a flight to Barcelona and on into France had the pandemic not struck! None of Mainland Spain, France and UK hold any attraction for the time being (and as for the UK probably will not for the foreseeable future - but that is another story!). Hence we are hatching a range of plans based on when we might feel able and willing to move on and arrive in Crete for three summer months. The weather here is good, food supply and cooking facilities perfect, and -most significantly - with or without "lockdown" our chances of infection are statistically very small indeed. For the Canaries as a whole yesterday was the first day since March 17th with no virus-related deaths, and on our island the graph says it all. (Three people are still in hospital including two in ICU). It also looks as if Spain may be over the worst, and with non-essential work able to resume tomorrow, and the current restrictions extended but only to 26th April there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Greyrocks wishes its reader a Happy and Safe Easter!