Wholly confusing in Holy Week

Today we enter our second week back in Level 3 (red traffic lights) This change was not unexpected as the figures for Covid cases on the island (and in particular our northern municipio) had been getting worse, the hospital - which has only 6 ICU beds - had declared a crisis, and there was dread regarding upcoming festivals. Fathers' Day here is celebrated  by date (in fact Saint Joseph)  and of course Easter is a movable feast. This year they occurred just ten days apart - thus forming a puente of potentially calamitous family get-togethers ad general cavorting! 

Having begun a campaign to encourage inter-island tourism and compensate for the loss of many international visitors, our "autonomous" government banned all non-essential movement, and subsequently allowed it with testing. Meanwhile our town's demographics have gone wild as laptops, skateboards, bare midriffs and hallucinogens replace the Daily Mail, mobility scooters, elasticated waists and happy-hour booze, owing to the "90-day rule" exodus of retired Brits and the rising popularity of the island on both digital nomad and surfer circuits (see last post)

Much anger is being directed at "young people" over their non-compliance with health measures - particularly masks and parties, so the fear for this week up to Easter is fair, but in advance of that things are slowly improving. We may be back to Level 2 next Thursday if folk behave themselves!

The difference between Levels 2 and 3 is significant for Greyrocks! It's not the table size or the curfew., but the fact that all eating and drinking must be outside. So it was a chilly game of Scrabble on Sunday, and a list of favourite places we can't frequent as their terraces are not inviting!  But the council has put in place permission to extend terrace seating way beyond the registered area. Also on Sunday we saw a remarkable site in the "cobbled street". Oscars - famed for great local food, competent service and a cavalier attitude to closing time - had expanded in three directions and the majority of the tables were occupied! 

Meanwhile council workers were attaching posters to lampposts (including English text) as part of a series called "I'm complying" focused on mask-wearing.  It is quite hard-hitting, but has our support! Let's hope it works!