Its Like Covid never really happened!

I´ve found it very difficult to motivate myself recently. It could have something to do with the incessant heat we've had for the last few days, or maybe its because we've all been busier now that the tourists are coming back.

Its been a hot topic of conversation for Eddie and I as we were both expecting a slow change from the island being very quiet to how it is now. However, it feels like its happened over night, like someone flicked a switch and said lets get on with it and get back to normal.

I'm loving that the island is busy again but its like the last sixteen months simply didn't happen,
and while it is wonderful having the tourists back and the village has a great buzz about it, it just doesn't feel right. its all just happened very fast.

One of the things that is frustrating is the restrictions we are still under. We can only have 50% of our usual capacity inside yet there are twice as many people around so on the odd occasion people are simply being turned away. We do our best to accommodate people but its not easy and we feel bad telling them they have to come back another night.
Another bone of contention are the closing times. No one seems to be able to give anyone a straight answer. Some folk believe we can be open as long as our license says we can, yet others think we have to be closed by midnight. We are airing on the side of caution at the moment and seeing as though we've been open since the end of June last year we don't feel like putting ourselves in jeopardy and risking a fine, we've come too far for that.

We are getting many visitors that wouldn't necessarily come to the canaries at this time of year or even at all, however with so many travel restrictions around the world they are choosing us.
One couple who were booked to go to Malta had to cancel their holiday because you can only enter Malta from the UK if you are double jabbed or under 12 years old, and because they have a teenage daughter who hasn't yet had the vaccine because of her age, they simply couldn't go. 

Our Covid cases have dropped drastically over the last week or so and we were hoping we may have gone from level 4 to level 3, although the difference between the two levels is negotiable. If I'm honest, it seems like many people are just returning to how things were eighteen months ago and ignoring the restrictions. 

I saw a video on Facebook the other night of an area in the south that is very popular with young people and it was absolutely rammed. There was no social distancing, no mask wearing, just hundreds of people gathering and having a great time. While I'm all for people having a great time it does worry me a little that it may be just a little too much too soon, I'm hoping to be proved wrong.

As I was just about to post this blog we got news of a rescue mission down in the village where a family had gotten in to trouble down at the rock pools.
Eddie and I were down at Las Vistas beach yesterday as I like to have a swim in the sea. On this occasion the tide was particularly high, the sea was fairly rough and it wasn't the crystal clear blue that it had been on our previous trip. For these reasons I chose not to venture too far in and just plodded about at the shore line. Something in my head told me that going in further was not a good idea on this day.
Many other folk had the same idea as me and nobody was far from the edge. Now this is a sandy beach with a steady "rock free" approach, the rock pools in Puerto Santiago/Los Gigantes are just that...rocks!!!
It only takes one rogue wave to sweep someone the wrong way and they would have no chance. As I write, the news isn't good. Three people were rescued and a fourth sadly didn't make it. My heart goes out to this poor family.
I am also full of admiration and respect for our emergency services, however I do feel that this area needs to be monitored more and simply made out of bounds when sea conditions are unfavourable. This is the Atlantic ocean after all and it can be unforgiving. My dad always used to tell me (and still does on occasions) the sea makes life......but it also takes life!

Until next time

H x

Live Music in 60's Bar

Fun & Games at 60's Bar

A busy Chicken Shack

Rosso Pomodoro Los Gigantes

And Suddenly It Feels A Little More Normal!

I am actually going to keep my blog short this week! why I hear you ask?

The reason is this; Two of our visitors this week were a lovely couple from Warrington named James and Maddie. They spent a lot of time with us in the bar getting to know us, and us getting to know them. James left us a wonderful review on Instagram and it just about sums everything that is currently going on in the world and why we all need tourism.

Here is what he wrote:

One last photo from an amazing holiday!
Last night we visited Eddie and Holly in the @60sbar to say our farewells to them! They are incredible people who have been our personal highlight of the trip, making us feel so welcome and telling the rest of the community about us.

Their generosity and hospitality throughout this holiday has been nothing short of incredible and the community around them is simply amazing.

It’s times like this when I see people complaining about people like us going on holiday in the middle of a pandemic. Whilst it is difficult at the moment, just think of the people in the destinations that need tourists like us. COVID has forced businesses like this to change quickly and I’m so glad the likes of Eddie and Holly came out of this on the other side!

It’s also why the travel sector needs the boost it needs! We all know by now COVID is here to stay and that we need to treat this a lot more appropriately than how the world is currently. By changing the way we address this virus, it means we can give more support (and our beer money) to bars like 60s.

We will be back again here very soon.

Its great to think that we were such a huge part of their time in Los Gigantes and its wonderful that things are beginning to feel a little normal once again in our little village.

Until next time

H x

It's A Wonder There Is Any Cheese Left!

It seriously fell off this week, totally disappeared, and it took me a good few days to find it but eventually it came back!

So, we went in to level four last week on Thursday, we were all expecting it, no one was surprised. However what came next totally had us all baffled!

They said we can still stay open until midnight. They said we could still have people in doors (50%) and then they said that anyone sitting inside a venue would have to show proof of full vaccination, be it the one dose or the two dose and if they didn't have that then they would have to show proof of a negative test within the last 72 hours. Not good, but this is what we were told and so be it!

I organised all my bookings so that relevant people that had or hadn't been jabbed could be seated, and then the next day the whole thing was flung out of court. The article that came next said that we don't have to close at 12 and we don't need to see Vaccine / PCR certificates. We were all left more than confused!

If this wasn't enough, two hours later another article was released saying that apart from seeing the Vaccine / PCR certificates all the other restrictions were as they were before. Is it any wonder the cheese went haywire this week! I really felt like going with it as did many other folk. 
We have really got to a point now where we don't really know where we stand or indeed if we are coming or going!

On the plus side, we are definitely getting busier, more flights are coming in although they are not full, they are coming. It is wonderful to see people arriving and enjoying themselves although there are a select few that seem to be completely oblivious to what has been happening for the last 16 months and although the UK had "Freedom Day" many of our restrictions are still in force.

So this week there is another announcement by BoJo and his people to see what new levels they can come up with this week to keep people from travelling. Red, Green Amber, Amber watch, Green watch, neighbourhood watch I really cant keep up anymore and I think most of us feel the same way!

So we carry on, we try to stick to the ever changing restrictions and we make the best of it! Believe me I think we've all got pretty good at making the "Best of it" however we also live with that little bit of fear that the rug could be pulled from us at any point!

On a last note we had an invitation to a "Do!" Trevor and Carol, two of our locals who have lived in the village for many years were celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary. It was a great afternoon and we thoroughly enjoyed being a part of their special day, see the photos below.

Until next time

H x

Singing At "The Do!"

Our Carol and Our Trev

Another song? ah go on then!

Play parks and sports courts sealed off in level 4 restrictions

No excersise!

No kids in the park!