Now that it's possible within reasonable limits to get out and about every day, I decided it was time for me to make the effort of driving to San Antoni and getting some money from the Santander cash machine. Regardless of language the user interface on modern ATMs is generally user friendly, and in this case, once a UK card was registered, the dialogue priority was English. I think the last time I drove down to San Antoni was seven weeks ago. There was no question of not knowing where to go, where to park or how to work the machine, but inwardly I was nervous, and it was quite an effort to get myself out of the house and into the car equipped with mascarilla y guantes, plus hand-gel.
I was nervous at being in a public place with others, nervous about appropriate behaviour, since I've had no practice since lock-down began, only going out when the streets were empty. Nervous having to think about correct, safe hygienic behaviour for my sake and the sake of others. Mindfulness and nervousness don't sit well together. It's the sort of thing prisoners released at the end of sentence worry about while they adjust to mundane life again. It's the sort of thing people with agoraphobia or obsessive compulsive disorders have to endure, with or without support. Such a jittery experience is not wasted, if it enables you to put yourself in the shoes of another.
I parked the car down the far end of the marina, a ten minute walk from Banco Santander. A few of the wayside bars and restaurants were open and serving to clients sitting at socially distanced tables. Some masked municipality workers were out, the odd masked cyclist and unmasked elder making their morning paseo. The car park was almost full, but I found a place, and noticed that cars were coming and going fairly often, people visiting briefly for specific purposes maybe, but not staying around for long. People need time to get used to new routines by practicing them and then relaxing with them. Me too.
The neatly groomed beach along the road into town was deserted. I think I saw one Proteccion Civil vehicle, but no police at all. I guess the area is covered by CCTV, and Tuesday morning isn't like Saturday or Sunday, when people like to get out for a paseo and become a crowd that causes anxiety to the enforcers.
Anyway, mission accomplished. My card still works, and I was able to withdraw €200. It's cash I'll now need as I'm now going to resume shopping for myself. Ibiza covid-19 infection rates have stayed in check for several weeks, and lifting some restrictions, provided accepted precautions are still strictly observed, encourages me to think the risk level is acceptable. Whatever I do when I get back home it will be higher anyway!
Anyway, mission accomplished. My card still works, and I was able to withdraw €200. It's cash I'll now need as I'm now going to resume shopping for myself. Ibiza covid-19 infection rates have stayed in check for several weeks, and lifting some restrictions, provided accepted precautions are still strictly observed, encourages me to think the risk level is acceptable. Whatever I do when I get back home it will be higher anyway!
While I was driving back my phone kept pinging. Back in the house I fielded a text message from British Airways telling me that my home flight to Gatwick, booked on 26th had been cancelled, and that I could book another to London at no extra cost. I was upset but not altogether surprised. Last night, the BA head of Gatwick operations was on the news saying that the airline was contemplating withdrawing all its services from the airport. Twelve hours later notification o flight cancellation arrived.
It directed me to a re-booking page I suspect had been hastily constructed overnight. It was crude and user-unfriendly. I had to hunt, date by date after the flight cancelled to find the next available flight to anywhere in London from Ibiza. No diary with flight dates highlighted was available, like going back to booking fifteen years ago. A rush job, reflecting what BA would describe as a fast moving business situation, never mind the customers struggling to get their planning heads around changing circumstances.
So, I am now booked on a flight to Heathrow on the first of June instead. Rosi said BA never fly from Ibiza to Heathrow - a change of policy, or a flight which will turn out to be like some of the emergency flights, stopping over to collect and drop off passengers like an old style country bus. If we get to Heathrow, it will suit Kath and I much better, as it's half the Gatwick travel time back home to Wales.
I now have two additional Sundays of work here, more on-line services and bible studies to prepare. I'm happy about that. It may mean I can complete my guided tour of Acts, without having to compress the last third, and neglect stories worth examining. A detailed study of Acts with proper discussion is a year's job at least. My desire has been to enable bible study group members to look at the whole with fresh eyes, and see the unique transforming nature of what was going on in the stories Acts tells us. Get excited about the detail in the light shed by the big picture, is the message, but it's hard work when it's such a long and varied story.
Only recently I came across a testimony to the influence of Paul's teaching by a leading UK atheist intellectual - sorry don't remember his name - he identified Paul's advocacy of freedom, equality and human dignity as gifts unleashed on the world through the story of Jesus, as being the paradigm shift in changed self understanding which overthrew empires, led to the reformation, enlightenment and rise of modern science and technology. A very secular meaning to the grace revealed in Christ's Gospel, but I think he's right. It takes an outsider to recognise the true value and impact of all the church has struggled and often failed to teach, as it became socially acceptable to believe.
It directed me to a re-booking page I suspect had been hastily constructed overnight. It was crude and user-unfriendly. I had to hunt, date by date after the flight cancelled to find the next available flight to anywhere in London from Ibiza. No diary with flight dates highlighted was available, like going back to booking fifteen years ago. A rush job, reflecting what BA would describe as a fast moving business situation, never mind the customers struggling to get their planning heads around changing circumstances.
So, I am now booked on a flight to Heathrow on the first of June instead. Rosi said BA never fly from Ibiza to Heathrow - a change of policy, or a flight which will turn out to be like some of the emergency flights, stopping over to collect and drop off passengers like an old style country bus. If we get to Heathrow, it will suit Kath and I much better, as it's half the Gatwick travel time back home to Wales.
I now have two additional Sundays of work here, more on-line services and bible studies to prepare. I'm happy about that. It may mean I can complete my guided tour of Acts, without having to compress the last third, and neglect stories worth examining. A detailed study of Acts with proper discussion is a year's job at least. My desire has been to enable bible study group members to look at the whole with fresh eyes, and see the unique transforming nature of what was going on in the stories Acts tells us. Get excited about the detail in the light shed by the big picture, is the message, but it's hard work when it's such a long and varied story.
Only recently I came across a testimony to the influence of Paul's teaching by a leading UK atheist intellectual - sorry don't remember his name - he identified Paul's advocacy of freedom, equality and human dignity as gifts unleashed on the world through the story of Jesus, as being the paradigm shift in changed self understanding which overthrew empires, led to the reformation, enlightenment and rise of modern science and technology. A very secular meaning to the grace revealed in Christ's Gospel, but I think he's right. It takes an outsider to recognise the true value and impact of all the church has struggled and often failed to teach, as it became socially acceptable to believe.
After lunch, I walked down to the rocky lava covered seashore at Cala de Bou, and took photos of the Cormorant couple on the foreshore now rather than on the island. No sign of chicks however. On my return, before supper, I walked up to Es Cuco and did some shopping, having regained enough confidence to do so. On my last shopping visit here I was intercepted and questioned by police, still at the early stage of working out how to carry out enforcement, and how to identify idiots and dodgy geezers. Hoy, nadie. The shop wasn't busy, staff were kitted out properly and screened, and it was relaxed as friendly as ever, the changes taken in their stride. Long may they prosper!
After supper, another evening spent relaxing, listening to a Beethoven concert on BBC Radio Three. Slowly I am unwinding ...
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