Actually this blog post should be about motorcycling in Spain. I wanted to write about the wonderful, small, curvy hinterland roads we have been riding on for a few weeks now. On which we very rarely meet cars. Which inspire us to more and more enthusiastic praise. “Wow, it’s great here” is one of our standard phrases that we exchange via our helmet communication system. I wanted to write something about our great motorcycles with DCT (“Automatic” sounds so profane smile). I wanted to write something about the navigation system calimoto, which creates perfect routes for us in no time at all since we are in Spain, and through which our old, clunky navigation system is obsolete – we only use our smartphones. And I wanted to report about our failed attempt of workaway. In the workaway system, travelers work with locals for room and board and thus get to know the countries they travel to a little more intensively than on the usual tourist routes. At least that is the theory.
But everything turned out differently.
After the coronavirus is spreading rapidly also in Spain (7900 infections and 294 deaths today), the curfew is full. On Saturday, we had briefly considered winding down the almost 500 kilometers to Portugal, but since the situation there is not much better than here, we decided to sit out. We also have a nice, spacious apartment with good internet access, unfortunately quite close to a big road, but you can’t have everything. Fortunately we were able to extend the booking for two weeks. The supermarkets in the area are well stocked, so we did some shopping and then settled in here. So there are no more excuses not to continue working on our Spanish vocabulary. smile
Above all, we try to see the positive side of our situation. We have time. We have (at least until the end of March) a nice accommodation. We do not suffer any shortage. We have a balcony if the apartment seems too small to us. We have good internet and (video-)chat with family and friends. And we have the good feeling to do the right thing. After all, the fight against the spread of infection is about keeping the curve of infections flat so that the health care systems don’t collapse.
And we have an almost indescribable experience of belonging: Yesterday, eight o’clock in the evening, we hear unusual noise. During the curfew, we hardly hear anything else from outside, so we curiously go to the balcony. All around us on all balconies and roof terraces people are standing and clapping. They thank all those who maintain health and public order even in difficult times. Of course, the people to whom the clapping is directed usually don’t hear it at all, but nevertheless there is such a power in this symbolic gesture that it almost brings tears to our eyes. Because we, too, stand on the balcony and clap our hands vigorously.