The Pandemic
No one has been left unaffected by the coronavirus. Our friends and family back in the US have all had work schedules and private lives change dramatically. Thankfully none have battled its effects. Our oldest and youngest worked from home. One daughter works two weeks and then has two weeks off. The fourth finished his degree off campus. We have been lucky.
Julie and I have been under lockdown in two different countries. This I must explain. In late February, my second hip replacement was done in Carcassonne. I am truly a bionic man. Airport scanners light up like Bastille Day fireworks when I enter. (More on the French health system as I progress - Americans, eat your hearts out). This was followed by 10 days of rehab in Limoux where I was worked on for four hours a day. Soon the crutches were no longer needed, the limp was history and two days after my release, Julie and I left for Denia, Spain to join friends. The villa overlooked the Med, the pool and hot tub were inviting and each couple had a private bedroom and bathroom. My things to experience in Spain list was not lengthy but included such items as tapas in a small bar, Sangria, Rioja with paella overlooking the Mediterranean, and copious amounts of seafood. Julie had simpler desires: sun by the pool and shop in the markets for cheap clothes. For three days our exploration progressed but not exactly as we envisioned. Our dinner out was at an Indian restaurant (our friends were all Brits, thus Curry - it was excellent Curry), our tapas bar had a beautiful view of the Med, but we ordered chicken wings and nachos (chalk that up to momentary insanity) and we drank no Sangria (we did enjoy San Miguel beer). And then it all stopped overnight. The restaurants and bars were shuttered, the shops were closed and the supermarkets required hand sanitizing and plastic gloves before entering. A few items were scarce, but generally hardship was not part of the experience.
For several days we debated whether to try to drive the seven hours home. Reports from France seemed to parallel what we were witnessing. It was unclear if the border was open, but one couple made the decision to attempt the return to their home in Quillan. The two others had another month on the rental agreement for the villa and we were encouraged to stay. There were no difficulties reported on the trip home. For several days we ate and drank and debated the options. The weather had turned nasty, so lying by the pool wasn’t an attractive alternative. After six days we loaded the car and headed home. Traffic was nearly non-existent, the toll booths were unmanned and the gendarmes at the French border were easily satisfied when we showed proper papers. Our lockdown in Spain had ended.
Little was different in Quillan. The major exception was that when we ventured out, we needed to complete a form which outlined where we were going and the purpose for leaving. Soon this became an app for our cell phones. Remarkably, few complained that BIG BROTHER was monitoring every citizen’s movements. Travel was limited to a 50 kilometer radius and social distancing was enforced. The gendarmes checked friends three times as they drove to Carrefour on the edge of town, but neither of us was questioned.
The Spar and Carrefour limited the number of customers and put barriers between cashiers and shoppers. Two meters between each person was generally enforced and aided by tape markings on the floor. The butcher shop and the bakery allowed only two purchasers to enter. Banks allowed ATM transactions only. Even the market had tape to direct the flow of foot traffic and keep appropriate spacing. Several produce stalls remained open in Quillan on Wednesday and Saturday, but the Esperaza Sunday market did not function. The village was often deserted. Conversations were conducted over gates and fences or from a safe distance. To-Do lists were made and ignored. The choice of movies available on TV was exhausted. Games which had gathered dust for years were resurrected. Because most of our friends are retirees, there is no anticipated population boom in the fall.