Lockdown

Who would have thought when lockdown here in Spain was announced in March that we would still be experiencing associated restrictions beyond May, and into June.

We live alongside the beach road in Javea, very close to the bridge linking the shops, restaurants and marina. Always a busy access road for the port and southwards to the Parador and Arenal; a constant stream of cars, buses lorries, cycles, pedestrians, holidaymakers, deliveries... then

We missed the chatter noise of the locals walking past, the delivery vans tooting their arrival, the sound of tyres on stones as cars parked on the beach, dogs barking their excitement anticipating the next stick to be thrown, children laughing or crying, jet skies whizzing across the water, the gulls screeching their excitement as the fishing boats coming in, door bells, car alarms, ambulance sirens and the low background buzz of gardens and buildings being tended and built ...

Along with the nothing - no one

No sailing boats, fishing boats, ferries, container ships, cruise liners, helicopters , planes, they were all here the day before and now ...

The normality of daily life changed overnight to absolute stillness and quiet. It didn’t give the feeling of peace, just quiet and ...

nothing

- 14 March 2020