Our last week in Fuengirola we were in isolation. Even the weather was upset, the wind was fierce. Compare the two first pictures. On the left was a normal windy day, the second was the last day we spent in Fuengirola. We ended up having to buy tickets in order to come home early. We had grocery shopped for 2 weeks isolation, four days later I am trowing all that perfectly good food in the garbage. It broke my heart with so many people hungry, because of the situation I was not allowed to even offer it to anyone. The police was roaming the streets giving out contravention between 300 to 6,000 euros. The second time they caught you was prison time. They didn't fool around with it. I think I've mentioned it but every night at 8 o'clock everyone stepped out on their balconies and applauded the medical workers during a full minute, it was very touching. We were always afraid of either would they keep running the train to the airport or would they cancel all flights out before we have a chance to get out. We had checked in wit the agency for the apartment, they could allow us to rent one more month if need be. Insurances, were we still covered? Would they let us purchase more time? They answered; ''yes but that may change in the days to come.'' GREAT! Hotels on the Costa del Sol were closing by Friday they had closed 50 and fired over 12,000 employees. We heard from other travellers that they were not going to keep any hotel open forcing travellers to go home! More people without jobs. Anyway we took the train Friday afternoon with a a sigh, or should I say a ''shallow'' of relief, not certain about what was ahead of us.
The train ride was pretty weird in it self. You could feel people not trusting any one around them, trying their best to protect themselves. When we arrived at the airport all the lights were dimmed, all boutiques and restaurants were closed, yellow posters about COVID 19 plastered everywhere. Water fountains covered with plastic and condemned. So quiet and empty it had a feeling of ''end of the world'', as if they were filming a zombie movie or something. We found ourselves speaking in hushed tones. You had to sit a meter away from anyone, yes even the husband I sleep with lol, they policing the airport. Jim went to a vending machine to buy a sandwich, there was only one available. In the line up to board (you still had to be one meter away from each other, one lady heard that we were going to a hotel near the airport for the night, and came to me to tell me not to let hotel know we were from Spain because that hotel just cancelled their reservations when they found out they were coming in from Spain. They had to go to a neighbouring hotel, when they got there, they found notices in all the windows saying that they were refusing anyone coming in from Spain. We finally boarded the plane with AER Lingus for a 2:30 ride to Dublin airport. No entertainment on board and no refreshments, not even water. We then walked to our hotel in Dublin ready to let them know we were from Lison lol. We arrived too late for the hotel restaurant, so Jim and I went across the street to a McDonalds for a take out order.
Breakfast 16 Euros each, full Irish breakfast, includes stewed tomatoes, blood pudding, beans and eggs. The airport was a little livelier, restaurants were open but as we are sitting at one we saw employees being sent home, restaurateur closing up table areas etc. They were closing down businesses like in Spain, a few days behind. The flight with AER Lingus went better than the first one, leg room was pretty good but like sardines, the size of the seats. Two of the toilets were plugged with paper as we departed. They could not unplugged. that was no fun but we had movies to watch, which was not the case last year with Air Canada. We finally landed in Toronto. There the store were still opened everything was basically running normal apart from some area were not available, it made cleaning and disinfecting easier. We noticed that Canada is not scared enough yet, in my opinion, people are trying to stay home, I give you that but not all probably because it is not mandatory yet. It is for travelers and I hope they, like us, will take the whole thing seriously.
In closing, we were not the worst off. We heard so many stories in those 30 hours all more sad or difficult one than the other. One couple, they live in Timmins, had to fly Malaga-Heathrow-Reykjavik-Vancouver-winnipeg and drive 7 hours home woof ! I find horrible, but I understand, a son not being able to visit is Alzheimer stricken mom and such. These are hard times we are experiencing, my wish for you and I, is that we come out of it with a better understanding of the human race and its needs. May we become more attuned to one another's needs.
I'll talk to you soon about our two more weeks of Jim and I alone against the world, may we survive still loving each other lol