Tag Archives: winter

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 14 of Level 2, 31 August 2020.

 

Monday 31 August 2020, Day 14 of Level 2, day 158 of Lockdown 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for rain and rain ☔️ , the Cape Town dams now at an average of 90%; for a break in the rain this afternoon, which allowed me to walk through Bakoven and Camps Bay, feeling wonderfully refreshed in the 13C outside, loving seeing images reflected in the puddles on the pavements, in a deserted suburb; for getting a lot of admin done today, and for organizing an English class school reunion for next week, being able to speak to each class member ; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 10 of Level 2, 28 August 2020

 

Friday 28 August 2020, Day 10 of Level 2, Day 155 of Lockdown 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for an all-day rain day, not as cold as it was forecast, being warm inside my home; for getting a walking gap to Camps Bay at lunchtime, and to Bakoven after sunset, getting caught in a heavy shower, finding shelter under my rain protection tree until it stopped, allowing me to get home dry; for an energetic working morning, allowing me a cosy snooze in my warm bed this afternoon; for dancing to Kfm; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 78 of Level 3, 17 August 2020.

 

Monday 17 August 2020, Day 78 and the last day of Level 3, after 66 days of Levels 5 and 4, a total of 144 days of Lockdown 😱😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for the rain which fell today, and is promising more tonight and tomorrow morning, but it is cooooold, the first day that I am really freezing; for receiving the results of a Survey conducted amongst Tourism and Hospitality businesses last month from Marius Blanc, which I turned into a Blogpost; for a quick walk to a section of Camps Bay, meeting the Detective about the threat from Michael the Homeless person, but the detective had no file and knew nothing about the case 😱, and for popping in at the lovely Law Enforcement Officer Ivor Ramsay, chatting in his nice and warm office; for getting back home just before the rain came pelting down; for the good news that my Tourist Guiding badge is done and ready for collection, which dear classmate Martin Koch has offered to collect for both of us; for causing a bit of a stir when I picked up that the newly gazetted Level 2 regulations do not contain any reference to Tobacco products, seeing them before they were presented by Mrs Zol Zuma, who only mentioned the uplifting of the ban verbally; for snow/sleet allegedly falling higher up in Camps Bay and on Table Mountain; for staying home this afternoon and doing some admiin work; for planning my week ahead, and visits coming up, given that they are legal from tomorrow 🙏; for my warm bed waiting for me, with a warming cup of tea and Jammies whiskey, it is that cold at 13C; for dancing to Kfm for a large part of the afternoon to get to my step goal; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 73 of Level 3, 12 August 2020

 

Wednesday 12 August 2020, Day 73 of Level 3, after 66 days of Levels 5 and 4 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for so much rain that has fallen today, even though it was chilly at 15C max; for an admin morning after my writing was done, another Do List item ticked off; for providing Information to Law Enforcement Officer Ivor Ramsay about other complaints from locals about harassment by the homeless beggar Michael Shange, and for being able to finally lay a charge against him at the police station, getting to both before it started raining again; for the joy in seeing the vegetable garden thrive, especially the cauliflower, radishes, coriander, and our first nasturtiums 🙏; for good service from Chad at Vodacom at the Waterfront; for a lovely evening at Mosambik Restaurant, a dinner invitation from Jennifer Morris to a number of media persons, being especially lucky about the table I sat at; for getting home safely after 21h00, the Seaboard streets being deserted; for a Discovery Gameboard play; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙

My Blogpost today was about the Government regulations in how Tourist Guides should show tourists around at current Lockdown Level 3 regulations..

Corona Lockdown Tourist Guiding regulations gazetted by the Government!

At the Waterfront it was shocking to see how quiet it had become, barely any shoppers, almost all kiosks closed, almost all jewelry stores closed, and almost all restaurants other than Willoughby’s, DipnDip, and Mozambik closed. I paid some outstanding Vodacom bills, but could not get a statement for the past year to contest an arrears amount showing. Chad has promised to assist me in sorting this out 🙏. I walked on both levels, to gain steps, but wanted to drink something, and not even Woolworths WCafé is open. So I went to try DipnDip, a winter’s day indulgence, with Hot Chocolate, which was delicious, but a Crispy Crunchy Chocolate was not, a type of Rice Crispies with a drizzle of chocolate, and topped with mini marshmallows. Service was not good, no management. And I was double charged, as the card machine did not work properly the first time round. 🥵

I was interested to see what Kamers did in the former Out of Africa space in the Waterfront, no comparison at all to how it has been held in the past. No stand owners to connect with, a lot of craft products in a not very big space, and no interest by the two staff in customers entering the pop-up store at all. 😢😢😢

We met at Mozambik at 18h00, taking up the whole restaurant, with good social distancing, our temperature taken, hands sanitized, and a register signed. I shared the table with Pippa Hudson from Cape Talk, Linda from Mai Thai Spa, and Chris from the Deepest Darkest Art Gallery. Jennifer Morris was a fabulous host and we met owner Christa Deacon, generous in the dinner offering: starters of calamari, chicken liver, and green olives, with Portuguese rolls; main course of hake and chips with lemon butter sauce, or peri peri chicken; and dessert. Non-alcoholic Savanna Cider was generously offered. It poured as we were leaving, and we were shown an underground walkway to get to the parking area, staying dry. The Waterfront is charging for parking again, but R30 for 4 hours seemed more reasonable than in the past. There were hardly any cars when I drove home at around 21h00, as if it was already Curfew.

SA Corona Status 568919 cases 12010 deaths 😷😢

FitBit 10000 steps 7 km 👣

Lovemylife ❤️

 

The Corona Virus Lockdown (Level 5), announced by our President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier to commence on 27 March and to continue until 16 April, subsequently extended to 30 April, lowered to Level 4 from 1 May, and lowered to Level 3 from 1 June, is an unprecedented event in my lifetime. I am posting my daily Facebook post to journal this Corona Lockdown Journey, perhaps to serve as material for a future Book.

About Chris von Ulmenstein

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein