Terrace flowers just killing it
Post-reopening update: it’s been three weeks since the city of Lucca reopened to business. Slowly, the shops, restaurants, and other businesses are coming back to life, but business is remarkably slow. Bike rentals are open, but there are no tourists to rent bikes. Restaurants have reopened, but locals are fearful and are tending to stay home. But people are starting to get out more, and things are very slowly easing back to normal.
Compliance with the local social distancing and mask ordinances is very high. Almost everyone is wearing a mask here – a reassuring sight. Mask wearing is more than just hygienic – it’s a way of signaling to those around you that you take the pandemic seriously and are willing to take the needed extra steps to slow community transmission.
As a result, in the last three weeks, the local COVID-19 infection rate has stayed almost entirely flat. There has been no increase in the local case rate, which remains near-zero new cases daily. Because the curve here has been almost entirely flattened, we feel confident going out in public and have even visited a restaurant or two. Local restaurants and businesses are extremely compliant with the distancing rules, plus, it’s very common to dine outdoors, which reduces the chance of transmission.
Police remain vigilant. Whereas normally you rarely see police in Lucca, since the beginning of the lockdown the police have been omnipresent. At all levels of government there has been consistent messaging and reinforcement of the rules of quarantine and reopening. I find it very reassuring that there has been near universal good behavior on the part of just about everyone. Knowing that my fellows are diligent in doing their part for everyone’s safety provides a level of comfort and security during these uncertain times.
Errday be like
So happy to see this little guy busy pollinating our jasmine flowers!
Il Cattedrale di San Martino a crepuscolo
More astromelias with jasmine flowers & twinkly lights
Raindrops on the astromelias
Here’s something you don’t see everyday – – a full 360° nighttime panorama of the Anfiteatro di Lucca
Free at last! It feels so nice to be out and about on the city walls of Lucca. We’ve had several days of no new cases of COVID-19 and it appears, fingers crossed, that we are officially under control, for now. Fortunately the city was spared a direct hit – – only 216 cases total, so far.
We were lucky that we quarantined just in time and had the perseverance for a long and beneficial quarantine. Everyone still seems to be taking social distancing and masking seriously here – – one of the benefits, perhaps, of being close enough to the epicenter of the European crisis to feel the effects up close and personal.
Today we got to go for a long bike ride and tonight we walked on the city walls and took in the #supermoon. I hope and pray that people will continue to take COVID-19 seriously and that way we can keep it under control. Still waiting for word on a national test + trace program release date. We should all be pushing for this in our respective home countries. Widespread test + trace is the only safe way forward until there is an effective treatment or vaccine.
Stay smart – stay safe.
Tonight’s going well…
What an amazing feeling to be able finally to leave the house and tool around together on our bikes in the country. Two months of virtual house arrest will make you grateful for many of life’s simple pleasures. Stay smart, stay safe.
Time stopped for two months in Lucca, but today we were allowed out for our first walk, and it was marvelous. Stay smart, stay safe.