We’ve moved! We closed on a rental apartment and quick like a bunny hopped ourselves there before the Spanish government further tightened the restrictions on movement today.

We had planned to move today (March 30) but the Spanish government announced on Sunday morning that they were going to further restrict movement particularly for workers on Monday. Early on Sunday we were making plans to move Monday morning, then about 4 PM we got a call from our gestor Christa asking if we could pull ourselves together to move that evening. We looked at each other for the length of a held breath, then agreed to go for it.

That led to two hours of scramble, dumping everything into our bags, hauling trash and recycling out and generally running around like the proverbial chickens. Then it was down the stairs with 4 50-lb bags and a bunch of other bags and boxes to get two cabs to the new place in La Xerea. By 8:00 PM we had signed the papers, paid a boatload of Euros (psh, what are Euros anyway, it’s not like real money right?) and had a celebratory shot of tequila. We were both tired.

We think we might have forgotten a couple of things, we’ll have to get back to our old landlord to try to get in to pick up the pieces.

The new place is huge! At 120 sqm. we actually have to seek each other out to be together.

The living / dining room, which amount to about half the square meters of the Russafa flat.

It’s got a weird layout, with the living and dining rooms just off the entry in the front of the building, then a hard left down a looong hallway with bedrooms and bathrooms off it, then the kitchen and then at the end of the hall, the master bedroom. Don’t ever expect a hot meal if you dine with us.

The view down the hall from the kitchen

Said kitchen. Workable, not especially high quality, a bit run-down. Plenty of storage though, with a pantry just next to where the photographer is standing.

The ceilings are high and beautifully decorated. There are three bedrooms. I’m using one for my computer setup and hopefully soon a practice room, room #2 is currently full of the owner’s stuff they couldn’t get out with the lockdown in place (no visitors for a bit, sorry) and #3 is the master. One full bathroom and one toilet/sink, right next to the full bath. What were they thinking?

All that said, we can’t complain. We have a balcony. It’s tiny, with about room enough for one chair but the view ain’t bad.

Fourth floor, 5th story, gets us up high enough to see the sky. This is what greeted us when we moved in.

We’re across the street from the Church of Saint Steven. That’s right, beeches, I’m a freakin’ saint. Take that.

So we’re here. We continue to be healthy and now at least we can be comfortable. Can’t wait to be able to wander the neighborhood.

We’re hoping you can say the same.