08 May ILHÉUS – 7 MAY 2020 – CLOSISH!
Today we went to Ilhéus for the weekly provisions of fruits and vegetables.
Comparing to last week, the town had a totally different dynamic.
Brazilians can no longer be kept inside.
Pedestrian center and the adjacent streets were closed with barricades.
The stores with shut shutters let people in through the back door.
How do you do that?
Well, you knock and you wait.
Shortly the shutters will go up for 30 centimeters and you will be asked what you need. You kneel so you can get heard and you tell your story.
Yes, we do, please come in through the back door.
When I get in, the store is full.
What can I say, I have a sense of Romania! However, everybody is by the book, wearing masks.
I don’t know if you know the story that in 1571, English Parliament gave a law that said that on Saturdays all men, including boys older than 6 years of age, were not allowed to walk on the street without wearing a cap.
Only nobles could go bareheaded.
Fines were high so men that we not wearing a cap and didn’t pay the fine on the spot, went to jail.
Can you imagine the scene when a policeman stopped a young man and asked:
“Boy, where is you hat?”
So we shouldn‘t be so surprised when authorities stop us in 2020 asking:
“Lady, where is your mask?”
Other than that, nothing, all’s good…
***
APROAPE INCHIS!
Astazi am fost in Ilhéus pentru aprovizionarea saptamanala cu legume si fructe.
Fata de saptamana trecuta oraselul asta are o cu totul si cu totul alta dinamica.
Brazilienii nu mai pot fi tinuti in casa. Centrul pietonal, precum si strazile adiacente erau inchise cu niste baricade.
Magazinele cu obloanele trase primesc clienti pe usa din spate.
Cum se face?
Pai, se bate la oblon si astepti. In scurt timp oblonul se ridica dar nu mai mult de 30 cm si o voce te intreaba ce vrei.
Te lasi aproape pe burta ca sa te auda si-i zici care ti-e problema.
Da, avem, veniti pe usa din spate va rog.
Cand intru, magazinul plin.
Ce sa zic, m-am simtit ca-n Romania!
In rest, toata lumea corecta, cu masca toti, conform legii.
Nu stiu daca stiati dar in 1571, Parlamentul Englez a dat o lege prin care Sambata, toti barbatii, inclusiv baietii de la 6 ani in sus, nu aveau voie sa iasa pe strada fara basca.
Numai nobilii puteau merge cu capul descoperit.
Amenzile erau mari asa ca, cine nu avea basca si nu platea amenda pe loc, facea puscarie.
Va imaginati situatia cand un politist oprea un tanar pe strada si-l intreba:
– Bah, unde ti-e basca?
Asa ca sa nu ne mai miram cand autoritatile ne intreaba in 2020:
– Bah, unde ti-e masca? Dar biletu’?!
In rest, nimic, toate bune…
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