"Covid - The second Lockdown boredom reading special!"

Ok so i wasn't going to write my blog ever again and bore you with updates of just my normal daily life but a few have said they miss my blog and reading what nonsense i have to talk about so this is a one off, "COVID SPECIAL!"

Back many many months ago we had just landed from Canada into London

Who would have thought what was about to happen............

Sian and i were sat in the Rising Sun pub on Tottenham Court Road on Saturday 14th March having a quiet lunchtime pint and the pub was empty. In the corner of the room the TV was on showing Sky sports news that certain Formula 1 races were being cancelled, certain football matches were being cancelled and Coronavirus was being blamed for the cancellations.

That weekend while in London i fell ill with sore dry throat, cough, high temperature, and lungs were on fire. Now then, I never take any medication at all whenever I'm ill I just get on with it and let the illness or pain take its course, because of doing this for so many years I've hardly ever been ill, the only medication I take is when on a medical study but that weekend i was on Ibuprofen, Paracetamol and Vicks throat spray. We now believe that i had the Coronavirus but at that time we didn't know the full symptoms so i just put it down to a every day virus.

We now know why London was so quiet the weekend we got back. This was Trafalgar Square on the Saturday.

As the days went by more and more information was released to the public and it was called an epidemic which was on par with the Flu. 

Then on March the 23rd the lockdown measures were announced by Bozzo and a Pandemic had begun, it was time for LOCKDOWN!

Go back to Feb before we went to Canada I was offered a nightshift job in a local store, just 12 hours a week to give me something to do so I didn't get bored during winter as at this point I hadn't made the decision about staying in the UK and giving up Oceanic.

I had started my job after I got back from Canada and after one week the whole of the UK went in to lockdown, city centres empty, shops, cafes, bars and restaurants closed, roads silent, TV's constantly warning us not to go out, stay safe, look for these symptoms.

Now i kept and eye on what the symptoms were and nowhere did it say "YOU WILL SHIT YOURSELF TO DEATH". 

The first shelves to empty out completely were toilet rolls, after that the pasta and tins of tomato. Maybe they went hand in hand or should that be hand to arse. People were eating so much pasta and tomato it gave them the back door squits so the toilet paper was needed.

Also another symptom that wasn't mentioned was that everybody will feel the need to bake. We couldn't get the flour and baking goods on the shelves fast enough, flour, icing, dried fruits, bread mix, all that sort of baking stuff was gone.

Forget about a virus that turned people in to zombies that then took over the world, this virus made us bake baguettes, log cakes and loafs that may have been 2 metres long so we keep our distance and if not we could beat the offender of the 2 metre rule to death with our baked wares.

Sian who works for the NHS and I have worked throughout this pandemic, in fact my 12 hours a week went up to 30 hours, then 42 hours and finally 52 hours within the space of a month. This wasn't what I was expecting at all. I carried on working 52 hours a week for 3 months but decided enough is enough, I don't need these hours, I wanted more time with Sian and less time with toilet rolls, now I'm back to 34 hours.

In all this I think I had the best idea from the very beginning and it wasn't a tricky one, it's a very simple one to implement and I believe it would have stopped the spread, so here's my shot at being prime minister.

"People of Britain, listen to these words and take heed. If we do not follow this statement of intent that I lay out today we will become the Dodo, the Sabretooth tiger, the woolly mammoth, we will become extinct. Well.....maybe not extinct but like the parrot from the Monty Python sketch:-

 "E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!"

Love that sketch......but I digress, where was I........

Ah yes, this statement I declare here and now is for our safety, for our future and to stop us baking and shitting.

Everybody no matter who they are must wear a mask from this day on at all times outdoor or indoor apart from when within your own household and with the people within your own household. 

Reusable washable masks will be sent out to every single household and given to every single person living in the UK.

Along with the face mask personal bottles of clip on hand sanitisers will also be sent out with all masks, included in this package will be a re-order form for when your supplies run low.

Anybody found not to be wearing a face mask at all or wrongly (over their mouth but not over the nose, you breath through your mouth and nose, idiot) or not carrying the hand sanitizer outside of their own household will be fined £200 on the spot.

Cafes, bars and restaurants will only be allowed to use indoor seating with table service, no outdoor areas for these businesses will be allowed to be used and no areas within these businesses can be used for standing socialising. Patrons will only be allowed outside to use a designated area to smoke or Vape without taking their drink. When a business is full, its full and then a one table in, one table out , first come first seated system will be in place. Masks can only be removed when the customer is sat at a table.

All shops where it can be implemented will be a one way shopping system up to the tills, there will be no need for social distancing due to the rule of blanket usage of face masks and hand sanitizing.

If you can work from home remotely then please do so.

This is not difficult to follow, this is not difficult to implement and this will cause the least disruption to our society and economy.

We can all survive this IF we all follow these easy steps BUT.......

If you do find someone breaking the rules, for example your neighbours, yuuffs, general random strangers shopping, people pretending to exercise in active wear in the park but no way are they active and just because you say "phew" in an exhausted way doesn't mean your training, elderly complaining as they are old enough to decide for themselves what they want to do, you have got the right to beat them to death with a French baguette or yule log you may have baked.

Here is our campaign poster:

I thank you for your time and I thank you for taking these measures from this day on.

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!"

See folks, it's not that difficult if my policies had been put in place from day one by your idiot Government, society would have had little disruption and all businesses could have stayed open. The money spent on the free limitless masks and sanitizer would have been a fraction of the furlough. The £200 fine is big enough to stop people chancing it, what's the point in £30, £60, people will risk it for such small amounts. The same as mobile phone use in cars, if the fine for using a mobile while driving was a years ban no one would be on their phone while driving but of course its all about getting money in to the government, if the fines were so huge no offences would be made and no money going in.

Holidays for us after Canada were put on hold. We were meant to be going to Milan in June to see the Foo Fighters in concert but that has now been rescheduled to June 2021 so we decided to make a huge holiday out of it next year. First Milan for 4 days with the Foo Fighters concert in the middle, from Milan to Athens for a stop over of 1 night then on to Hydra for 8 nights before back to Athens for a night and back to the UK. 

We agreed it was a bad idea to try to go abroad on a flight this year with everything going on, why would we put ourselves at risk on a packed flight with no social distancing for a couple of days by a pool or on a beach especially after how I felt with the Covid symptoms. 

So a week in Penzance it was for my birthday which was brilliant.

We booked an apartment with a sea view, breakfast included and it was so nice. A bargain at £550 for 7 nights.

They filled our fridge every day with fresh cut fruit,  8 slices of bread white & brown, Greek yoghurt, 6 eggs, fruit juice, milk, butter, jam and honey, along with that there were 4 jars with different cereals in refilled every day, tea, instant coffee, fresh ground coffee and biscuits. 

If we were tight arses we could have eaten well in our apartment without spending a penny on food but we like to eat and drink out. It was used for breakfast before our days out and about.

The view from our dining area.

The lido pool which always had people using it.

This is the oldest pub in Penzance, The Turks Head.

Sian had Confit duck leg.

I had fish pie.

Not something I'd usually take a picture of but what cool toilets at The Turks Head, very clever.

We visited the seal sanctuary at Gweek and it was a "Awwwwww" place to visit.

A seal pup being nursed back to full health.

This is Ray, all Ray does is sit in the corner and hardly ever swims......

and this is why.

The view from the picnic area at the seal sanctuary.

The fishing port of Newlyn.

This is the tea shop in a village called Mousehole.

So of course we had to have a traditional Cornish afternoon cream tea. Sooooo good.

The Artist Residence Clubhouse where Sian had booked us in for my birthday meal.

Cocktails anyone? Lovely, but not as good as mine.

Starters anyone? They tasted amazing and best starter i have ever had which was squid with paprika and lemon saffron aioli.

Mains anyone? Sian had whole charred seabass

I had the best tasting burger I have ever eaten. I was caught between Sirloin steak or burger but I'm very fussy with my steak and how it's cooked so I didn't want our night spoilt with my steak being over cooked, good job I chose the burger mmmmmmmmmm.

Dessert anyone? No thanks I'm stuffed what with wine, cocktails and food.

Took a day trip over to St. Ives. Hmm, would have been lovely without all the tourists but not for us. We only stayed for 40 mins and that was with a walk from the car park, around the streets and back to car, didn't even bother with a drink or food we just wanted out of there.

And that was our week away. We did other stuff, had fish and chips from a proper sea side chip shop (very tasty), tried to win in a amusement arcade, Sian did well, i tanked big time, stupid grabbing machines.

We have one more little trip away as we are spending this New Year in Chester, nice and easy to get to and it has a the Zoo and Sea World.

To make up for this years non trips abroad along with Milan/Athens/Hydra which is all booked we have provisionally pencilled in Crete for April depending on how long these travel rules last and spread of Covid, we are all booked up for Switzerland in Sept 2021 for Freddie Mercury's 75th birthday party bash in Montreux, that's going to be amazing and back to St. Malo for New year 21/22. Even got 2022 sorted, Calgary here we come for the Calgary Stampede, YEEEEEHAAAAAAA! So excited for that.

I know those holidays are all months away but its all booked up ready for us as we like to know we have our flights and Apartment sorted, now we can just relax until it's time to go.

Wales is now in a second full lockdown and that's because Welsh people are morons. You should have seen it here, you would have thought that someone had said the virus is completely gone. Sian and I since the first lockdown have only been to a pub or restaurant 4 times in 7 months which isn't a problem as we are still conscious that the virus is there. We also have stuck strictly to the household rule. If everyone had stuck to the rules from the first lockdown the virus would by now be very very small but because of the morons breaking the rules even during the full UK lockdown the virus won't go away but because they are useless, thoughtless, idiots they don't get it.

So there we go folks, just a little insight in to my Covid thoughts and what we've been up to.

I do understand it's difficult for all but if everyone pulled the same way it would be so much better and easier. 

All we have to do when we're told "It's lockdown time again" is look at the rule breakers, because without them there is no spread of Covid or at least it's cut down to a minimal.

So until another update special comes around

Love All, Peace All, Stay Safe All, Kevlar Out!

This is the end My lovely friends, the end!

So where oh where do i start this update. Rambling may occur.

OK, so while Sian and I were away i took some time out to think over where my future lies, what i need to do and where i need to be.

People always say when making a decision on an important issue "It was a tough decision to make", for me this decision wasn't tough to make at all but it was one that needed making.

For 19 years Zakynthos has been my main home which isn't bad considering in 2001 i was only meant to be there for 6 months.

I started off on Zakynthos as a young single cocktail barman at The Tropicana in Argassi with my great friends Andrea, Dez and Mia. I ended up running the bar for 6 great years and had some amazing crazy nights, it was party, party, party hard as long as my body would let me.

Forward to Oct 2006 and i find myself sat in Drunk Corner with no work, expecting 2006 to be my last season and making new friends with my best buddy on the island and nicest guy Tasos and his lovely wife Demi, both are the most genuine, helpful, amazing, funny and honest people i have ever met in my life and they were always there for me for the next 13 years. I love you both.
A day before leaving in that Oct of 2006 i came across an empty old run down bar called "ISIS", who would have thought that in years to come that name would become linked to terrorists. This was a turning point in my life, i took on the building and called it "Oceanic".

Year upon year i made improvements on the building and decor, came up with unique cocktails that were only served in Oceanic and a playlist other bars were to afraid to touch.

I started the bar as just a lifestyle, just enough money to pay the bills and a little bit of spending money, that's it, the sun, warmth, beaches and peacefulness of the island was all i wanted, money and possessions never drove me, i'm not materialistic, i think that showed in my prices as i didn't raise them in the 13 years i had Oceanic. I just enjoy life.

I took the bar on Tripadvisor from No.1 in the resort, on to No.1 on the island, even further to No.1 in the Ionian and finishing 2018 off as the No.1 bar for the whole of Greece. How many people can say their business has been No.1 for a whole country? Well..........there may be another 194 people as there are 195 countries but never mind about that. All this was done just by doing something i enjoyed, i wasn't trying to get recognition, i was just being me and doing my job.

Every single night in Oceanic was a joy to work and had some great times with my friends and customers (apart from 2015, that wasn't down to me but we all know that). I can honestly say there was never a night i didn't want to go in to work, i loved getting ready to open and there wasn't another bar like it in the resort or on the island, all proper branded spirits, unique cocktails, low level music, and most of that music being rock/punk/indie or alternative. It was one of a kind which no one could match or come close too.

As the years rolled on the bar grew and grew until i had created a monster. This is what i didn't want but it was what it had become. Gone was the lifestyle bar and a real business had taken over from season 2017, up until then it was nice just treading water. Now, don't get me wrong it was great being packed out night after night turning people away as you were full but when your not motivated by money then its more of a sadness than a happiness if you can understand my outlook on life. My life has always been about being happy, that's it! Money doesn't make me happy.

I loved every single minute on the island, I was happy there, i was happy with my bar, i was happy riding my motorbike and i was happy with the company my customers gave me.

Now this could go on and on as i got 19 years worth of amazing and joyous memories so i must move on.

Where was i ............oh yes.

So while Sian and I were away i took some time out to think over where my future lies, what i need to do and where i need to be.

4 Weeks ago my mum who is 82 this year was diagnosed with a heart murmur, i know its not a major problem and she's very fit and active, you all know where i get it from now.
This got me thinking, do i want to be over 2000 miles away if my mum ever needed me or if something ever happened to her and the answer straight away was , No. As the years have gone on my priorities have changed which changes where i need to be.
My mum has given me so much and done so much for me that now its time i want to be there for her if ever she needed me, being in Cardiff means i can get to her within 40 mins if needed and i go to visit her twice a week. Being over 2000 miles away means it could take me 24 hrs to get back which doesn't sit right with me.
Also my personal life has changed. Do i want to be away from Sian for 4 1/2 months of the year and the answer came back again, No. Sian would move out to the island in a heartbeat as she loved it there but our life will start a new chapter in my life with new adventures and we just enjoy being together whatever we may be doing and we don't need money to have great times, happiness is the key for both of us and i love her very much.

So there you go my lovely friends, what i'm trying to explain to you is there will be no more Oceanic, 13 years and gone but will never be forgotten. To every single person young or old who visited Oceanic you were what made Oceanic become what it was, a friendly, relaxing, socialising bar with No TV's, No WIFI, No Gimmicks, No Entertainment and No Hassle, just a plain and simple back to the roots bar with other bars not understanding why it was so busy, but we know my lovely friends,we know.

I want to thank every single customer for making my dream a reality and believing in what the bar was about, Chill Out. Without all of you there would be no Oceanic, the bar was always about the customers, never about me, So i thank you from my heart.

There are now some named thank yous. There are hundreds maybe thousands over the 13 years i need to thank but that would take forever, these people deserve more than a thank you but gifts cost money and now i'm unemployed so........there you go, a thank you it is:

Tasos and Demi - Well what more can i say, i will miss you very much.

Phil and Jan - My assistant manager and his lovely wife, i got your tips here, 25 cents, where you want them sent?

Jeanette and Nigel - Nigel wake up, Jeanette no more getting squiffy in the early hours and trying to get your steps in on the way home.

Lee and Emma - Emma text me with more embarrassing stories about Lee, Lee don't text me i'll text you when i get the embarrassing stories

Brian and Penny - Keep on being the resorts oracles when it comes to tourists information questions that i passed on to you

Chris and Sandra - Keep up the good F**king work, keeping it F**king real, you pair of lovely B***ards you

Paul and Lynn - Where you gonna drink now before bedtime? I'll leave you the keys to bar, let yourself in.

These people know me so well and they always were the latest and the last to leave on many an occasion, they have drank in my bar every night of their holiday for every single holiday they have had with some holidaying in Kalamaki for the 13 years i've been open.
You gave me some great late night drunken laughs, not me as i've never been drunk in my bar but you and those are some of the best moments of my life, i've laughed so hard with you that its hurt.
We still stay in touch through the year so i'm sure we'll meet up again sometime to have those laughs once more.

To everyone else i've met through this wonderful crazy journey, you've been amazing and i've loved it.

So i guess for the last time ever for a blog update.........................until my tell all expose of life on a Greek island

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!

You know i'm only joking.

I will leave you with some wise words.............

"Its better to be someone for a day than a nobody for a lifetime"

THE END?

O Canada! Our home and native land!

OK, so we did so much, walked over 65 miles around Calgary and it was the most amazing holiday we have ever had.
We stayed in Downtown Calgary on the bank of Bow River in a beautiful apartment with a living room, 2 bedrooms and balcony all overlooking the river and North Calgary.
Every single person we met were friendly and welcoming, i don't just mean the people serving in the bars, restaurants and shops, i mean every single person. Even a 20 year old Canadian student who was crossing the lights the same time as us asked where a certain building was and we told him we didn't know as we weren't from Calgary and he just started talking to us really friendly about where we were going and how we would love it. Where would you get that in the UK, you'd be lucky to get a grunt off a 20 year old here.

Anywhoo, there is just to much to write about so this update is for the hard of reading, its all piccies!

Our views from living room and balcony in day and night time and yes.....the river is frozen over.

Our apartment, with those views, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms along with a washer and dryer not bad for £55 a night eh!

Go Flames Go!

FOOOOOOOOOOOOD! So good!

Brisket burnt ends!

Brisket Poutine which is brisket with chips, melted cheese and gravy, OMG!

Brisket Sandwich.

The largest sandwich i have ever had, 8 meats, 4 cheeses and salad to make it healthy.

Corn dogs are the dogs, i want more!

And our Stranger Things snacks.

Calgary is a wonderful place even when it got down to -16 degrees the one day.

Calgary Tower in the distance, it is soooooo tall.

Free public skating rink, that would be demolished by vandals if in the UK.

Calgary Stampede sculpture.

Gooses, bloody millions of em!

Our fav food hang out.

Some great architecture!

IT'S SNOWING YAY!

And the ice on the river was a couple of feet thick.

Calgary Zoo is huge and all the animals were awake, just! There were so many animals so here is just a few.

I want a Red Panda, NOW!

The Core shopping mall that also included an indoor woodland area with plants, trees, waterfall, fountains and birds.

And finally, this great hand written sign.

I took more pictures in Calgary than anywhere else i have been in the world and what i've shown you is just a fraction of them. Its a amazing place and we're going back for a another holiday next year but this time its a 2 city vacation taking in Calgary and Toronto.

We had 2 return flights from the UK with baggage, food and alcohol included, hundreds of movies to watch of our choice during the 9 hour flight, comfortable seats, an amazing apartment for 9 days and all that cost less than a week package holiday at the Cavo Doro in the second week of May for 2 people. It's a no brainer but the flight time for someone like me that can't sit still for to long is a killer but in saying that the time did fly because i love watching movies and Sian likes a good movie show also.

Then back to reality and a quick stop over in London for the weekend before arriving back in Cardiff today.

The view from our hotel bedroom window on Tottenham Court Road.

1pm, Saturday afternoon, Trafalgar Square, EMPTY! Never ever before in all the years i have worked, lived and visited London have i seen it this quiet on a weekend in the afternoon.

That's our short tour of Calgary, Canada. What a amazing place.

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!