Covid 19 situation now?

[DonJuane]

I'd pretty much agree ... Christmas, Holidays, etc. just not the same it seems when old friends are wrapped in masks and streets are filled with paranoia .... may as well stay home with family if that's even an option. It's hard to be social and be safe. I met an old friend last week who had a "close profile" trait meaning he always liked to put his hand on my shoulder and start relentlessly yacking back in the pre-Covid days. We both had masks on but he quickly reverted to his comfort zone when he saw me, hand on my shoulder as he started to talk about half a meter away with his face directed toward mine as he inched closer and closer as he always did before to make his points. While talking loudly in his normal tone I soon realized what was happening as he was lost in the moment, I then quickly started craw-fishing backward like he had the plague, which interrupted our getting caught up after 8 months apart. He reacted like he was offended but what the hell can you do. Same happens even with strangers. Example I met up with some fellow travel aficionados and we started speaking mask-less from about 15 feet apart. First thing I knew we were nearly in each other's face, as it's just so easy to come too close before you realize it. It's hard to manage it all.

Still mask-wise and on the streets it seems clear some tourists are starting to arrive and the ones who stand in the streets looking at the tall buildings like a Texan in NYC for the first time, I've noticed they seldom have masks on. Also the mask count seems to be decreasing I've noticed in the past couple of weeks. I'm needing some exercise but starting to stay in now more since there are so many mask-less around now and actually the pedestrian count seems to be growing as time passes. Still not eating out even the open air restaurants but doing a little more take-out. I'm quite sick of cooking. I'd say Mexico now is not a place to seek out but certainly qualifies as a relatively descent place to hide out until things change. But with most cities worth the salt it's body to body near the markets. And from a contagion perspective, it's got to be way more easy to catch something in this elbow to elbow society than the traditional "out of my face and space" US culture. Just got to keep your guard up while there seem to be no easy answers.