Meet Sisi

She guards the entrance to the President’s garden. I always look for her when I go past on the bus.

The garden is closed to visitors at weekends but Sisi still sits there.

She’s six. Once, when I went there during the weekend, I met the family who own her litter brother, and they always pop along to see her. She’s very much loved.

It’s so refreshing to be here, where people respect social distancing and always wear masks, often even in the streets if there are lots of people. Masks are always worn on public transport and in shops. Youngsters, and some oldies, have a way of looping the light masks around the wrist so they can slip them on easily when needed. It’s SO different from my Avanti train journey two weeks ago, when I was in a full carriage and I was the only one with a face covering of any sort. 

My extra is the display of masks for sale in Pingo Doce, the popular supermarket, and it includes packs of disposable ones for children. It’s not surprising that the daily total deaths for the whole of Portugal seems to be well below ten, compared to our hundred, or even two hundred plus. I’ve bought some stronger masks here to wear when I get back home.