Cosas de España/Galiza 

The discovery, in Belchite, of a trench containing 150 civilian victims of Franco’s forces has reminded us that the Civil War was not so very long ago, And that it continues to impact Spanish politics. These assassinations, by the way, took place on only the 2nd day of the war and didn’t, of course, involve any sort of trial.

The Supreme Court (I think) has pronounced – for reasons I probably won’t understand – that all the 172,400 fines issued for infractions of our first lockdown last year must be repaid. I wonder how many of them actually will be. I seem to recall that there was at the time some discussion of their legality and, more practically, of who was responsible for enforcing them. Evidently, somebody did.

A local driver argued in an appeal against a parking fine that, as the sign was in Galician, he didn’t understand it. However, the judge dismissed the appeal since by birth and residence he is presumed to have understood the terms of the Agás servizos sign. Which means Only Services, by the way. (And, in case you’re coming here, Rúa pegada means Road closed). A friend says he’ll be using this defence on the basis he’s not been here for long. But I guess that – after 21 years – it won’t work for me.

I see that I was not the only one to feel this summer was colder and wetter than it should have been, It’s reported that our bees were so affected they went on strike and produced much less honey than usual.

As we await the results of DNA tests on descendants of Christopher Columbus, it’s good to hear that the Poio museum dedicated to the Galician claimant – Pedro Madruga – has already entertained 600 visitors this year.

More good local news . . .The police have dismantled the net of a Colombian drug lord – one ‘Otoniel’ – who seems to have sent us cocaine via a narcosubmarino. To next-door Marín, which is even closer to home than Vigo.

The UK

Without compulsion, Johnson’s ambitions to decarbonise domestic heating will come skidding to a halt. For the alleged reasons, see here.

Social Media

From way back in 2016 . . . I’m trying to make friends outside Facebook while applying the same principles. Therefore, every day I walk down the street and tell passers-by what I have eaten, how I feel at the moment, what I have done the night before, what I will do later and with whom. I give them pictures of my family, my dog and of me gardening, taking things apart in the garage, watering the lawn, standing in front of landmarks, driving around town, having lunch and doing what anybody else does every day. I also listen to their conversations, give them the “thumbs up” and tell them I like them. And it works just like Facebook! I already have four people following me: Two police officers, a private investigator and a psychiatrist.

Quotes of the Day

We’re on the cusp of events, where the untethered ambitions and aspirations of our ruling elites [in the UK] are about to collide with the real world, where the implementation of “net zero” will not be determined by government fiat. Instead, the decisive factor will be the interaction of hard practicalities with the responses of ordinary people, who have to make decisions grounded in reality.

La respuesta a la jueza de la ‘Galicia profunda’: O único profundo que hai en Muros é o mar.

Finally . . .

Interesting to see that this Pat Boone hit from the 50s dates from the 1920s.

Kids again . . . I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, “Mum, that lady isn’t wearing a seat belt!”

This blog can be seen on Twitter page, logically entitled – Thoughts from Galicia

and on this Facebook group page, with the same moniker..

Note: If you’ve landed here looking for info on Galicia or Pontevedra, try here.