Covid  

As cases have suddenly rocketed up in – of all places – Germany, the WHO has warned that  Europe is ‘back at epicentre of the pandemic’.

Here in Spain, cases seem to have stabilised at c. 50 per 100,000. And, as they’ve stopped falling, the question is being asked: Have we hit the wall? The Lancet, it’s reported, says that Spain is now reaching a state of herd immunity. Elsewhere it’s claimed that ‘Spain is now the safest EU destination’. So, I’m not entirely comfortable at the thought of leaving here for the UK later this month, where the rate is 10 times higher. Albeit falling.

Cosas de España/Galiza  

Fascinating to read that – thanks to the massive quantities reaching our shores – the price of cocaine here in Galicia has plummeted to a mere €25,000 a kilo. But you might have to pay more further south.

Given how often cars have passed right in front of me on zebra crossings, it always worries me to see a report of a ‘senior citizen’ killed when crossing one. This week in Forcarei, up in our hills.

Here, from Max, is something on the Mencia red wine grape I’ve favoured, over Rioja’s Tempranillo grape, for quite a while now. Very fruity and great with stews.

There was a Circle of Silence outside Pontevedra’s Church of the Pilgrim Virgin last night. I don’t know why* but it was ironical that a chap was banging out some stuff on his electric piano only a few metres away. * FB tells me that, back in 2017, says FB, the purpose was: Expresemos a nosa solidariedade cos que están a sufrir o drama da inmigración e refuxiados. Last night’s was Non Máia Mortes no Mar. I’m not entirely clear what it all achieves. Other than virtue signalling.

My UK bank recently switched from Visa to Mastercard and sent me 2 sets of new cards, one in early July and one in late August. Both took more than 2 months to arrive, causing me payment problems. Letters normally take 2-4 days to arrive from the UK, though packages occasionally never make it. So . . . was this the ‘normal’ summer delays or a consequence of Brexit, Even though they were letters and there was no question of duties/taxes? Or were the letters opened and the cards cloned . . . . .?

The UK  

Boris Johnson’s decision to lead an assault on the integrity of the political system has spectacularly backfired on him, his government and his party.

Is anyone surprised?

The EU

I’ve seen references to government announcements of possible electricity blackouts across, Austria Germany and Sweden. Can these also be due to Brexit??

Social Media

The ‘definitive guide’ to privacy on line.

English 

New phrases for me:-

– The purity spiral: ‘The wokier-than-thou contest that whips up between right-on hardliners’.

– Jiggery-wokery.

Finally  . . .

Oh, those naughty in-between-wars-folk. Another dubious number from  Harry Roy and his band, c. 1933

And it’s amazing what you can find . . . Pathe News does his wedding – in the style of the time – to the princess of Sarawak. About whom this song was presumably written.

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