Life in Spain 

My cleaner has now been with me for 20 years or more. She is, to be honest, rather clumsy. Which is why I spent some of yesterday glueing 3 bits onto a wooden carving from Indonesia. And looking – unsuccessfully – for the head of a chess piece. Presumably hoovered up. Why do I employ her? Because, when I first came here, the friend who recommended her confessed she was clumsy but stressed she was honest. Which seemed critically important to her. Who was I to argue? And now she’s a family retainer. And I have quite a few artefacts which are said to have broken themselves. In one case by falling of a bookshelf when I was in the UK.

Yet more on my current bugbear of tour groups in Pv city. . . . We’ve now reached the point where, instead of giving clients earphones and using a mike, the guide simply resorts to a loudspeaker, meaning they can be heard from 50m away. As if our noise pollution wasn’t bad enough already. This could end in murder.

Cosas de España/Galiza 

The scandal of unauthorised use of British models in a Spanish government ad campaign just got worse. A one-legged young lady is bitter that they not only used her image without permission but painted in a leg to replace her prosthetic. I mean, what where the ad agency folk thinking? That no one would ever find out about their – cost-saving? – duplicity?

Some details of the case being brought against the Colombian singer, Shakira . . . She’s accused of cheating the Spanish tax office of more than €15m and faces up to 8 years in jail, a €15m back-payment, and €25m in fines. She might not have have had good tax advisers but maybe her lawyers will be worth their huge fees.

As far as I can recall, I’ve never been to Porto do Son on our coast. Which is a shame as it’s said to be a peaceful spot where I could enjoy the calm of an undiscovered setting. More on it here.

Talking of enticing places . . . Should you want a ‘cheap’ meal at an ‘affordable’ Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain, here’s a couple of suggestions from someone:- – – Bibo, Madrid: While the vibe is casual, the dishes dazzle. Try the oxtail ravioli, the chef’s zingy white shrimp crudo with garlic chips or his creamy ink croquettes  made from squid ink stew, and you will be dancing the flamenco. Dishes are priced at £19, £16 and £10 respectively   – El Bar De Paco Morales, Córdoba: History and heritage are the pillars of Paco Morales’s menu at the 2-Michelin-star NOOR. Try the mini sandwiches filled with squid and a lemon mayonnaise, or Morale’s signature soup of orange salmorejo, with smoked cod and cheese snow, followed by beef bone marrow with spicy raw tuna and mustard grains for £3.80, £7 and £10 respectively.

Una riba can be:- 1. Porción de tierra con alguna elevación y declive. 2. Tierra cercana a los ríos.  3. Margen y orilla del mar o río.

In Gallego. Unha ribeira can be:- 1. Franxa de terra que está ao lado dun río, dun lago ou do mar. 2. Zona de terra que está próxima e dá cara ao mar ou cara ao río.

As we have a lot of water in or near Galicia, riba crops up in so many place names I can never remember which is where: Here’s a few of them:- Ribadeo Ribagorza Ribadavia Ribeiro Ribeira Ribadumia A Ribeiriña Ribaseca Ribas del Mino/Sil/Campos Actually, one of these is a wine and one isn’t in Galicia. But I have no difficulty remembering which the former is.

The Way of the World 

The Blue Mountain card company has just reminded me it’s my mother’s birthday very soon. She died in 2019. And her birthday was, anyway, 1 April. Other than that, it was a welcome reminder.

English

So, what’s wrong with this sentence?: The Russians have grinded their bloody way into the majority of the 2 Donbas provinces. Well, the past participle of ‘To grind’ ain’t grinded but ground. But maybe not in 2122.

Finally . . .

Another question: What’s the difference between involved and committed? Well, as someone has put it: When it comes to a bacon and egg breakfast, the hen – in providing the eggs – is merely involved. The pig, on the other hand – in delivering the bacon rashers – is committed.

For new readers: If you’ve landed here looking for info on Galicia or Pontevedra, try here. If you’re passing through Pontevedra on the Camino, you’ll find a guide to the city there.