Awake, for morning in the bowl of night has flung the stone that puts the stars to flight.

And, lo, has caught the sultan’s turret In a noose of light!

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable

 Christopher Howse: ‘A Pilgrim in Spain’

Cosas de España/Galicia

Rent controls are a controversial matter, with those on the Left insisting they can be necessary and those on the Right insisting they’re always counter-productive in the long run. Hence this fight between the mayor(ess) of Barcelona and the Economy Minster(ess). Although both of them are of the Left, in fact. Just one more than the other.

Here’s another amusing piece from Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas. As someone who’s motored through most of Spain, I can attest to the validity of the claim that Spanish toilets can leave a lot to be desired. In fact, back in 2018, I drew up a list of 15 things the perfect toilet would have. During a month-long trip down South, there’d been more with a rating of 2 than of 15. I actually congratulated the owner of one with 15. Anyway, I was reminded by Lenox’s article of the camino ‘pilgrim’ who told me years ago that she was so disgusted she was going to write a review of every toilet on the Camino Portugués. I wonder if she ever did. And, if so, whether anyone bought it.

A regular question? Why do Spanish bars and cafés have at least one TV with the sound so low, no one can hear it? Or even, as with my daily tiffin place, with no sound at all, because there’s a separate and different PA music loop to go alongside the (MTV) women cavorting on the TV(s) in, at most, their underwear. Perhaps I’ve just answered my own question. The manageress of my place just looked bemused when put it to her yesterday and didn’t respond. I actually have a dongle with which I can switch off such TVs. Tellingly, it can take up to 3 hours for anyone to notice. Usually at least an hour. Cosas de España . . .

An urban cock-up? We have another triathlon event in PV city September. Travel agencies have already block-booked all the hotels and airbnbs in the city for the relevant week*. So, stuff the tourists who, increasingly, come here in that lovely month. I’ve already had one request to rent out/provide free a room in my house and expect a lot more. And this was for a contestant, not a vacationer.

* Correction: I’ve just confirmed my suspicion that it was a friend of mine who did this, on behalf of the race organisers she works for. I’ve asked her for a sum of money to avoid me telling the furious would-be tourists anxious to hang her.

Europe

A nasty inflation surprise in the latest economic stats for the Eurozone. Similar situation in the UK, I believe. A long term problem now?

The Way of the World

After my references here to the Gauls, Franks and Romans this week, I guess it’s no surprise that FB is now sending me stuff on the Roman empire. That I’ve never asked for, of course. An unfortunate soldier:-

Quotes of The Day

A propos the ‘New Puritans’ . . . It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law, if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics. Indeed, it is the bounden duty of all the faithful to do so. The custodians of the True Faith cannot logically admit tolerance of heresy to be a virtue. Rober A Heilein.

Spanish

1. Yumping: From the logo, I thought this must mean ‘jumping’ but no such word appears in the RAE. Though this is usually years behind ‘the street’, of course.
2. Un trapo: A cloth; a rag; a sail; a cape; or a very tired person . . . but
3. A todo trapo:-

• At full speed
• With everything/in luxury
• In full sail

Gallego

Some readers will be pleased to know that: O galego non está en perigo, pero non podemos deixalo de lado.

Spanglish

• El puenting
• El tiroling
• El snowboard[sans ‘ing’]
• El paintball [ditto]

Did you know?

There was this week a Global Soft Power summit, i.e. – a corporate shindig run by some brand-management firm. One side-event was a workshop from the founder of the World Toilet Organisation, talking about his “global movement”.

Finally . . .

Like me, you might have a place in your kitchen for plastic bags you might need for future shopping. Mine had piled up, especially as my UK-based daughter had insisted on giving me stack of hers last January. Anyway, having selected one to take one to town last night, I clocked a receipt inside it. This turned out to be from a hardware store and was dated June 2007. Almost 15 years ago . . . Is this a record?

A lovely-looking princess is surprised by something totally unplanned . . .

For new readers:-

1. 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.

2. Should you want to, the easiest way to to get my post routinely is to sign up for email subscription. As opposed to using a Bookmark or entering the URL in your browser. And there’s the Thoughts from Galicia FB group.