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

Talking about getting money from Brussels . . . For whatever reasons, Spain was first to be given post-Covid subventions but far from first to distribute the largesse. Details here. In contrast, France was very quick off the mark. The question arises of whether there are billions of euros lying idle in Spanish banks? If so, for whose benefit?

This article forecasts a record year for tourism in Spain, while highlighting the problem of getting staff. Apart from all the others cited therein, I’m told that one reason might be that people laid off during Covid might well be taking a 2 year ‘holiday’ on the paro, having built up an entitlement which will lapse if they don’t do so. I recall meeting this attitude many years ago, when the waiters from a favourite café-bar which had closed told me that they wouldn’t be bothering to look for work for 2 years. Which struck me as odd at the time.

Here is Lenox on breakfasting out. I’ve always been impressed by how quickly the staff in my regular haunts have figured out what my lo de siempre is. And with how they remember the orders of groups of 4 or more. As with London taxi drivers, a part of their brain must grow with practice.

So, there’ll be a high-speed AVE train to Lyon and Marseille in France before we get one all the way to Pv city and Vigo. No wonder we feel hard done by. And this despite having had a Gallego – Rajoy – as President. And another – Feijoo – about to step into those shoes.

Which reminds me . . . The cost of a standard one-way ticket for my daughter and her son next week from Madrid to Pv city is again €212 – 140 for her and 72 for him, a 4 year old. A Spanish friend tells me it’s no longer wise to travel Thursday to Monday, as these are the days when Renfe, rather than providing more trains, jacks up the prices and quickly – and profitably – fills the ones available. Capitalism at work, I guess. At a time when Renfe is compelled by the government to offer free travel for local and media-distancia trains. So, it’s alright for some.

In a survey which is probably even less useful than yesterday’s on ‘friendly’ cities, these are the countries considered by some US researcher the rudest for visitors:-

• 1 France
• 2 The UK*
• 3 Germany
• 4 Russia
• 5 The USA
• 6 China
• 7 Spain
• 8 Italy
• 9 Turkey
• 10 Greece

*Allegedly, the largest group who nominated the UK as the rudest country were Brits themselves.

I did my technical driving tests in the city this morning, where Covid is still being blamed for a longer-than-usual delay in getting my licence back. Worse, the office is one of the few places where it’s still obligatory to wear a bloody mask. And I didn’t have one. But I wasn’t – to my astonishment – asked to prove I was me. I could have paid for someone younger to do the tests for me. Maybe.

Coming out of town, I saw something extraordinarily unusual – a woman on an e-bike not only wearing a helmet but riding on the road, not the pavement/sidewalk But she looked about 35 – so, old enough to have developed consideration for others. Not to mention respect for the law.

USA

It’s reported – rather gleefully – that in an interview with, of all people, Fox News, the imbecilic Trump put several nooses around his neck. And possibly caused his lawyers to commit suicide. Let’s hope so. In both cases.

Quote of The Centuries

A propos the very first item above . . . Francis Bacon (1561-1626): Money is like muck, no good unless it’s spread.

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.