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

Politics: More here on the problems of the Vox far-right party.

A Galician tale . . . In the fishing boat’s hold there was “bazuco*”, not ‘basugo'(sea bream). The ‘longliner’ fishing boat ‘Nuevo Furuno’ had been acquired from its owner 4 months previously. He’d put it up for sale on retirement. Two individuals from Boiro bought it it and for 4 months the boat didn’t perform any task for which it had been built – longline fishing for bream, swordfish or ‘túnicos’[fish/crabs?]. This inactivity aroused suspicions in Camariñas. On Wednesday, several Guardia agents approached, it as it headed for the port of Santa Mariña. In itshold there were 45 bales of cocaine. In total more than 1,100 kilos of drugs. Only one person was crewing the boat.

• * A mixture of cocaine and heroin

Vigo, it says here, is the Number One Spanish city for good living. Which won’t leave Pontevedra’s (rather snobby) denizens at all happy. Especially in view of the global attention given to the ‘urban model’ of our city in the last few years. In fact, Pontevedra city isn’t mentioned at all. But at least it’s not in the bottom 4 of:-

• Murcia
• Palma de Majorca
• Barcelona and
• Madrid

The latter 2 are dragged down by living costs and property prices, environment, healthcare, education, and cleanliness. But you can still have a good time there . . . You pays your money and you takes your choice . .

Talking of Madrid . . . My thanks to Perry for this . . .

Mosquitoes are rare in my house. Maybe 2 a year. Sadly for my 2 visitors, they arrived this week. But what I’m dreading is the appearance of this truly vicious – and disease-carrying – creature- Which I had quite enough of when living in Jakarta:-

I blame AGW. And Brexit, of course.

Portugal

There’s a ‘5-star boutique’ hotel in nearby Oporto – Torel Avangarde – which has all its rooms named after famous/’iconic’ folk. One of these is Coco Channel. This rather overlooks the fact that she was an avid supporter of the Nazis and a collaborator with the regime. It seems a tad odd that she gets a free pass merely because she designed nice dresses. Others aren’t so lucky. Anyway, Google Maps says there’s a room available tonight for as little as a hundred quid*. Possibly named after that other rabid antisemite, Josef Goebbels.

* Which seems unlikely, given the prices cited here.

The UK

The British economy is growing faster than the Bank of England expected as a manufacturing surge dispelled fears of a recession. Monthly GDP rose by 0.5% in June, according to the Office for National Statistics – more than double economists’ consensus expectation. I blame Brext, of course.

Italy

Summer news . . . Italy is mired in a debate over price gouging and rip-offs after a restaurant charged extra for providing a customer with 2 teaspoons with which to share a dessert, amid complaints over the soaring cost of taking a summer holiday. While it wasn’t a large amount of money, it has added to a general sense among Italians that hoteliers, restaurateurs, and beach club owners are unreasonably hiking prices as they seek to make money from the post-pandemic rebound in tourism. Not only in Italy . . .

Quote of the Day

Just how much does Elon Musk believe in freedom of speech? Or, more crucially, ever think about what he’s saying?

Did you know?

If you have an old-style Fairy liquid bottle in your garage or basement – white with red top – you could be quids in. Unbelievably, they’re said to be a must-have item among those who have more money than sense or taste. Or among those who want to make an easy, quick killing among those. Up to £200, it’s said.

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 – updated a bit in early July 2023.