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

Political games: A vain(glorious) hope? Spain’s king gives the PP the first chance to form a government.

Per the VdG this morning: Felipe VI yesterday entrusted the investiture to the PP leader, who will seek new support as of Monday. For now, the Vox leader has ensured that the PP and Vox will start a new phase of collaboration. And the PP and the Canary Islands Coalition reached an agreement on Tuesday. The Palace explained that “by custom” the candidate with the most seats is designated first. But the current (PSOE) PM says that the PP attempt will fail. The most radical Catalan independence movement, for its part, is pressuring Junts and ERC to reach an agreement with the PSOE. And the BNG [the Galician nationalist block] has confirmed its No to the PP leader, but has demanded that the PSOE leader commits to Galicia. So, some folk are going to sweat a lot, and not exactly because of the current heat.

Other games . . . Says The Times: The Spanish PM tells the head of the Spanish FA that ‘Sorry is not enough’. The spontaneously unwise chap is now under pressure to quit for kissing the captain of the winning World Cup team on the lips. I’m cynical enough to see the PM’s stance as posturing, ahead of more political manoeuvres, or even another general election. But I do wonder when even shaking hands with someone of a different gender – a hundred plus possibilities, of course – will become ‘totally unacceptable’ and a resignation offence. Perhaps the future lies in Japanese-style bowing. And Spain’s widespread tactility will become a thing of the (‘appalling’) past. Hopefully after I am too dead to miss it.

A headline you’re unlikely to agree with, if you see 2 – or even 3 – monsters in Vigo’s port: Stop blaming cruise ships for overtourism — they’re not guilty.

The UK

The answer to a question of yesterday . . . No, BA doesn’t offer flights from the North of the UK to Galicia. You can only get to Santiago de Compostela with them from London or Edinburgh. Maybe when the effects of Covid are finally out of the system. Meanwhile, both Iberia and Ryanair do carry lots of Catholics/camino ‘pilgrims’ to that city.

AEP continues to be optimistic re heat pumps, even as regards the take-up in the laggard UK.

China

Global investors have been offloading China’s flagship stocks in a record-selling streak, showing the nation’s industry leaders are falling out of favour amid concerns for the economy.

The USA

Quite an indictment . . . Scars and Stripes: The Horror of US Poverty. The effects of poverty are everywhere. But nowhere in the well-off world are they as horrifyingly normal as they are in the United States. Evidence here. Perhaps the country needs more of the socialsim which many there seem to astigmatise/fear as communism.

Russia

It’s reported that Sergei Surovikin – nicknamed ‘General Armageddon’ because of his brutal campaigns in Syria – has been removed from office. I guess the unlucky chap would be well advised to stay clear of all windows for the rest of what might well be a short life. Assuming he’s still alive, as he hasn’t been seen since June. He’s said to be ‘on a short holiday’, possibly in Siberia. Or on a longer one in Hell.

As you’ll know: Russia has lost face in the new race for space. Putin dreamt of sharing a moon base with China but Luna-25’s flop will keep him earthbound. Perhaps a lot of other folk will also be avoiding windows.

(A)GW/Energy/Net Zero

Richard North today follows up here his strong words of yesterday, stressing that: The intervention of the Russians in support of the South African government’s intention to extend the life of existing coal plants, as well as the offer to build a gas-fired generation plant, is no mere blip in the plans by the globalists to achieve net-zero. It is a serious setback which could prevent net-zero being achieved on a global scale – assuming there was any chance of that happening anyway. RN blames the Western governments for choosing (highly corrupt) South Africa as its flagship for the rapid abandonment of coal. Under a scheme which he regards as ‘dead in the water’. His article contains some shocking data.

English

Gendy nooch: The fashionable way, in some circles, to say ‘gender neutral’. An essential term for even primary school kids in the UK.

Did you know?

Given its later dominance, it’s surprising that the original meaning of Gothic was – compared with Romanesque – ‘ugly’. Here’s one example that surely doesn’t deserve that label.

Finally . . .

Perry has kindly sent the correct text of my quote of yesterday, which I lacked the time to check.

But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!

To amuse . . . Naked dinner parties and naked cooking. The idea gives me the willies*.

• * British slang for ‘penises’.

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