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

María gives us her views from a small Galician village here or here, on (minority) language developments in the Spanish parliament. Franco must be revolving on his spit in Hell. Watching Spain getting ready to join him in a handcart.

If the word ‘Gaudi’ means nothing to you, this is what you need.

With 12,000 visitors in Pv city for an international triathlon event, the city’s tapas bars and restaurants have made some serious cultural changes in the interests of all these guiris. Like opening for dinner at what Spaniards regard as the ridiculously early hour of 7pm, rather than 9. Or even going to the extent of being ‘Open all day’. And allowing guests to take their (very) expensive bikes to their rooms at night. For obvious reasons, in ‘a country of low ethics’.

The opening ceremony last night featured a flag-waving parade of all the participating countries. An impressive 55-60 by my count. Actually 59, says the VdG. Individual country numbers range from just 1 – Tunisia – to maybe 200 in the case of the USA and the UK, and almost as many from Canada. With Australia and New Zealand also well represented, it struck me that the sport is rather Anglosphere-dominated. Surprisingly, the Spanish number was low, smaller than that of Galicia, But a foto in today’s VdG suggest most of them couldn’t be bothered to join the parade. Or pretended to be Gallegos. Though the number of the latter might alos have been bumped up by organisers, hangers-on and camp followers . . . One thing that I found odd: Taiwan was called China Taiwanesa in Spanish but China Taipei in English. Possibly for political reasons, if illogically. China itself had just one lonely (but smiling) soul in the parade.

Talking of low ethics – or something worse . . . This is a foto of the start of the long hill which forms my street. It explains why TV cameras were there yesterday – at the scene of the arrest of a major narcotráfico.

Coincidentally, the DdP yesterday reported that the Galician law forces are increasingly overwhelmed by the ever-growing challenge of cocaine smuggling from South America. But what would we do without all the money it brings us?

More quotes from Cees Noteboom’s Roads to Santiago:-

• Spain is such a cauldron of contradictions.
• [Written a few decades ago]: He who has eyes only for the atrocities forgets that modernity was precisely what the Civil War was about, and that it was won by those who seemed to have lost. It felt as though Franco would rule forever, but in the meantime the other Spain was quietly preparing itself, and now it is as if someone has pushed aside the barrier of the Pyrenees, as if the country has just now recovered from the bankruptcy of Philip II and, having digested the loss of colonies and international influence, can at last join in with all the pent-up energy of someone who has slept for 4 centuries. In Spain they refer to this moment in history as Transición and one has to remember what the country was like under Franco to appreciate the frenetic vitality with which changes are occurring . [Assisted by tourism and massive EU subventions, of course.]

Russia

 An insight into the thinking that long pre-dates – but also envelops – President Putin. Well before the creation of the American empire, of course. It helps to explain why Putin felt the need to invade Crimea and have a ‘Special operation’ to ‘eradicate Nazis’ in Eastern Ukraine.

(A)GW/Energy/Net Zero

A pragmatic view? From a UK columnist who isn’t Richard North . . At last we’re hearing some honesty on net zero. . . . Rishi Sunak is getting the thumbs down from green critics who say his decision to delay [UK]climate change targets is a betrayal and a disaster for the planet. This is nonsense, I’m afraid. . . . Sunak has decided to start telling the country the truth about the complexities of net zero and the need to balance getting there with having sufficient energy to power prosperity. . . Although cleaner energy is a terrific concept, it is going to take decades to achieve and it depends in part on storage capacity and technology that is in its early stages. In the interim we are going to need a lot of oil and gas, and new small-scale nuclear plants. . . . At last there is a chance that the country will get to a credible and more reasonable national policy position, one that finds a way between the fanatics who think we are going to fry and those who deny the climate is changing.

A couple of (inevitably negative) comments on this from said RN today: Sunak’s magical mystery tour of net-zero isn’t very much and is not as much as it seems. It’s policy made on the hoof, cobbled together with little thought and even less care. The ultimate irony is that even the modest changes tabled by Sunak might not stick.

What an imbroglio!

Quote of the Day

Cees Noteboom: I seek refuge in some shade and shell some roasted sunflower seeds. An inordinate amount of shelling for a few tiny seeds – food for people with little money but plenty of time.

English

Metrophobia: An irrational fear of poetry.

Finally . . .

Let’s hear it for this new offering for travellers: Roll up for Dross Tours: Deborah Ross, The Times

It was announced this week that Netflix has granted permission for spin-off holidays based on Emily in Paris, the rom-com series that is widely mocked and also a pop-culture sensation, even if it isn’t true that once you start watching you can’t stop. I did, after half an episode. That sounds sneery. I would have definitely persisted, had it not been quite so bad.

The 5-night group trips will be hosted by “lifestyle influencers” called “Emileaders” and are run by the travel company Dharma which says: “Our core conviction is that the future of travel is not about the where but about the why. Series like Emily in Paris make you wish there was a ‘Book This Trip’ button at the end of every episode.”

Goddam it, I wish I’d made it to the end of an episode since I would like to experience that feeling. I will now probably never get to go on a trip hosted by lifestyle influencers called “Emileaders”. I can be my own worst enemy sometimes. I hate myself more and more every single day, if you want the truth.

But it has given me an idea. If there are these kinds of tourists out there then I will set up my own TV spin-off holiday company. In fact, I just have, and you can book at Dross Tours Ltd. We’re barely up and running at Dross Tours Ltd but already have many satisfied customers and have, amazingly, already been in receipt of many 5-star testimonials.

My Love It or List It Holiday was so authentic I don’t know how I held it together while Kirsty and Phil walked round my house gagging a bit,’’ says one. “It’s like I was really there! Being insulted!’’

Another says: “Your Hairy Bikers Weekend has taught me everything I know about criss-crossing the country and searching for the best Irish stew like I’ve nothing better to do. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

The testimonials, they do keep coming, so let’s keep going. “My three-night Handmaid’s Tale Adventure was a bit dark, if I’m honest, with all those bodies hanging by the river, but I did like the hat with the side flappy things, blessed are the fruit,” says Ofjoe, who then booked our Love Island mini-break, was Ofcorey for a bit, but is now Ofkai. (Apparently, her mother, Ofclive, despairs.)

Our Channel 5 Thriller Holiday, meanwhile, which runs Sunday to Thursday every night for a week, is proving especially popular. “It was entirely forgettable,” says one satisfied customer, “so well done you!” If you find it’s booked up, don’t panic as we also run an ITV one that, according to our feedback, is “just as forgettable”. And that’s guaranteed.

Other trips we’re offering include our Midsomer Murders Adventure, where you can play your part in solving the weekly murders that take place in a small rural community where no one questions the homicide rate, and the Grand Designs Experience, which should appeal to adrenaline junkies. “I’d done the skydiving and I’d done the bungee jumping,” says one such adrenaline junkie, “so knew I was ready for the stress of finding out whether the windows coming all the way from Germany will fit.”

Dross Tours Ltd would ask you to consult with your doctor before booking this one. It’s always a nail-biter. It may even be that winter will arrive before the roof is on and the site will become waterlogged, then where will you be, if you have a weak heart?

And we’ve had some lovely feedback about our Great British Bake Off Weekender. “It was great to see the tent,” says yet another satisfied customer, “and step inside and know that this is the place where, even if you make a cake in memory of your childhood friend who died of leukaemia, Paul will still say, ‘It’s a bit dry.’ ” This person added: “I may even book again so I can take my grandchildren. I do think it’s important for them to see exactly where you can bake a cake in memory of your childhood friend who died at nine and still get slagged off.”

We hope you will book with Dross Tours Ltd. Remember, the future of travel isn’t the where it’s the why. We’re not sure we entirely get that but rest assured: it’s our core conviction too.

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.

For those thinking of moving to Spain:- This is an extremely comprehensive and accurate guide to the challenge, written by a Brit who lives in both the North and the South and who’s very involved in helping Camino walkers.

P. S. I’m fond of the word ‘dross’. Looking for an email name for rubbish/garbage/trash, I finally came up with drossbin . . . So, I get addressed there as Mr Dross. Or just Dross. And occasionally Mr D Ross-Bin . . .