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

This is a chart purporting to show average monthly salaries in EU countries, with Spain sandwiched between Italy and Slovenia. Though it might be higher up if the ‘black money’ element of salaries were included.

One question occurs to me – If Poland’s number is really so low, why are we being told that Poles will soon be richer than Brits? Who would probably come between Italy and France. I guess it’s possible that Poland is forecast to have spectacular GDP growth. And maybe its number is also understated, for one reason or another.

The housing law passed in May, it’s claimed here, has done the opposite of what it was intended to do in record time. History seems to have been ignored.

Jude Bellingham is a young English football player – el futbolista total – who’s taken Spain by storm, as they say – completely outshining the (few) English players who’ve previously done well here. Another Brit famous for performing in Spain is Henry Higgins, who was, some decades ago, the first – and very possibly the last – British matador. And who is buried in the cemetery featured in this article, cited by Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas

Given what happens in Pv city’s pedestrian zones, I’m not surprised that several French cities have banned cyclists from such areas. I wouldn’t go that far; I’d simply compel them to get off and walk, as I do. In fact, this is what Lille has done. Can’t happen soon enough here. Maybe our car-hating mayor should shift his focus a tad before a child gets seriously injured by one of the maniacs careering down the slopes of the old quarter. BTW . . . I’d also compel walkers to stay out of bike lanes – where they exist.

Pv city’s old quarter is rather plagued by graffiti, some of it superior to the rest. One colourful example I pass every day . .

Between 7.30(6,30) and 10.30/9.30) yesterday morning, I thought the pale sun would dry my drenched lawns sufficiently to allow me to cut them in the afternoon. Then, out of right-field, re-emerged the wind and the rain. As it has this morning. Folk are beginning to wonder if this winter will be as bad as that of 2000-2001, when it rained almost without stopping for 5 months. And was described by my new Spanish friends as the worst in at least 50 years. And my first, as it happened. . . Right now the temperature in Poio is 12 degrees, against 31 not so long ago, at the end of a long period of drought. Swings and roundabouts. But don’t get me onto roundabouts . . .

Portugal

Nice to see the country’s rugby team being praised by experts in their post-championship commentaries.

Less nice to see that the latest Miss Portugal, almost inevitably, is a transwoman. But at least someone important has had the courage to say that, as she owes her beauty to cosmetic surgery and medications, she is in no way a real woman.

The USA

Click here for the reasons US folk are increasingly buying property in Spain. Some of them even in Galicia.

The Way of the World/Social Media/Quote of the Day

Witch-hunting savagery is back in fashion: Our century grows ever keener on accusatory condemnation. You find it in gender politics, critical race theory, vaccine disagreements and, not least, in the recurrence of antisemitism.  So . . . How on earth to row back?

Did you know? . . .

The pendulum swings . . . TikTokkers have invented a new fad – walking. Gen Z influencers have revealed they’re doing the age-old practice of strolling without their phones in a craze dubbed ‘silent walking’. God help us.

Finally . . .

A visitor and I discussed carry-on bag options last week, with me being impressed by her (valid) claim that her soft bag would be permitted as an under-seat bag, even though when filled it was bigger than my non-permitted hard case. The reason is presumably that it can be compressed to go under the seat in front of one. Anyway, I wrote nothing about this but a day or so ago started to receive ads for soft cases. So, do I routinely need to switch off my computer and phone’s mikes, as well as block the laptop’s camera port?

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.