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/Galicia

Here’s Mark Stücklin of Spanish Property Insight on the current state of the rental market, following government measures designed to help tenants.

Given what I’ve said about the difficulty of avoiding motoring fines in Spain, I wasn’t surprised to read the complaint of a tourist who – 2 months after getting home – received notification of a fine for doing 98, in a 100 zone, because “The limit had been reduced to 80 because of heavy rain”. The attached foto shows totally dry conditions. But the police say the local weather station reported heavy rain at that time and that place. Conveniently. I guess an appeal would be successful but he won’t bother even trying for that. But will pay the €38 the car-hire company wants for processing the fine, as my Canadian cousin had to do recently.

Reader David in La Coruña advises that the VdG is so right wing it should be called, not the Voz de Galicia but the Vox de Galicia. María endorses this. My impression is that, by and large, Galicia always votes for the PP party and was always pro-Franco, back in the day. That said, we have left-wing mayors in both Pv city(BNG) and Poio(PSOE). And even in – much more commercial – Vigo, in fact. The PSOE again. Must be something in the water of the Rías Baixas . . . Ironically, among the wealthier bits of Galicia.

Portugal

The Spanish seem to think Portuguese driving is bad. For the life of me, I don’t see any discernible difference, other than that the Portuguese know how roundabouts are negotiated everywhere in the world except Spain. Which is goood.

Street names are often conspicuous by their absence in the narrow streets of Portugal’s old quarters. Or are carved in stone, making them hard to see at any time but almost impossible at night. Unless you have a torch on your phone, or in your pocket.

Ireland

A columnist asks here: Is this just the beginning of Ireland’s riots?

The Netherlands

This is how yesterday’s first paragraph should have been, with the right link; I couldn’t revise it during the day: The possible consequences for Europe of the recent surprise ‘ and worrying – election results. Also a reflection of concerns about the high rate of immigration into a small country.

As of today . . .

• From a right-wing paper: How Geert Wilders stormed to victory in my moderate country. The Dutch academic René Cuperus explains what has changed in this stereotypically moderate country
• And from a left-wing paper: Why the Dutch feel neglected and turned to a Trump-like politician.

Quote of the Day

As you’ll know from reading the above articles – and as I know from talking to a Dutch politician: In Dutch representative democracy, the result of the horse-trading is far from obvious.

Maybe that’s equally true of Germany.

Did you know? . . .

I realised this morning that, another way to get the info you want on 3 rooms from booking.com is to say you are 6 adults, not only 3. This avoids the irrelevant 1- and 2-room offers I cited yesterday. But doesn’t stop you being offered just one room for 6 people!

Finally . . .

As I’ve said, I’m an early riser. So was able to hear the couple chatting and then love.making next door between 6 and 7. I’m guessing not a married couple. Or very young.

The Usual Links . . .

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.