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

After 3 weeks of rain back in Pv, I almost smiled at this headline of a newspaper for folk in the south of Spain: November was exceptionally dry .

If you fancy a winter break in a Spain, here’s someone’s idea of where you should go.

The Spanish embassy in the UK has got involved in the debate about Marks & Spencer’s ‘controversial’ chorizo paella croquettes. In a video, staff at the embassy are shown trying the bite-sized morsels. “British…” is the first reaction of a team. “Playful,” is the response of a colleague. “Not sure,” says a third. The last speaker suggests that Marks & Spencer has waded into ‘uncharted territory’, and asks: “Can you make Christmas churros with chocolate croquetas? Whyever not?

On a longish metro trip to a Madrid suburb last night, we were treated – in sequence – to a male singer, a woman with a tray of sweets/candies and a second woman selling Peruvian pies. Sadly, no one seemed to be particularly interested in any of these offerings. I wondered if this sort of thing happens these days on the London Underground. At least on the less crowded trains.

The EU

The ‘saviour of the euro/the EU’ – Mario Draghi – fears that the growth model has dissolved and we need to reinvent a way of growing. He hopes that the founding values that brought us together will hold us together. But will only happen, he says, if the EU becomes a single mega-state. I still don’t see this happening but, of course, I could be too pessimistic, if we’re talking in terms of decades. More here.

Argentina

On the way back/up? AEP thinks so,

English

Aquatic blue foods: I had to look this up: Foods that are captured or cultivated from the ocean, rivers, lakes, ponds, raceways and tanks. They include animals, plants and algae that live in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Sometimes called blue foods or seafood but these terms may not capture the full diversity and potential of these foods.

Finally . . .

A couple of warnings:-

• The cost of flying is rising, and these holiday favourites will go up the most. A combination of emissions taxes and airport fees mean that the cost of flying to some European destinations is set to rise. More detail here.
• A timely reminder about a new scam threat.

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.