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

There’s said to be an unholy row over nuns on the run with art in Spain. Because: Ten sisters have prompted outrage after closing their convent and “carrying off” more than 20 treasured paintings and sculptures. Details here

Not being in the expat-ridden South. I didn’t know what an IPTV system was. Or that they’re illegal in Spain. Click here if you have one.

And click here if you buy olive oil down in the South. I’ll stick to Mercadona.

It seems my fluorescent armbands might not be enough to prevent me being another pedestrian-crossing victim, though they certainly do influence most drivers to slow down. But last night, when I was in the middle of the infamous crossing at the Lérez end of the O Burgo bridge, a car flashed past within less than a metre of me. I shall have to be even more careful . . . But, as I’ve said before, if this blog stops suddenly, you’ll have a good idea what’s happened. I use that crossing 4 times a day. Maybe I need a torch/flashlight as well.

The last thing the heating engineer did before he departed 6 days ago – having failed to connect the new boiler to the thermostat for the 2nd time – was to tell me about the 2 year guarantee and how I could extend it for another year after 12 months. Little did I know I would need it on Day 1 – charitably Day 2 – and not on Day 1,095 . .

Germany

Given what I’ve been hearing from my old friend in Hamburg, this doom-laden article didn’t come as much of a surprise:-

• The headline: The German economic model has been destroyed by its own hubris. As Europe’s industrial powerhouse stalls the entire continent faces a slowdown.
• The opening paras: Industrial production is falling. The property market is in freefall. And the government can’t borrow to restructure it’s industrial model, nor to rebuild it’s crumbling infrastructure. . . . It might sound like the opening to yet another investigation into the woeful state of the British economy. In fact, it is a succinct summary of the once mighty German machine, still held up by centrists and ardent Remainers as the emblem of what a developed economy should look like. In reality, the German model is broken – and it is about to bring Europe down with it
• The final paras . . . Germany was the paymaster for the entire European project. France doesn’t expect to pay any bills, and Italy can’t afford to. . . . The result? Plans for huge spending on “green industries” will come to nothing. The EU will descend into undignified squabbling. The continent was propelled by a healthy German economy. Without it, the outlook will soon turn very bleak. 

As I was saying only yesterday about economics taking over politics.

Russia

See here for a review of “Blood on the Snow” – A revolution led by a psychopath. This authoritative, detailed account shows how Lenin won control of Russia and caused untold misery.

Thank god Russia has got psychopathic leaders out of its system . . . Where would we be if it hadn’t.

Covid

There are several ways, it seems, of measuring excess deaths. But . . The one country that always comes out well is Sweden – the country that avoided lockdown entirely. Whichever data set you look at, it has either the lowest or second-lowest excess deaths in Europe. 

English

To chirpse: Brit slang: To talk to someone in a way that shows you’re sexually attracted to them.

Finally . . .

Just a rhetorical question – Why do men in their 80s wear baseball caps instead of more traditional headwear?

Made me laugh . . .

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.