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

Cited by Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas:- The VisaGuide World Passport Index has declared the Spanish passport to be the leading travel document among 199 passports worldwide, boasting passport-free access to 43 countries and visa-free entry to 106. Maybe I should put in all the time, effort and money needed to get Spanish nationality. Oh, hang on . . . I already got Irish nationality. And I was allowed to keep my British passport.

Also from Lenox: A catalogue of over 300 Spanish films complete and free to watch on RTVE Play.

A warning . . . Tomorrow is Spain’s version of April Fools’ Day.

The UK

At least one person is bullish about the British economy in the coming years.

Near term, I see the Reform Party will be pitching for every seat at the next general election, probably in 2024. I go with those predicting they’ll take a huge number of seats from the incumbent/moribund Conservatives.

Germany

A gloomy place at the moment. And it’s not only the Brexit-supporting British media making pessimistic forecasts . . . From my old Hamburg friend:- in an interview with Bild, political scientist Werner Patzelt has painted a frightening picture of the future. He predicts decline in almost all areas during 2024:-
Politics: The country will descend into a phase of abysmal polarisation and dwindling governability.
The economy: “A period of decline” looms.
Financial policy: The expert predicts “very gloomy weather”.
Society: The country is facing “a period of growing tensions, increasing dissatisfaction and outrage.”
Education: Patzelt sees “sloppiness at all levels of education, including declining competitiveness.”
The EU: Germany is becoming “an unpopular colossus with feet of clay.”

The USA

I was recently bemoaning the absence of a modern-day Jonathan Swift. And then my Spain feed threw up the citation of an essay said to have been the founding work of modern social satire – ‘Radical Chix: That party at Lennie’s’, by Tom Wolfe.

If Donald Trump becomes US president again, here’s what one observer/columnist thinks he’ll do. Views will differ on how frightening it all is.

Exchange of the Decade

• Kristi Noem, the sycophantic governor of South Dakota, to Donald Trump: Mr President, you should come to South Dakota sometime. We have Mount Rushmore.
• DT: It’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore.

Ms Noem’s reaction: I started laughing. He wasn’t laughing. He was totally serious.

Did you know? . . .

A special treat . . . The Foreword to the book I highlighted the other day . . . Liverpool is a small city with a big history. Historic architecture, sporting events, museums and galleries, and the city’s world famous musical and theatrical heritage have all contributed to its character, but it was the port that gave Liverpool his distinctive cosmopolitan outlook. The mixed population of natives and immigrants created a culture of verbal humour and creativity that singles Liverpool out from other British cities. Liverpool is not genteel or understated. When it is grand, it is very grand. When it is poor, it is very poor. And, when it is original, it is inimitable. Liverpool’s recent history has been unhappy, its fabric hit by the Blitz, its economy decimated by changes in global trade, and its people often ill served by local politicians. But it is a resilient city. In the 1990s, it began to rediscover its pride; warehouse conversions and new apartment blocks encourage city centre living, and neglected historic buildings were restored. The year 2000 and eight was the annus mirabilis, when Liverpool was European Capital of Culture and the Liverpool One retail zone opened. Both attracted millions, locals and visitors alike, and stimulated a revival. Cruise liners began to return to the Pier Head. Boutique hotels, good restaurants, artisan bakeries, and coffee houses blossomed in previously down-at-heel areas such as Bond Street and RopeWalks. The city’s famous pub culture was supplemented by stylish cocktail bars and a new creative quarter that emerged in the still-edgy Baltic Triangle. Even written-off areas such as Granby Street are fighting back. All this has given us plenty of material to choose from. Our selection is personal, led by a taste for the quirky which has taken us to some offbeat places, but it has also led us to neglected corners of classic Liverpool attractions such as the 2cathedrals, the museums, the Magnificent Cultural Quarter and the peerless waterfront.

Finally . . .

Yesterday, I made what’s called in these parts a bacon sarnie – using Danish smoked bacon. I was disappointed that, unlike in Spain, very little brine emerged from the meat for mopping up with the crusts. But possibly a healthier way to enjoy this gastronomic treat.

Today, 27 December, saw the start of the ‘January’ sales in in the UK. I made the mistake of going to a branch of the John Lewis chain of stores, where I had to wait in line 20 minutes just to pay for the water bottle bought for my hospitalised daughter. There being Everyman and his wife in front of me . . .

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.