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

I was surprised – though not very – to learn yesterday – in this article kindly cited by a reader – that suicides in Spain are sometimes registered as accidents. Not just because of family embarrassment or fear of (Catholic) stigma but because insurance companies might not pay out on life policies. So the official figure of 12 a day – 4, 380 a year – might not be totally credible. Some official data:-

• The suicide rate in Spain is 6.1 per 100,000 people. Ignoring the possibility that it’s an artefact, this is lower than the rates of the USA (14.5) and of most other European countries such as
  Sweden (11.7)
  France (12.3)
  Germany (9.1) and
  The UK (7.6)

Here’s Lenox Napier on voting rights for Brits resident in Spain. Traditionally only available long after you’ve ceased being interested in the UK scene.

I visited this place during one of my road trips last year. Can’t remember anything about chocolate. I do recall they have a large and very efficient restaurant, serving food that’s OK but possibly inferior to other options in the area.

A reader who clearly is, as they say, after my own heart has suggested adding roasted Anaheim peppers, Palacios chorrizo and mayonnaise to my tortilla mix. I won’t mention his name as some tortilla fanatic here in Spain will probably seek him out and then hang, draw and quarter him. Even if he wouldn’t do so if he’d raped his daughter.

The UK

How many killings do there need to be by people with psychiatric disorders to make our politicians realise that the current mental-health provision for those with conditions like paranoid schizophrenia is not fit for purpose?, asks a columnist here. Looks like a fair question to me. If belated.

More tales here of “astonishing failings and incompetence” resulting in killings. Says the author: Without having a full record, it is difficult to certain, but it does seem to be the case that those of non-UK heritage are disproportionately represented in the incidents reported by the media, which might give pause for thought. I believe he’s previously wondered whether some countries aren’t ‘exporting’ their problem folk to the UK. Even financing the illegal route. Stranger things have happened at sea, as they say.

Germany/The EU

Another gloomy report on ‘faltering’ economies.

The USA

The big question on everyone’s mind – Is Alina Habba the worst and most incompetent lawyer in the US?

China

Chinese activities in the UK. The St Pancreas video referred to therein has to be seen to be believed. The alleged Chinese ‘spy’ is remarkably fluent in the language of human rights. At least as they figure in British lives, though surely aren’t those back home. He does a good job on behalf of Beijing in abusing the system. Maybe he should be sent back home. Only to be replaced by a clone, I guess.

Here the wonderful Brendan Kavanagh talks of the death threats against him.

Quote of the Day/The Way of the World

Until about 5 minutes ago, believing that sex is often relevant in public policy wasn’t subscribing to hateful gender-critical beliefs, it was (and remains for 99% of us) self-evident truth. From this article.

Spanish

Una solterona: A spinster. A big solitary female

Did you know? . . .

I asked Bing – for a friend, of course – if there are any reports of flatulence associated with the Hello Fresh meals my daughter buys. They said No, but that I really should know all about the company’s small(er) carbon footprint. . . . What ideological times we’re living through. I guess living in a communist country – eg North Korea – is similar in some respects.

Knowing that answers differ, I asked Perplexity the same question and got: Yes. . . . Some individuals have reported experiencing symptoms such as stomach pain, cramps, and flatulence after consuming Hello Fresh meals. My friend tells me the problem disappeared 2 or 3 days after his last HF dinner. QED, I’d say. Especailly as his sister suffered gut problems after one meal.

Finally . . .

Did you think, like me, that Elvis was the first person to sing this?

BTW . . . Is this ‘blackvoice’? If so, I’m surprised we can still hear it. So, probably not.

Certainly surprised you can still see this . . .

The Usual Links . . .

You can get my posts by email as soon as they’re published. With the added bonus that they’ll contain the typos I’ll discover later. I believe there’s a box for this at the bottom of each post. I guess it’s logical that this doesn’t appear on the version given to me . . .

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.