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

Spain joins Portugal and Greece in scrapping its Golden Visa scheme, in a ‘blow to British expats’. Not to mention other non-EU citizens.

Twenty years ago, the (lovely but quite hot or cold) region of Extremadura was Spain’s up-and-coming tourist spot. It still is, apparently.

For readers, some material cited Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas:

• Per El País, the best book about Spain is this one, by Michael Reid, of The Economist.
• A Load of Bull – An Englishman’s Adventures in Madrid by Tim Parfitt.
• Author Jason Webster’s 5 books that illustrate the power of the Spanish imagination

The UK

A comment I find very easy to believe: Conventional wisdom suggests Labour will find it easier to reform the NHS than the Tories — history suggests otherwise. But just how bad is the NHS nowadays? This columnist goes so far as to say it’s actually the enemy of the people, because it kills so many of them.

The stats which explain why people who buy upmarket cars live in smaller houses than they used . . . . The average cost of a house:-

• 1980: £23,000
• 2000: £77,000
• 2024: £260,000.

In contrast, wages have failed to keep pace. In 1980, the average first-time buyer took out a mortgage less than double their income. By 2022, this was more than 3 times their income.

Oh, and there’s also those car-finance deals which persuade folk to buy cars they can’t really afford

France

Allegedly . . . A TV documentary about France’s secret service has revealed that Russian honeytraps don’t work on French spies. Because their wives are used to them having affairs.

The USA

If you believe Donald Trump is anointed by your god, it’s not much of a stretch to claim that an earthquake and an eclipse show that “God is sending America strong signs to tell us to repent”. This was Georgia congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene a few days ago, joining the head of the Russian Orthodox church back in the Middle Ages. In saner countries, such a statement would be the death of a politician’s career.

China

Nothing if not ambitious.

Quotes of the Day

• The [UK]Cass report lays bare what we all knew about the trans brainwashing cult. The indoctrination of impressionable youngsters by dangerous cranks has been revealed by this landmark review . . . In the future, this will be regarded as one of the most egregious acts of medical malpractice of all time: Columnist Alison Pearson
• There are few other areas of healthcare where professionals are so afraid to openly discuss their views, where people are vilified on social media, and where name-calling echoes the worst bullying behaviour. This must stop: Dr Cass, in said report.
• The Cass Review is a devastating blow to trans ideology. The NHS has been experimenting on confused, vulnerable kids. Heads must roll.

The Way of the World

The Nigerian Minister for Poverty was found to have €20m in her 50+ bank accounts. She’s been ‘suspended’, possibly more for lacking empathy, than for corruption.

English

How ‘H’ became the most controversial letter in Britain.

Did you know? . . .

This is the entrance to Liverpool’s 200 years old Lime Street station – the world’s first terminus station:-

The view as you come out is of the finest neoclassical building in the UK, St George’s Hall – an amazing welcome to a vibrant city. Note: When I was a kid, both buildings in the foto – and St George’s Hall – were black with 19^th century soot.

Given that Liverpool’s 18th century wealth was built on slavery, I imagine some folk think it should be pulled down. St George’s Hall too. Modern vandalism is easily/facilely justified

Finally . . .

The Guardian on the Invertebrate of the Year

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. And this is something on the so-called Beckham Rule, which is beneficial – tax-wise – for folk who want to work here.