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 Galicia/España

The estimable Max takes us on a dive into Madrid’s most cherished fiesta.

And Fascinating Spain gives us Gaudi’s secret masterpiece.

The magnificent but dour Escorial, not far from Madrid

The UK

The damage lockdown did to our democracy is finally becoming clear. We might now be seeing a sort of mass nervous breakdown, resulting in a nihilistic rejection of politics as it was.

The USA

An amusing take on how the US will be seen in a hundred years.

The Way of the World

Good to know . . .  The Vatican tightens the checks on weeping Madonnas that multiply pizzas.
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Did you know

The lizard, the wonder drug — and how it will change the world. Developed to treat diabetes, Ozempic and Wegovy have revolutionised weight loss — and Denmark’s economy. But the benefits of this medication do not stop there. A classic case of what the pharma industry calls serendipity. Viagra was the last one, I think And, before that, Prozac and Inderal.

Finally . . . .

Well, the run of bad luck continues. Waking at 4 with a dry mouth and aching limbs, I concluded I had ‘flu, not the bug which had hit other members of the family yesterday. But at 10.30, after 8 ‘Technicolor yawns’ in rapid succession, I decided it was, indeed, the bug. But at least all this retching got me out of going to a Mass and having to supervise the disobedient wretches who are my grandkids. It’s an ill wind.

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.

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.