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

If only I’d know the lovely Queen Letizia was unhappy in her marriage! But I see I’ve missed my chance. It’s reported that the royal couple no longer share the same bed or even live together anymore. This comes from the same 91 year old journalist who alleged last year that Letizia had had an affair with her brother-in-law both before and after her marriage to the then prince. It all seems rather unlikely.

One wonders if the Spanish negotiators of the deal with Gibraltar were keeping this up their sleeve. Armed Spanish police must be allowed inside Gibraltar, Madrid demands.

The Balearics are accused of rampant hypocrisy here. Ibiza is sick of drunken English hooligans – but didn’t mind taking their money in the first place. So called ‘excessive tourism’ transformed their lives. Ungrateful bastards . . .

More anti-tourist actions in Valencia. Bike tour companies have denounced the fact that their two-wheeled transports are being targeted by protesters.

The UK

Quite a widespread view, it seems. Certainly been mine for some time . . . Britain’s no longer a serious nation and we’re not serious about fixing it. Painful measures are needed to pull us out of decline but neither politicians nor voters will face up to them. I’m reminded of old advice to those embarking on a business career: Never join a declining company.

Germany

Suddenly, a welter of articles:-

• Inside the wealthy German town where the far right is on the rise.
• Germany’s authoritarian turn. A desperate establishment won’t tolerate dissent . . . 
• The key to Germany’s survival – The post-war constitution. Now increasingly under threat.

The Netherlands

The Lenape people, who lived in the Manhattan are before the arrival of the Dutch settlers, are at the center of an exhibition in Amsterdam. They also want an apology from the Netherlands for its colonial past. I see the exhibition includes a replica of the ship a Dutch friend and I spent a merry hour with the Scottish ‘captain’ a couple of years ago. But only a model, not the full size we got tipsy on in Rotterdam . . .

Quote of the Day

Noisy minorities are being allowed to bully the rest of us into silence. We have the power to stop this, of course.

English

Hideous and Hideout might look very similar on paper but they have no vowel sounds in common.

Spanish

 Español is renowned for the number and robustness of its swear words. Which is a tad ironic when you know that some folk still refer to it as Cristiano. Anyway, a Spanish friend has sent me this spoof circular from a general manager to Spanish-speaking employees, in Florida. If you don’t know the Spanish words, try the dictionary of the RAE here. Example: Pinga

SUBJECT: Offensive Language: Several visitors have reported that our Spanish-Speaking employees commonly use offensive language. Such behavior is highly unprofessional, offensive both to visitors and employees, and will not be tolerated. So, we have decided to implement a some rules:
1. Words like “coño”, “carajo”, puñeta” and other such expressions will not be used for emphasis, no matter how heated the discussion may get.
2. Non important matters should not be addressed to as “pendejadas”.
3. You will not say “la cagó” when someone makes a mistake, or “se cagó en su madre”, if you see someone being reprimanded. All forms and derivatives of the word “cagar” are inappropriate in our environment.
4. Lack of determination will not be referred to as “falta de cojones” or “mariconerías”. Nor will a person will lack of initiative be referred as “pendejo”, “mamao” or “comemierda”.
5. No Manager or Supervisor, under any circumstances, will be referred to as “hijo de puta”, “ese carbrón”, or “ese maricón”.
6. When a good proposal is presented, the term “ésto está de pinga”, must not be used.
7. Unusual or creative brainstorming meetings will not referred to as “pajas mentales”.
8. Do not say “como jode”, if a person is persistent, or “se jodió” if somebody is going through a difficult situation. Furthermore, you must not say, “qué jodienda” or “ésto está del coño”, when matters become complicated in your line of work.
9. When asking someone to leave you alone, you should not say “Vete pal carajo”. Nor you will substitute “¿qQué carajo quieres?” for “may I help you?”.
10. When leaving the office, using the term “Me voy pal carajo” is not proper.
11. When any office equipment fails, it must be reported as “It broke down”, not “Se descojonó” or “Se jodió la mierda ésta”.
12. Last, but not least, after reading this memo, please, do not say “Me voy a limpiar el culo con ésto” . Just keep it clean and file properly.

The Usual Links . . .

You can get my posts by email as soon as they’re published. With theadded 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.