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

Spain, says this (Spanish) columnist, is now the European capital of woke. She explains how this has happened.

Ángeles Flórez Peón, a heroine of the Spanish Civil War who spent half a century in exile has died, aged 105.

Down to Madrileños taking advantage of cooler northern summer climes? . . The VdG today: . El verano está  a la vuelta de la esquina, y no solo suben las temperaturas: alquilar una vivienda de temporada en la costa gallega costará de media algo más de 1.900 euros, con precios de entre 800 euros la semana y 1.600 la quincena en el rango más bajo, y de entre 1.400 euros siete días y 3.000 dos semanas, en el escalón más alto. Esto se traduce en un incremento de precio del 12 % respecto a la temporada del 2023. La  cifra es algo superior en las zonas con más tirón de las Rías Baixas.[!!]. Anyone want to rent a house?

Europe

Europe’s democratic charade.  Prepare for post-election negotiations changing the European Parliament just as much as voter choices.For many voters, these fluid European party affiliations make the upcoming election even less understandable.

The UK

Those Bulgarians yet again. How they did it.

Talking of decadence . . . British sleaze.

The USA

Blimey! Have things really come to this pretty pass? The United States is lurching towards civil war, claims a British historian . . . November’s election is now a referendum on whether Trump should go to prison – or the White House. . .  Whatever the outcome, America will lose. . . .Lincoln would have despised Trump, but also recognised in the present danger the death-wish that has haunted his country since its birth.

Plus . . .The ghost who haunts the MAGA revolt

Ukraine

Ukraine can strike Russian targets with its F-16s, says the Dutch government. This position contrasts with Belgian policy, under which donated F-16s cannot be used by Kyiv to hit targets inside Russia.

Russia

Crystal balling . . . What if Putin wins no. 5:  Worst-case scenario. So . . .  Let’s hope those who believe Putin only wants – at most – the Russian-speaking bit of East Ukraine are right. Which is a sentiment probably voiced, mutatis mutandis, in October 1938. Most wholeheartedly by a certain Mr Chamberlin.

Israel//Palestine

Someone else also thinks that protesters are woefully ignorant.

The Way of the World

We live in hope . . . The era of rip-off airline flight change fees may be coming to an end. Travellers have long been forced to deal with costly rebooking and name change fees – but things are slowly improving

Social Media

People’s language abilities have been seriously degraded by a decade on social media.   Those who shout loudest on behalf of inclusivity and moral virtue – be it antiracism, Palestine or fat rights – are amongst the most aggressive, most anti-virtuous, and least humane people of all. A bullhorn for the cretinous?

Quote of the Day

The Catholic church has fewer holy days of obligation than the modern LGBTQI+ movement, and is arguably a lot less guilt-tripping. See why/how here.

Finally . . .

I’ve made a lot of rice dishes over they years but only made a risotto for the first time tonight. Not sure it’s worth the effort, compared with a stir fry made with different rice.

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. Finally, some advice on getting a mortgage.