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 exuberant Battle of Wine in Haro, La Rioja.

Spain is much more than patatas bravas. I can vouch for the chicken chilindrón but lamb is better.

Photoespaña – The exhibition where the staging is as impressive as the art. Madrid’s yearly photography festival has shone light on new photographers, established industry names, and artists whose work has gone unrecognised for decades. By the end of September, it will have hosted more than 80 exhibits featuring the work of nearly 300 photographers and visual artists

In compensation for fewer-than-usual bits below, here’s a couple of items from the estimable Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas.
– From Idealista (in English) here: Spanish rental agreements: what to do if your tenant doesn’t pay the rent.
– The cost of a Schengen visa rose this week, the European Commission has confirmed. It has increased in price by 12.5%. The basic fee for a Schengen visa rose from €80 to €90 for adults and from €40 to €45 for children. The Commission has blamed the price hike on inflation in member states. Details from Schengen News here.
– Following the recent cyber-attack, Banco Santander recommends customers to change their passwords.

The EU

The EU has just put its car industry on the road to destruction. European carmakers will only grow flabby and uncompetitive behind tariff walls, claims this columnist.

Germany

That famous efficiency was not much display last night. Almost nice to know they can screw up as much as anyone else.

Finally . .

Well, the infamous Bay of Biscay has again been like a mill pond and the crossing has been smooth. But, having left the UK on a warm sunny day, it seems I’ll be met by by cool temperatures in Santander and will then have a rainy 5 hour drive to Pv city. But the sun will reappear on Wednesday, they say.

En passant, Brittany Ferries seem to have implemented even more cost-saving measures since the last time I sailed in January 2022. When, I now recall, the crossing was considerably less than smooth. And when the foam reached the top deck of the prow. And even the passengers were bolted to the floor. Almost.

I just paid for an hour of WiFi on the boat, as only 30 minutes is free these days. The woman at the desk did something wrong and muttered Joder!. Turns out she’s the only Spaniard employed on the boat and swears regularly as ‘no one understands me’.