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/Galicia

Spain’s population is to soar by more than 5m over the next few years. Mostly easily assimilable South Americans, I’d guess

Spain plans a nationwide crackdown on tourist flats. In Madrid, an astonishing 92% are said to lack a licence.

While, out in the countryside . . . Villages are fighting to survive

Not very surprising that 2 places in Galicia feature in this Fascinating Spain guide to cooler places in Spain for summer.

Reader Paideleo has said something that, in fact, I’d planned to add to yesterday’s comments about negotiating roundabouts in Spain . . . Where there’s a risk that someone in the outer lane might cross your path, your choices are to be extremely alert to this probability, or to follow the herd. The latter is safer, of course. But should not be done in any other country, least of all Portugal.

We used to have 5 tourist offices in Pv city, all competing with each other. I think it’s down to 3 now but the one for the city itself keeps moving. I went to the latest one yesterday, to get a plan of the old quarter for my visiting sister. To my surprise, they seemed a tad taken aback at my request. Understandable when you know that the office now belongs to the Galician Socialist Party. With the latest office of a Turismo being a kiosk 80 metres away.

Something else that regularly changes is the PV city food scene. During my absence, what used to be a household-wares shop became a fancy churrasquería, and what was once an expensive Chinese & Persian rug shop and then a decent tapas place is opening as a Chinese noodles restaurant. And, next week, an ‘iconic’ restaurant in the main square will re-open under the management of the 5th set of owners in 20 years. It defies logic that the previous 4 couldn’t make a profit there. Maybe they had other reasons to run a restaurant.

Argentina

Lenox Napier writes here on its odd president and his connection with the right-wing presidenta of Madrid.

France/The EU

Quite a claim . . . Macron has more damage to France than Liz Truss did to the UK. . .

And: The breathtaking events unfolding in France expose all the old deformities of the half-finished euro project. 

The USA

Portland de-funded its police but now, as vigilantes roam the city, it has changed course. It decriminalised drugs and stopped prosecuting low-level criminals. Voters appear not to appreciate the results.

Ukraine v Russia

Effie Deans speaks some truths here.

English

Smishing: Identity theft committed through a malicious link contained within a text message.

Like this one I got overnight: Which began “DGT: Último recordatorio de su multa”. Clicking on the (suspicious) takes you to a web page imitating the design on the DGT and, of course, asking you for your personal data and bank account details.

Spanish

• Culebra: Snake
• Culebrón: Big snake; soap opera.

Finally . . . Pseuds’ Corner

• From a review of Manchester City FC: To witness Bernardo Silva play football is like watching a lovable field mouse win 25 simultaneous games of chess, while also defeating an army of orcs using only a tickle stick.
• From the same columnist: The entire cultural history of the 1980s is basically Midge Ure walking through the Vienna mist in a leather overcoat surrounded by decaying grandeur and laughing Nazi-yuppies waiting for megadeath to fall from the skies.

• 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.