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

León would like independence, at least from Castilla. Here’s why.

There was a few years ago a scandal around the fiddling of c.680m euros by a couple of senior PSOE politicians and their mates from redundancy funds. I can’t pretend to have ever understood all the details but it seems the case has now reached the Supreme Court or the Constitutional Court – or both – with most of the accused being let off earlier sentences. I’m particularly amazed, not by the process and its outcome, but by the timeline: Offences committed in the 8 years before 2009, sentences in 2019 and successful appeals in 2024. It also occurs to me that, if you’ve squirrelled away such huge sums, you can afford to appeal your conviction at the highest courts in the land, paying for the very best lawyers along the lengthy way. Not that this is proof of the accuseds’ skulduggery, of course.

Spain is NATO’s ‘laggard’ on defence spending in Europe. Here’s how and why.

And here’s Lenox Napier on immigrants

A Galician friend sent me a description – by someone Spanish – of Galicia as the Switzerland of Spain. This prompted my recollection of a book by a British woman who wrote a book in the very early 20th century entitled Galicia, the Switzerland of Spain. You can get this here or here.

Bloody Galician weather . . . It was 34 two days ago but only 17 when I went to Pilates at 10.30 yesterday morning, though it did rise to 21 later in the day. As it did today, when we’ve had the added pleasure of rain. I’d advise any potential tourist to stay away . . .

The UK

The boy done well, but . . . 3 ‘fatal’ mistakes already, avers this columnist.

The new government’s new-tax options.

France

They do things differently there . . . Because, says this columnist, the French are both wild-eyed lefties and far-right loonies. Is there a word for ‘compromise’ in French?

But the country’s current travails are all the fault of M Macron. Of course.

Russia

A cruise missile has hit a Kiev children’s hospital, killing ‘dozens’. So, I confidently expect to see anti-Russia/Orthodox Christianity demonstrations in London and other cities next weekend. . . As if.

The Way of the World

Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper – 1 or 2 decades ago – it’s been assumed that the young – being idealistic – would always vote for leftists parties. Which probably explains why the UK’s new Labour government plans to reduce the voting age from 18 to 16. In recent years, though, young voters have been moving rightwards – at least in the US and Europe – perhaps because they’ve suffered more than anyone in the last 15 years and are susceptible to right-wing/populist rhetoric. It’s possible the Labour government would be shooting themselves in the foot, if they do reduce the voting age. Unless, of course, they’re a raging success and transform the lives of everyone except the already rich.

Quotes of the Day

• President Macron is more clever-clever than wise.
• Horse-racing has done more for Anglo-Irish relations than has power-sharing at Stormont
  
  Did you know?

Liquids reheated in a microwave do not inherently cool down quicker than those heated on a stove. The cooling rate of a liquid depends on factors like its temperature, volume, surface area, and the surrounding environment, rather than the method used to heat it. However, there are a few reasons why microwaved liquids might seem to cool faster:

1. Uneven heating: Microwaves can heat liquids unevenly, creating hot and cold spots. When you stir the liquid after microwaving, the overall temperature may feel cooler as the heat distributes more evenly.
2. Volume and surface area: Often, we reheat smaller portions in the microwave. Smaller volumes of liquid have a higher surface area-to-volume ratio, which allows them to cool more quickly. This is true regardless of the heating method.
3. Container differences: When heating on a stove, the pot or pan continues to transfer heat to the liquid even after removing it from the heat source. Microwave-safe containers typically don’t retain as much heat, potentially leading to faster cooling.
4. Perception: The quick heating time of microwaves might make the subsequent cooling seem faster in comparison, even if it’s not actually occurring at a different rate.

To maintain the temperature of microwaved liquids for longer:

• Stir the liquid midway through heating to distribute heat evenly.
• Use a preheated container or transfer the liquid to a warm container after heating.
• Cover the liquid to reduce heat loss through evaporation.

Finally . .

Another of those headlines you don’t expect to see: England’s semi-final referee served six-month match-fixing ban.

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.