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

A surprising Vox development. No poverty of ambition with these folk.

Things aren’t going to plan in respect of the (ultra right-wing) prosecution of the PM’s wife

I am indebted to the estimable Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas for these sub-Gaudi horrors, here and here.

Interesting to see that Uruguay ranks lower for corruption than some countries closer to home

Watching the 6th encierro in Pamplona today, I wondered why nearly all the bulls run rapidly straight down to the ring, blithely ignoring the mass of humanity into which they cold plough their horns. Do they think the humans are part of a stampede led by the cows?

The mother-ship of Colombian drug smugglers has been apprehended, after sailing back and forth downloading cocaine onto launches along our coast. It had a cargo of . . . cows.

There’s another vegan restaurant in Pv city – Café Misto – and we ate there yesterday. They can certainly make plants taste good. I might have to review my stance. Especially as my 2 dishes went down very well on Wednesday night. Even with me.

The UK

Very probably true . . . Conflating economic growth with net zero will achieve neither and waste taxpayers’ money. Reasons here.

From the Armada to Euro 2024 — a beginner’s guide to Anglo-Spanish relations.

France

The Olympics . . . Quel domage . .. It’s not looking like everything will be alright on the night . . . What’s the French for schadenfreude? [Google suggests ‘le schadenfreude’’. But Deeple gives plaisir/joie de nuire.]

Joe Biden has shot himself in several parts of his anatomy. Again. Here’s one take, which begins: When you’ve got one last shot at proving you’re definitely not senile, there are probably better ways to start than to stare Volodymyr Zelensky lovingly in the eyes and call him “President Putin”. There’s a link there to the contenders for the Democratic nomination.

Biden’s gaffe has ruined months of our hard work, say European officials. Diplomats fear that in less than a minute the US President changed the narrative of an entire summit.

The next few days will determine Biden’s future. Not to mention that of the USA and the entire world. Unless you think that US presidents are all merely puppets manipulated by the nasty people who are really in charge. Even Trump.

The Way of the World

You have to laugh. . . . Clothing and other items promoting cultural appropriation have been banned by the organisers of a festival in London. These are said to include ponchos and sombreros because, you know, it deeply upsets millions of Mexicans to see these worn outside Mexico. I’m left wondering if my Panama hat would be OK. Good to read that festival vendors and attendees openly disregard the rules.

Did You Know?

This was written in the 16th century: Nearly all of the words have been lost to us, which is a shame. But I’ve been able to find some definitions. The rest tomorrow, maybe:-

There are several disorders and degrees amongst our idle vagabonds:

• 1. Ruffle – A ruffian, bully, villain; especially a vagabond operating in the guise of a maimed soldier or sailor.
• 2. Uprightman – The leader of a group of thieves or vagrants.
• 3. Hooker or angler – A thief who uses a pole with a hook on the end to steal goods. 
• 4. Rogue
• 5. Wild rogue
• 6. Prigger/Pranser – A thief
• 7. Palliard – A beggar or vagrant, especially a professional one; (earlier especially) a lecher.
• 8. Patrico – A fraudulent priest.
• 9. Jarkeman – A forger of passes or licences.
• 10. Freshwater mariner or whipjack
• 11. Drummerer
• 12. Drunken tinker
• 13. Swadder or pedler
• 14. Frater
• 15. Abram

Finally . . .

I woke from dream this morning in which I was challenging Nigel Farage abut a huge cigar he was smoking in a No Smoking place. I wonder what Freud would have made of that.

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.