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 is not a de jure federal state like the USA and Germany but it does often seem to be de facto federal. And the Prime Minister says that, with this Catalan development, Spain has taken a step towards the real thing. Not everyone is happy with it, of course.

HT to Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas for these items:.

• The great engine of the Spanish economy has burst at its seams. Between saturated beaches and city centres packed with bars, many parts of its geography have become impossible spaces for daily life. If there really is a quality alternative to mass tourism, no one has yet found the formula.
• The reason why my new DAB radio doesn’t work here in Galicia. . . For years, most Spanish regions have held back the development of digital radio technology, with only the Baleares, Navarra and Catalonia allowing it. Why? To aid the main broadcasters, their advertisers and the propagandists.

Here’s Lenox again on the would-be investigation/trial of the moment.

Finally, Lenox gets his just dessert here.

As it’s the first day of August, the nearby city of Vigo has naturally started to erect its Xmas lights . . .

The Camino de Santiago . . . Below, there’s some advice for pilgrims leaving Pv city across O Burgo bridge.

The UK

Apart from her better-than-elsewhere food, William Harrison was also proud of 16th century England’s canines . . There is no country that may (as I take it) compare with ours in number, excellency, and diversity of dogs. Still true, probably. Almost 500 years later.

France

Reader and fellow-blogger Maria has some advice for mis-offended Christians here. And the estimable Caitlin Moran comments on the Olympics furore here, at Item no. 1.

The USA

If you haven’t seen it, you really should seek out Trump’s performance yesterday at a conference of black journalists. The appalling man at his very worst. Whatever one thinks of the ‘progressive’ politics of the Democrats, it’s hard to see how c. 50% of US voters can be happy to see him again as the most powerful person in both the USA and the world. Talk about character flaws! Not that any of them are new, of course. Perhaps the Republican cretin who tried to kill him has done us all a favour in the end, accelerating the departure of a poor opponent.

Iran

An amusing short from Instagram . . .

The Way of the World

Opus Dei [per Wiki] is an institution of the Catholic Church, founded in Spain in 1928. Its stated mission is to help its lay and clerical members to seek Christian perfection in their everyday occupations and within their societies. It has long attracted significant controversy regarding its political activities and its alleged cult-like practices. Most recently, it has been accused of recruiting children. But, then, the catechism is has always been about indoctrinating kids. I still know large chunks of it off by heart.

AI

How it prevents progress.

Spanish

Un fideicomiso: A [eg hospital] trust.

Did you know?

The Romans used to exile at least some of the ‘barbarians’ they captured to ’cold and wet‘ Britain, where – initially at least – they believed the natives always ran around naked, revelling in the mud. Some Italians possibly still have that opinion.

Finally . .

I crave your indulgence for a bit of personal reportage . . . In quite a surprising – and irritating – coincidence, after receiving the fraudulent SMS yesterday morning I was actually fined last evening for parking illegally – in my own quiet street. Specifically for facing the wrong direction. Ironically, I wouldn’t have done this but for the fact that I couldn’t park outside my house because some thoughtless idiot had denied me a spot by parking in the middle of a 2-car space, leaving at least 2m from both the car in front and the car behind. Which meant I had to go and turn round at the end of the cul-de-sac and find an alternative space relatively near my house, from which to lug 3 heavy shopping bags from my car. Nor would it have happened if there were parking spaces on both sides of the road. Or if I hadn’t stayed at home and not gone downtown – as I usually do of an evening – because my daughter had a migraine and I needed to look after my grandson. But the really annoying irony is that the police didn’t fine my 3 neighbours whose SUVs had 2 wheels on the kerb, ensuring they stayed within the white line. All in all, rather unfair I thought, especially as this was the first time in 24 years, I’d parked like this. But at least I get a 50% discount for paying immediately. Which probably indicates the name of the game.

BTW, this was, I think, my 20th or 21st motoring offence in 24 years in Spain, compared with none while driving in several other countries for 2 decades before I came here. As I’ve said before, the Spanish police are nothing if not officious. Either that or my driving/law-keeping has seriously deteriorated.

Finally, Finally . . .

As it’s the start of the month . . .  Some readers, I hope, will know that the verse I cite at the top of my posts is the opening quatrain of Fitzgerald’s wonderful – but very ‘free’ – translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which you can read about here. Some verses are well known, of course, eg:-
The moving finger writes; and, having writ,
moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit
shall lure it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.

My favourite:-
Myself when young did eagerly frequent
doctor and saint, and heard great argument
about it and about: but evermore
came out by the same door as in I went

Advice for pilgrims leaving Pv city via O Burgo bridge.

At the moment, the main route up through the barrio of Lérez is closed and you’re advised to turn left and take the first right, just after the petrol/gas station. My advice is not to do this but to keep walking a minute or two until you arrive at a zebra crossing, where you’ll see a path to your right, alongside a tributary of the main river. This is flat and far more shaded. After a few hundred metres, you’ll arrive at a tarmac road, with a small, narrow bridge to your left. Here you can either carry straight on across the road or turn right onto the road and then join the main route after 200m. If you take the first option – my recommendation – you’ll follow a path as it bends to the right and comes out on the main route, further along than with the 2nd option.

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. And this article ‘debunks claims re wealth and residency taxes’. Probably only relevant if you’re a HNWI. In which case, you’ll surely know what that stands for.