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

Twenty years ago, a salary of 1,000 euros a month was considered poor and insufficient to live off. Today it still is, especially as this is now worth half as much in purchasing power as it was then. Perhaps this is another factor behind all the tourist industry jobs being taken by immigrants from South America. Obvious question: What are all the young Spanish kids doing instead​? Here’s the VdG on the subject: Nóminas menguantes: Lo dice la Organización Internacional del Trabajo: «La nómina de los trabajadores españoles no ha mejorado en la última década». Al contrario. Pese a la intensa creación de empleo, que ha llevado a pulverizar el récord histórico de ocupación, los salarios de los nuevos contratados, especialmente los de los jóvenes, son inferiores a los que se pagaban hace diez años. Una situación excepcional entre los países desarrollados, advierte el organismo, que recuerda que los bajos sueldos son una fuente adicional de ansiedad para las nuevas generaciones, que sufren otros problemas como la carestía de vivienda.

This is a video of bull-related event down in Alicante in which the beast isn’t killed. Or even jabbed with a spear. Though it does end up tired and frustrated. Go to minute 8.19 for the best bit.

A recently re-opened bar on the terrace in Pv city’s main square has begun to insist on payment on delivery of your drinks. So, another change – along with compulsory reservations, limited time at the table and multiple turnos per night – in the direction of a (harder) USA culture, away from the (softer) traditional Spain. I understand the logic but can’t pretend I like it. And today I reacted to it in a petty and irrational way, by not leaving my normal very decent tip. As if it was the waitress’s fault! I’m wondering if they only do this to folk who aren’t going to eat. And possibly only in summer. Ya veremos. Meanwhile, I’ll be drinking at the place beside it on the terrace. Where I’ve known the owner for 20+ years and where he’d die before doing this to me..

Last night there was a concert in Plaza Galicia at 10.30. At 3pm, there were already 4 young women sitting below the stage, in the full glare of the sun, at 30 degrees. Two of them were playing cards but the other 2 were just staring into the middle distance. I hope it was worth it for them.

I saw another guided group of 30-40 tourists in a narrow street of Pv city’s old quarter today but it struck me things could be even worse. The river Lérez silted up a century or two ago and we don’t get anything much bigger than a small yacht in our port. And certainly none of the huge cruise ships that visit nearby Vigo, disgorging thousands of shoppers.

A propos . . . This article expects us to believe that Vigo is the best city in which to retire, despite the fact it has no old quarter to speak of and doesn’t even boast a basilica, never mind a cathedral . . . But I confess it has better international cuisine and a superior cultural life, being 4 times bigger than Pv city. And rather more commercial. I like it but wouldn’t live there.

The UK

When I saw a foto today of a group of well-off women in their 60s holding up placards saying Refugees welcome here, I was reminded of a father’s friend telling an outraged 19 year old – me – that: It’s easy to be tolerant when you have nothing to tolerate.

Immigration . . .

• 1. The Guardian being honest on the subject.
• 2. The left wing (‘liberal and progressive) New Statesman being even more honest . . . Those imagining that a new Labour government marked a country more at ease with itself have been disabused. . . . We are gripped by deep historical changes that have torn at the heart and soul of the country, and people know it . . . Immigration and also austerity – plus the uncritical embracing of liberal market globalisation – has created “the gutted and impoverished communities that are now the crucible of thuggery and violence”. . . . Both reactionary and progressive responses have failed and will always fail because they do not recognise what populism is.  . . . As part of reconnecting with people’s lives, Labour has to reject identity politics. . . . For the first time in national history, people are living alongside others with radically different civilisational values. . . . Avoiding deeper conflict requires a confident society supported by a strong state capable of controlling the numbers of newcomers, ensuring their integration, and resolving differences through reciprocal agreement of the common good. This is not England today.  . . . England’s parliamentary democracy, our language, our history of individual liberty and the rule of law, have made us a powerful symbol of Western civilisation. The thuggery, racism and ethnic hatred of recent days has shown us that this legacy is precarious.
• The Times on the subject: Rioters long for a Britain that never existed: Finding a way to contain the rage of ignorant racists will prove a challenge for our political system in the years ahead . . . The idea that the riots pose an immediate threat to democracy is overblown. Nevertheless, we need to think hard about how we deal with the ugly rage of this unpleasant section of British society in the long term. . . Our system is failing to respond to social changes quickly enough. . . In today’s democracies, even those destined to be eternally whipped by demons have the right to be represented. Failure to acknowledge their voice offers only one certain outcome: that they will bring more people to their dismal, divisive, destructive cause.

France

Have the successful Olympics really ‘saved Macron’s presidency’. I guess he hopes so.

The USA

For the past three weeks the former president has been lashing out, pushing lies, hurling insults, trialling nicknames, trafficking in racism, and trotting out nonsense as he struggles to regain the narrative from Vice-President Harris. “The campaign is disciplined; their candidate is not. He is single-handedly destroying his chance for re-election. This is the weakest Democratic nominee in terms of record in a long time but Trump’s insistence on making the attacks personal and vicious are blunting their impact and, in fact, backfiring on him.” . . . The new Trump turns out to be the same old Trump. Reflecting on the assassination attempt during a recent rally in Minnesota, the former president commented: “They all say, ‘I think he’s changed since two weeks ago. Something affected him.’ No, I haven’t changed. Maybe I’ve gotten worse, actually.” For this small mercy . . .

Quote of the Day

It’s indisputable that human beings will believe anything. Carl Jung.

AI

An amusing tale of a Scouser who did good. Rather better than he’d thought, in fact. Or fiction. . . . A salutary lesson to all users — and, perhaps, media organisations intent on replacing proper journalists with AI chatbots — that artificial intelligence isn’t always the omnipotent panacea it’s made out to be.

Spanish

A few readers of my blog don’t speak English but they can get an automatic translation in FB, where there’s a TfG group. I wondered how the machine would do if I used ‘twigged’ instead of ‘realised . . . To twig is given thus in one app:- 1. Caer en el hecho de que. 2. Darse cuenta 3. Coscarse

Did you know?

The best way to deal with queue jumpers? Kill them with British passive aggression, it says here. This is an area where Spain is not as anarchic as it was, when it was best to approach a mass of folk, asking ‘Who’s last here’.

Finally . . .

I think I mentioned that the customer services folk of a major company – Warner Bros, in fact – had irritated me by asking me the same question repeatedly and saying they were about to close down my enquiry. I wrote to tell them to do so, as they were pissing me off. They replied in a prissy email telling me I’d offended them and saying  they might have to ban me. I told them to go ahead, as I couldn’t care less. As Warner is American, I guess I should have said I could care less . . Illogically.

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.