Colin Davies

31 August 2024

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

Not sure I knew this was happening. Other than in North Africa, that is. . . .Spain has forcibly deported hundreds of irregular migrants this year, new EU figures show – as arrivals continue to surge

Bit surprised that Salamanca doesn’t figure in Spain’s Top Ten Cultural cites here.

Spain is the No. 1 country for digital nomads, it says here. Where you can see the full top 10 list. Within Spain, this might be a lucrative location for some.

HT to Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas for:-

  • 1. The news that there’s an ‘accidental’ fire every second day in recycling plants around Spain. As he says . . . There’s not much one can do with unrecyclable stuff, now that China declines to take it, and
  • 2. The info here on the early Tartessos civilization located around Cádiz

Another new camino not known to me . . . Just initiated this summer: The Camino de Uclés starts in Madrid, but is not part of the Jacobean routes, as its destination is not Santiago de Compostela, but the Monastery of Uclés. And though it doesn’t t lead pilgrims to the most important temple dedicated to Santiago, it directs them to the second most important temple dedicated to him – Monastery of Uclés. Which surely justifies getting in on the act. One thing’s for sure – It’ll be less busy that most other options.

A more attractive option for me would be the wolf park in Antequera. I didn’t know of it when I was last down there in 2018.

Portugal

A Portuguese restaurateur tell me that the best place or suckling pig in Portugal is Barreira, which is an hour or so’s drive from Oporto, not far beyond ‘The Venice of Portugal’, Aveiro.

The USA

China

This can’t be good . . .

The Way of the World

  • An opinion on global migration from the FT. . . The drawbacks of the politicians’ immigration balancing act. Working from purely economic or electoral motives neglects the key to integration.
  • The French fashion house Balenciaga has launched its ‘Destroyed’ tights. Available in black and light beige — all the leg colours — the Destroyed come complete with ladders and holes – all for a mere £1,150! Just £400 more than Balenciaga’s non-destroyed normal tights!

Quote of the Day

There is no such thing as freedom of the press, except for those who own and control it.

Net Zero/AGW/The Climate Crisis

Cold kills eight times more than heat in Europe, a study finds. There has been criticism of global bodies for putting too much emphasis on heat deaths despite cold proving far more lethal.

Spanish

  • . . . y no se lo piensó: . . . .’and without thinking about it’, says Google
  • Una Dana: Un fenómeno meteorológico – Una Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos. In English, it’s known as a “cut-off low” or “upper-level low”

Did you know?

A cut-off low/upper-level low is a cold-core low that becomes separated from the main westerly flow. The system detaches from the jet stream and becomes “cut off” from the general circulation. It contains a pool of cold air aloft surrounded by warmer air masses. They’re relatively common phenomena: They’re more commonly observed south of the jet stream, in areas like Spain and the Mediterranean, and can occur year-round but are most frequent and potentially hazardous in late summer and autumn.

Finally . . .

To amuse . . .

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. If you do this but don’t read the posts, I will delete your subscription. So perhaps don’t bother if you have other reasons for subscribing . . .
  • 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.