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

Can it go on? . . . Per Reuters: Spain’s economy is poised for impressive growth, thanks mainly to a booming tourism sector that’s outshining its European neighbors: Spain is capitalizing on a bustling summer tourism season, with its GDP expected to grow by 2.4% in 2024 – far outpacing Germany’s 0.3% and the euro zone’s 0.7%. The country saw an incredible 10.9m tourists in July 2024 – a 7% increase on last year. This surge drove visitor spending up by 12%, leading to a 19% rise to €71bn in the first 7 months of the year. German and British visitors contributed significantly, with German tourists spending 10% more and British visitors – who make up 20% of all tourists – increasing their spending by 8% in July.

As noted a few times, Spain has seen a greater than 10% increase in its population in the last 5-10 years due to immigration, mainly from South America. This, says Mark Stücklin here, has been a key factor in driving up property prices.

A high-speed boat chase near Cádiz has left one alleged drug trafficker dead and 4 injured. The crash occurred after the Guardia Civil, backed by a helicopter, began pursuing 8[sic] speed boats that had entered the Guadalquivir river early on Sunday morning.

As I noted recently . . . The VdG reports that: For this year’s return to school, the average cost for families will be €400 per student, with increases of up to 13% in the price of books and other materials. Says one parent: “The older the children are, the more expensive the return to school is for their parents”. And, as my daughter says, it very much depends on the school, eg whether it demand a uniform.

A British columnist writes: Lanzarote is a desolate black volcanic island off the coast of Africa but its shores are lined with “authentic Irish bars” and “traditional British pubs” serving English breakfasts. The seafront is patrolled by sunburned Britons on mobility scooters. That you can order a bacon sandwich and a mug of tea in a caff at what was not long ago the outer limit of the civilised world is obviously mad. This reminded me of something I wrote way back in 2003.

Germany

A primer: What is the AfD? And: The reasons behind the rise of the hard right in Germany. The surge in popularity has been driven by fears over immigration and the economy. It’s a test for Germany’s postwar consensus. However, despite its gains, the far right will not form any government, or even be a part of any governing coalition. Nonetheless, it suggests a major realignment in German politics, reflecting growing disenchantment with mainstream politics. 

Another attempt at explaining thing . . . The rise of the AfD is, perhaps, not even the most striking story of these elections

The EU

Olaf Scholz’s humiliation leaves a German power vacuum in the heart of Europe. The Chancellor’s days are numbered.

The Way of the World

It’s very hard to disagree with this British columnist: No parody could ever be half as funny as the new guide for British Red Cross employees. . . Some language, in its words, “can be harmful, triggering or emotive”. . . Employees should refer to “people who have periods” rather than “solely referring to women”; terms such as “maiden name” and “ladies and gentlemen” should be avoided as they are “not inclusive”; no one should be described as “born a man or woman”; and terms such as “elderly”, “youngster” and “pensioner” should be avoided because they are ageist. Then there’s the term “illegal migration”. This triggering expression should be avoided and instead such an individual should be described as a “person in search of safety” or a “person experiencing migration”. 

Did you know?

Just in case you need to know . . The Top 10 beer drinking nations of 2023:

Finally . .

My daughter and my 5 year old grandson have returned to Madrid today, after 8 weeks with me. The only pluses are that my lounge no longer resembles a ravaged toy shop, and I won’t be treading on Lego pieces for a while.

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

My thanks to those readers who take the trouble to Like my posts.

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.