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 damning report on Spain’s housing market labels it ‘a system of wealth transfer’, as half of home purchases are made by ‘mega landlords’, while 70% of tenants expect to ‘rent until they die’. I’m not clear how this squares with the fact that 75% of Spaniards own their own homes, though it’s true that this has decreased from 80% of 15 years ago. Only Malta, I read, has a higher percentage.

Spain’s longest war turns out to have been against . . . Denmark.

We now know where (most of) the body of Columbus is lying – in a box in Sevilla cathedral – but we still wait to be told whether his live body emerged in Genoa or here in Poio. Or possibly in one of the other places claiming this honour.

It’s reported that Spain has threatened to bring in a hard border at Gibraltar unless the UK accepts ‘generous’ post-Brexit deal that would see Spanish troops stationed on The Rock. However, as the journal in question is the Daily Mail, this might not be the complete truth, as opposed to what the editor wants his readers to get agitated by.

This might useful for some . . . How to choose the right visa when buying property in Spain. Back in 2000, I didn’t use/pay a local expert but the UK was in the EU back then and I had rights. But was still compelled to tae out private healthcare so that I wouldn’t be a burden on the state. I recall wondering if the UK did the same to Spaniards moving to Britain. Assuming there were any.

I’ve said more than once that it astonishes me that – at a time of unfulfilled demand for private residences – Pv city has many ground-floor premises lying empty and boarded up. This is because they were meant for shops(bajos) that no one wants to occupy these day. The VdG addressed this issue today, making a very good point: Bajoviviendas: Más de 8,200 bajos y locales comerciales están vacíos en Galicia. Hace un año se aprobó un decreto para poder convertirlos en inmuebles residenciales. Según datos de la patronal de inmobiliarias, ya se han transformadeo má de 3,000, pero podrían ser más si todos los ayuntamientos aceptaran esta posibilidad, a pesar de que se quejan de la falta de oferta de alquileres. Señalan además que son ideales para pisos turísticos, al tener salida a la calle sin molestar a los vecinos, y para personas con movilidad reducida.

Judging by the dozens – if not hundreds – of students getting off and on local trains at midday today – all lugging suitcases of clothes for Mama to wash – I’m guessing there are no lectures in Galician universities on Fridays. This is in line with the modern Spanish dictum that The weekend begins on Thursday – when Renfe raises its weekday prices, by the way. At Vigo station today, the majority of these strapping youngsters eschewed the stairs and joined a long line for the escalator. So, they won’t be as slim as they are now when they get to my age.

Talking of young folk . . . This attractive woman won a beauty competition here in Galicia recently:-

She’s said to be a resident in my barrio of Poio (Columbus’s birthplace, you’ll recall). Maybe, but I have to say I don’t recall ever seeing her on the street or in a café. I think I would remember, if I had. Certainly, if she’d been dressed like that.

Portugal

Where to go for the world’s biggest waves to surf through.

The EU

The new ESS – planned for a November intro – has been delayed sine die. And there is now talk of this being phased in some way. I don’t suppose there’ll be a lot of disappointment at this news.

The President of a Spanish company supplying car parts claims that the EU approach to energy transition is a disaster for the automotive sector. Chinese manufacturers, he says, have subsidies and American companies have tax incentives, while European companies face fines.

Spanish

El caravaning: Caravanning. Or possibly Caravaning in the USA.

Finally . . .

You have to laugh:-

It reminded me of what was typed on the airway bill of the (wild) dog we (stupidly) brought back from Iran: British Airways accepts no responsibility for mortality caused by death.

My thanks to those readers who take the trouble to Like my posts, either after reading on line or in my FB group Thoughts from Galicia.

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.