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

Politics . .

• I mentioned another politician accused of malfeasance. This is the co-founder of the ‘far-left Podemos movement, part of the PSOE government’s coalition. Quite a lot of women, say he sexually assaulted them, leading to his resignation this last week. Apparently he had a a lot of concern for the rights of people at large but not so much for women in his circle.
• Immigration. Like many other countries, Spain has a very low ow birth rate and needs immigrants to do the jobs that Spaniards don’t want to do, or simply to expand the workforce in a growing economy. For this, and more emotionally-tinged reasons, the government plans to improve the system of assessing asylum seekers and economic migrants. While working with African states to reduce the number of people fleeing that continent in the direction of the Canary Islands and Spain’s coastline. And, says The Guardian here, the PM is doing something odd in Europe and defending immigration. Which is both honest and brave, given that immigration ranks as the number one concern of the populace.

To its apparent surprise, the Madrid government found that e-bike firms and e-cyclists haven’t stuck to the rules imposed on them, so it has banned the machines in the city. Or at least the rented ones. https://archive.ph/B1ZZ8

This Spanish bucket-list is as good as any I guess. I’m pleased to say I’ve visited nearly all of them, without ever having had such a list. If I did, going back to Iran would be at the top of it.

A mythically important battle in northern Spain that might never have actually taken place . . . [Its details and even its occurrence are subject to debate among historians] . . .

A different form of Catalan madness . .

The UK

Someone seems surprised at what has been been well-known for decades, viz. that the ‘special relationship with the USA is rather one-sided.

The USA

This chap really doesn’t think much of Kamala Harris, but then quite a few folk don’t. . . .The worst candidate for president in American history, he says.

The Way of the World/Social Media

Dear God! Inspired by TikTok, teenage boys are becoming increasingly obsessed with their appearance. Hence, ‘looksmaxxing’.

More seriously . . . The questions of the moment: What is fascism? And why does Harris say Trump is a fascist?

English

Extruded verbal material: Verbal diarrhea.

Finally . . .

As I left Poio in the rain this morning and am heading for rain in Madrid and Valencia, it’s nice to be in Zamora, where the sun is shining. Albeit with a temperature of only 11 degrees. But that’s Castiilla y Léon for you.

Am off to do some sight-seeing now.

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.