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

The death toll from the devastating floods is now well over 100.

Here’s the Guardian on what what caused them

And here are 2 explanatory maps:-

Back to trivia . . . A Londoner writes: On the 7-minute walk to my local Tube station there are now 6 supermarkets, and not a single greengrocer. In contrast, in Pv city, there seem to be competing grocers on most streets. Plus the market, of course.

The UK

What the new Labour government might be getting wrong.

This is probably the strongest criticism of yesterday’s Budget that you’re likely to read, assuming you want to.

The view of a left-wing journal.

Germany

Some of the bad economic news, though better news is that a recession has been narrowly avoided.

The USA/Quote of the Day

As we all know our American cousins are cuckoo for a bit of Halloween. If anyone has ever been in the States on October 31, they will know that the entire country is given over to mass pumpkinry, herds of ghouls and bloodied cheerleaders.

English

The space between your nostrils is called the columella nasi.

Finally . . . Travel News

A lovely drive today, under the sun, through the undulating countryside of Castilla la Mancha, complete with Quijote windmills. Not bloody turbines. We visited 2 astonishing castles, the first in the lovely little village of Ulcés, and the second above the larger village/town of Belmonte. Since I can’t do justice to them – partly because of a lack of time tonight – here’s links to info on 1. Ulcés and 2. Belmonte. The latter has been magnificently restored outside and in.

Tomorrow we hope to travel a little further south-east to, firstly, Albacete – possibly to Vete y cage, as the Spanish say – and then Almansa. But all depends on the reports on the roads and the weather. We might never make it to Valencia on this trip but, if we do, it’ll be well into next week.

Time is short for this post, partly because Google Maps told us that our hotel for the night was in the empty fields to our left out in the wilds, where there was nothing but grass. Cue minor panic.

I told my old friend I would write tonight that he is more than averagely excited by 1. griffins, and 2. old walls. So, I hope we don’t come across a griffin sitting on a medieval wall, as he might explode with joy.

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.