Awake, for morning in the bowl of night has flung the stone that puts
the stars to flight.
And, lo, the hunter of the east 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

We have 2 national holidays coming up, making for a puente and a fiesta weekend. But God, as ever the cosmic joker, is sending us some very bad weather, across the country. See here for as much detail as you could possibly want on this.

If you buy a property in Spain, this is about the worst thing that can happen to you. It reminds me of when I was thinking of moving South in 2001 – after a dreadful winter here – when an estate agent there pointed to a village on a hillside and said that all the houses in it were illegal. But I suppose it’s possible that those days are over and there’s no more crooked mayors, lawyers and notaries in Spain. Even so, I’d still advise you find an honest lawyer. They do exist.

God news from Barcelona . . . After more than 100 years, they’re topping off a spire of the Sagrada Familia. Somebody told me recently that the work is deliberately slow, as construction is such a tourist draw. Possibly true

The NZ chap who produced the video I cited about Spanish societal norms has also produced – among many others – a video of the 12 things he hates about Spain notwithstanding his love for the country and its people. I go along with all of them, except – of course – his dislike of being asked if he’s English. In my case, it’s being asked if I’m German. Especially by folk old enough to have met Germans in Galicia during the Civil War.

Spain has plans to crack down on smartphone usage among kids. Good intentions, of course.

Here’s the link to the wild boar article that some of readers won’t have got yesterday.

Cousas de Galicia

As in other Spanish towns, the Pv council is laying on several free Xmas events and facilities. I suspect far more so than in the UK, and I took to wondering today how these can be afforded. And then I recalled that welfare benefits here in Spain aren’t what they are in the UK. So, maybe this helps.

We have a new Japanese noodles – Ramen – place in Pv city, which is nice. Except that Asian friends here tell me the noodles aren’t Japanese but – like the owners – Chinese. Without them, I wouldn’t have known this. Or cared, I guess. But now I have to boycott the place . . .

We have some new pilgrims on the Camino, on O Burgo bridge to be exact . . . I guess they will light up at night. Thank god, no blackface . . .

Portugal

A nice place on the coast, 30 minutes drive from Lisbon.

The UK

These 2 (right-of-centre) columnists – here and here -are clearly not enamoured of the newish PM. To say the least.

France and The EU

The turmoil just got worse, after a truly historic vote . And this columnist says there’s no real end to the political instability in sight. And that the only solution to the crisis could be Macron’s resignation. But this would open the door to Madame Le Pen. Not good times for the EU and ‘ever closer union’ aspirations.

Spanish

• Afear: To disfigure, spoil, make ugly.
• Quemaropa: Point blank
• En la cuerda floca: On the ropes
• A las andadas: Going back to old ticks, old ways

You Have to Laugh

This came my way today:-

• Una amiga mía ha quemado una oveja
• Que macabra.
• No, oveja

Finally . . .

I found it hard to believe that porridge(oats) is now considered junk food, until I read it was really because of all the sugar that goes onto it. But not in Scotland, where it can only be salt.