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

I guess it’s time for this link – Xmas traditions in Spain. I quote from it: The magic of Spanish Christmas traditions is in their ability to unite communities, preserve cultural heritage, and spread joy. Which sounds about right.

Time, too, for Cava recommendations . .

Those new rules re tourist info . . . A consequence I expected/predicted. There’s no way, as a tourist, I would give anyone my bank account number. Like I didn’t yesterday give my password to the guy at the repair shop who’s going to look at why my HP laptop won’t work. [Actually, I know as I had it looked at in the UK in April last but I want another opinion. And possibly cheaper repair].

Writers who loved Spain. And some still alive to do so.

Cousas de Galicia

The Suebi/Swabi were the Germanic tribe which swept into NW Iberia as the Romans retrenched, early in the 5th century, along with the Vandals and Alans. Says the Autodidact Professor here: The blending of Suebi, Roman, and Visigothic elements laid the foundation for the medieval kingdoms that would emerge in Spain and Portugal.

As the result of declining retail business, PV is rather full of empty bajos. Developers claim it’s very easy to convert these into ground-floor flats, especially suitable for seniors. This is legally permitted but very few conversions have taken place so far. You’ll never guess what the main obstacle is – Spain’s infamous bureaucracy, of course. Jobsworths.

The UK

If you’re in London – or anywhere in the UK – why not pop along to see what’s said to be a wonderful exhibition – The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence. The world Mughal, by the way, is a corruption of Mongol. Those dreadful folk on horses from the East.

And if you’ve got kids . . . The perfect Christmas is German not American, it says here.

France

As the benighted country, says some, nears bankruptcy, Brits are struggling to avoid schadenfreude, possibly because they could be next.

The USA

From Private Eye: How the American Constitution works. The United States government is run by an intricate set of checks and balances between the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Supreme Court, and the executive, as laid out by the founding fathers to prevent concentration of power in any one branch of the Legislature. Following the latest election, the constitutional framework has been revised and now works as follows:

• 1. The only person who can say no to President Trump is Melania
• 2. Er . .
• 3. That’s it.

The Way of the World

The post-war consensus is in tatters – no liberal leader is safe from the fallout. Western leaders are struggling to grasp the anger which is spreading like wildfire among their populations. How many will survive?

Spanish

Redención: Redemption. Repayment

Galician

Reader Paideleo tells me that ‘rubia’ in Gallego is not ‘blond’ in English, but ‘red-haired’. ‘Blond ís ‘loira’ in Galego and ‘rubia’ in Spanish. In case you need them, he adds the correct words>-

• Galego: rubia, loira.
• Español: pelirroja, rubia.
• Inglés: red-haired, blond.

Got it? Google Translate doesn’t . . . .

Did you know?

There is no such thing as a well-behaved dog.

You Have to Laugh

A 2nd Spanish joke

• Two fish.
• Fish 1: ?Que sabes de tu padre?
• Fish 2: Nada.

Another one tomorrow . .

By pure coincidence, I’ve just read a cryptic line about the end of an ‘old joke about nicknames’. Viz. “You fuck just one goat!”. I think I’ve figured out the lead up to this.

Finally . . .

A change of tone . . . A very depressing end-piece . . . Having heard mention of this on a podcast, I did an AI search and got this: Yes, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh men killed their own women during the Partition of India to prevent them from being “dishonoured” by rape. These “honor killings,” were driven by the patriarchal concept of female honor and purity. Men feared the stigma and dishonor associated with women being sexually assaulted by men of other religions. Some men killed their wives and daughters themselves, while others coerced the women into committing suicide. These actions were not about protecting women but rather about preserving the male family members’ sense of honor. They reinforced the patriarchal ideals that made women victims in the first place. The violence against women during Partition was extensive and complex, involving not only honor killings by their own families but also widespread rape, abduction, and mutilation by men of different religions.

Thank god that no longer happens . . .

My thanks to those readers who take the trouble to Like my posts, either after reading them 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.