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

Good news . . . Spain becomes world leader in medical and scientific research, last year overtaking Germany as the European ‘forerunner’ of clinical trials.

Not so good news . . . Spain is one of the biggest drug-abusing countries in Europe;–

• Cannabis: Spain is one of the worst offenders in Europe for cannabis and Spain ‘plays a significant role’ in the transit and production of cannabis, with 81% of Europe’s cannabis plants seized in Spain. 

• Cocaine: Spain was also amongst the top users of cocaine and Spain remains one of the countries with the highest volumes of seizures, reflecting its importance as an entry point for cocaine trafficked to Europe.

According to this Spectator columnist, Spain has a serious, endemic problem which can be quickly and easily solved, without expense.

Tourist rentals are not the prime drive of rising rental prices, it says here. Which is not to say, of course, that it’s an unalloyed benefit for barrios where there’s lots of them.

I saw that Barca and Real Madrid are going to play sone super-cup match in yeda. It took me a while to figure out that this is Jeddah. But have no answer to the question Why there?

This video on the cost of living in various parts of Spain might be of value to those pondering a move.

Cousas de Galicia

An early 2025 miracle . . . Not only did I mange to book Renfe train tickets on line but I did it first time round, without getting the request to try again later.

One of the new things coming for Pv city this year – A cercanías facility north to La Coruña and south into Portugal. Possibly.

The UK

Under current plans, Britain is heading for the highest tax burden since 1945 but at 38% of GDP. it would still be exceptionally low by European standards. In Germany, the tax burden is 46%, according to IMF data; in Italy it is 47%; and in France it is 51%. Across the eurozone as a whole, the tax burden is nearly 47%. All these compare starkly with the USA, at less than 30%.

What someone thinks real justice would look like for the victims of grooming gangs. .

Zealous ‘guerrilla rewilders’ have illegally released at least 4 lynxes into the Scottish wilds. Not everyone is happy about this. Especially the (unwild) lynxes, who stood around by the roadside, waiting for humans to rescue them.

National dishes that are disfavoured outside the country of origin. Spain, to my surprise, has quite a few in it – see at the end of this post – including bocadillo de sardinas. In fact, this almost came top of the list. As for Britain’s jellied eels . . . Given that I’ve never eaten them and don’t know anyone who has, I think it’s stretching things to call them a classic British dish.

Portugal

I have eaten chicken gizzards there. Before I was told what they were . . .

France

An odd tale – the Rise & Fall of the King of Cake.

Europe

Said to be the best interrail trips, including one in Spain.

The USA

On January 9, Alex Jones said on X that the Los Angeles wildfires were engineered by “globalists” with the aim of “deindustrializing” the USA. He added on his show the claim that the fires were part of a “globalist plot to wage economic warfare and deindustrialize the USA before triggering total collapse”. Musk’s response on X – ‘True’.

A new nickname for the new president – The blond capo.

Spanish

• Estornidos: The snuffles
• Raigambre: Root, tradition, root system
• Cervecil: Beer-drinking [eg country]

You Have to Laugh

53% of Brits say they like having pineapple on their pizza, while 41% said they don’t. Facing demand for this, a pizza place in Norwich buckled and added an Hawaiian pizza to its offerings, but at an off-putting £100, compared with an average of £12. No takers so far.

Finally . . .

I confess that, while I had heard of Rik Wakeman, I wasn’t up on prog rock. And nor did I know that he is a classically-trained pianist who performed on Cat Stevens’ lovely Morning has broken. Here he is playing that hymn – an old Gaelic melody, it’s said.

Finally, Finally . . .

THE 100 WORST DISHES IN THE WORLD  

1. BLODPLAT – FINLAND

2. BOCADILLO DE SARDINAS – SPAIN

3. CALSKROVE – SWEDEN

4. ANGULAS A LA CASUELA – SPAIN

5. JELLIED EELS – UK

6. RAMEN BURGER – USA

7. CHAPALELE – CHILE

8. FAVES A LA CATALANA – SPAIN

9. THORRAMATUR – ICELAND

10. FISH ENTRAILS – THAILAND

11. SILK WORMS – THAILAND

12. MOONCAKE – CHINA

13. SVIð – ICELAND

14. AMBUYAT – BRUNEI

15. NERVETTI – ITALY

16. TINUTAN – INDONESIA

17. MARMITE&CHIP SANDWICH – NZ 

18. CHICKEN GIZZARDS – PORTUGAL

19. HEUSUPPE – SWITZERLAND

20. FROG EYE SALAD – USA

21. FRIED SPIDER – CAMBODIA

22. DEVILLED KIDNEYS – UK

23. AGNIARES SALATA – GREECE

24. GOMME – NORWAY

25. OIL DOWN – GRENADA 

26. ZYMLOK – POLAND

27. BLACK PUDDING – IRELAND

28. BANKU – GHANA

29. LUTEFISK – NORWAY

30. CZERNINA – POLAND

31. BREAD SOUP – CZECH

32. KUGEL – JERUSALEM DISTRICT

33. BALALEET – UAE

34. OREZ SHU’IT – JERUSALEM

35. SON-IN-LAW EGGS – THAILAND

36. PANIKI – INDONESIA

37. KORESH BAMIEH – IRAN. Okra stew with a spiced tomato sauce, served on rice

38. TIRGGEL – SWITZERLAND

39. KALVSYLTA – SWEDEN

40. DUCK’S HEAD – CHINA

41. GACHAS – SPAIN Porridge/gruel

42. GUINEA PIG – PERU

43. SHAKARAP – UZBEKISTAN

44. POTATO SALAD – SOUTH KOREA

45. KOLLPITE – KOSOVO

46. LONGEOLE – SWITZERLAND

47. MARMITE – UK

48. BALUT – PHILIPPINES

49. BLODPUDDING – SWEDEN

50. SKLANDRAUSIS – LATVIA 

 51. ZUNGENWURST – GERMANY

52. BLOOD PUDDING – VIETNAM

53. BEONDEGI – SOUTH KOREA

54. GAZPACHO – SPAIN

55. MEHLSUPPE – SWITZERLAND

56. CALDO DE PAPAS – SPAIN

57. BOILED FIDDLEHEADS – CANADA

58. RISOTTO ALLE FRAGOLE – ITALY

59. MASOLVA POMAZANKA – CR

60. FICELLE PICARDE – FRANCE

61. KATA-KAT – PAKISTAN

62. MISSI ROTI – INDIA

63. TOM CHUET – THAILAND

64. SUCHAR – CZECH REPUBLIC

65. BOURBOURELIA – GREECE

66. PAULISTA – BRAZIL

67. KAPUSKA – TURKEY

68. MUISJES – NETHERLANDS

69. FISKEBOLLER – NORWAY

70. NAPORITAN – JAPAN

71. CHOCOLATE BACON – USA

72. PORK AND BEANS – USA

73. BAKED ENDIVES AND HAM – USA

74. INDIGIRKA SALAD – RUSSIA

75. TETE DE VEAU – FRANCE

76. RIZ CASIMIR – SWITZERLAND

77. HORMIGA CULONA – COLOMBIA

78. NASIBAL – NETHERLANDS

79. CHICKEN A LA KING – USA

80. MILLIONBOF – DENMARK

81. BORLEVES – HUNGARY

82. FIAMBRE – GUATEMALA

83. VEGETABLE ROLL – IRELAND

84. PICANTE DE CUY – PERU

85. GHAPAMA – ARMENIA

86. SMALAHOVE – NORWAY

87. SARA UDON – JAPAN

88. FASTENWAHE – SWITZERLAND

89. KNEIPP BREAD – NORWAY

90. BRATHERING – GERMANY

91. TORTILLA DE MANZANA – SPAIN

92. PASTEL CORDOBES – SPAIN

93. HONGEO – SOUTH KOREA

94. SEKIHAN – JAPAN

95. OLLA DE CARNE – COSTA RICA

96. PEPIAN DE CUY – PERU

97. AFANG SOUP – NIGERIA

98. SESWAA – BOTSWANA

99. BOLOS PASTRY – PORTUGAL

100. COOKIE SALAD – USA 

My thanks to those readers who take the trouble to Like my posts.

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.