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

Society: Here’s expert Mark Stücklin on the issue of most concern to Spaniards – the supply of housing. Not good news. The supply of homes for sale in Spain is declining, with a 15% year-on-year drop in the final quarter of 2024—fueling fierce competition and soaring prices. What’s behind the crunch, and what does it mean for buyers?

Politics: The PM is having a spot of bother with his small-party coalition partners, explained here.

HT to Lenox Napier of Business Over Tapas for the news that lots of the Romanians who flooded into Spain in the 2000s – making them the largest group of foreigners – are now going home, leaving a gap in the labour market. Though not one which is likely to be filled by the rich Venezuelans buying properties in Madrid’s best barrios

Cousas de Galicia

The VdG tells us we’re to have more radar machines on our roads, which can only be a good thing, of course.

In one of those events which I always find surprising, the police have announced an imminent campaign in Pv city aimed at fining cyclists who ride in the pedestrianised area of the city and who don’t access the media.

We have some sort of film festival in the city this (stormy) weekend – Los Feroz. So, don’t even think of booking a hotel room or a table at the best restaurants.

Portugal

Narrowly beaten by Spain in the Top 10 Best Countries to Live In. And the only one with a Medium COL.

The IAG group is reported to be stepping up its pursuit of TAP in order to cement BA-Iberia’s transatlantic dominance. Portugal’s infrastructure ministry has confirmed that it’s targeting a sale of Tap this year.

The UK

Uncomfortable reading . . . Britain’s net zero, green energy madness is set for a head-on collision with reality. Britain’s experiment in virtue-signalling to the world that we are leaders in net zero ambitions has been a risible farce. We have achieved: the highest electricity prices of any developed country; falling electricity usage; the loss of major industries; a worrying dependence on energy imports; a dangerous risk of blackouts; an impending net reduction in nuclear power; net zero impact on global emissions; and net zero influence. Even Rachel (From Complaints) Reeves appears now to realise that growth means abandoning net zero. Details here.

As for personalities . . . It’s very hard to see how Reeves and Miliband can both continue in the same Cabinet. It’s possible, I guess, that Starmer will act to ensure that they don’t.

News just in . . . Miliband won’t resign over the 3rd runway at Heathrow. He’s made a U-turn over his previous stance and now says the plan is not in conflict with net-zero policies. As if.

The USA

If you don’t already know how evil Trump is, you could do worse than listen to this short series on the January 6 riots of 2022. Other platforms are available. Jaw-dropping listening.

There’s a certain honesty about Trump’s game. He’s defiantly corrupt on a staggering scale. Witness his several bitcoin introductions, which have made him billions even as president. Regarded by him as ‘peanuts’. Some wit has called it the Latinisation of the USA – an utterly corrupt authoritarian president, heading up an oligarchy. Someone will surely shoot him.

One small group of folk have certainly benefitted from the new Trump era – The estate of George Orwell and the publishers of 1984. Big seller in Russia, apparently.

• Trump Insurrection Day – Now Freedom Day.
• Jan 6 criminals – Now innocent patriots.

Quotes of the Day

• Davos is a powerful and impactful meeting of 3,000 of the world’s most awful people. 
• The basic requirement of a robust progressive strategy on migration is the honesty that has eluded politicians of all [UK] parties in recent years. [From a left wing columnist here]

The Way of the World/Social Media

In England, the umber of children with gender dysphoria rose from 200 in 2011 to 10,000 in 2021 – a 50-fold increase in a decade. You have to be odd – or a transgender zealot – to think this is reality.

English

The curse of English spelling . . .

Spanish

• Trino: Trilling, warbling, etc.
• Resarcir: To compensate, redress, reimburse, make amends, etc.
• Ir a piel: To go bareback
• Desgravar: To deduct, claim back, seek tax relief
• Fulminar: To zap, strike down
• Tarjeta revolving: Un tipo de tarjeta de crédito. Es importante tener precaución al usar estas tarjetas debido a sus altos intereses y la posibilidad de acumular una deuda significativa a largo plazo. See more below.

Gallego

This seems to me to smack of desperation . . . Goza do teu punto G – una campaña para reivindicar gallego

Did you know?

It’s occasionally said that we’re all descended from Genghis Khan. Not true. In Europe, there is little evidence of widespread Genghis Khan ancestry. Instead, many Europeans can trace their ancestry to other historical figures, such as Charlemagne. Which is some compensation.

You Have to Laugh

Finally . . .

UNA TARJETA REVOLVING

1. Permite aplazar automáticamente el pago de las compras o disposiciones de efectivo realizadas
2. Funciona con un límite de crédito que disminuye al realizar compras y se repone al pagar las cuotas mensuales
3. El pago se realiza mediante cuotas periódicas, que pueden ser un porcentaje del saldo pendiente o una cantidad fija mensual
4. Los intereses asociados son generalmente elevados, oscilando entre un 20% y un 30%
5. La deuda se “renueva” mensualmente: disminuye con los pagos, pero aumenta con el uso de la tarjeta y los intereses generados
6. No permite el pago total sin intereses al mes siguiente, como las tarjetas de crédito convencionales.
7. El plazo  de amortización puede ser muy largo si se pagan cuotas bajas en relación con la deuda total

Las tarjetas revolving no son ilegales en España, pero pueden ser consideradas usurarias y anuladas judicialmente si cumplen ciertos criterios

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.