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 made lunch for Spanish friends today. It was typically Spanish in 2 ways . . . Firstly, 4 of the 7 cried off yesterday and this morning, all with good/plausible reasons, and, secondly, It lasted 5 hours. Hence the brevity of this post. Fortunately, I had other Spanish friends to invite and, unlike Brits, they aren’t insulted by last-minute invites. They know how things are here.

For reader David in La Coruña . . .

Portugal

The War of the Two Johns, when – in 1385 – the Portuguese one defeated the superior forces of the Spanish one and kept Portugal independent. From the Autodidact Professor, of course.

The UK

Common sense won’t return to government of the country for quite some time, if ever. Vested interests.

Current economic stats don’t support the claims of Remainers about Brexit damage to the UK. This is a podcast – The Myth of Eutopia – on these and on wider aspects of the issue.

France

France is one the 6 EU states which fall foul every year of the 3% deficit rule, with total impunity. Some ’rule’. Theoretically, if countries fail to comply with EDP requirements, they should face financial sanctions ranging from 0.2 to 0.5% of GDP. Well, maybe. If you’re small.

Quote of the Day

So far as one can see, Trump is unfamiliar with the finer points of philosophical discourse.

The Way of the World

Quote: There are no facts any more, only fakery and opinions.

Spanish

A la ligera: Rashly, lightly, carelessly

You Have to Laugh

Finally . . .

A bit of nostalgia . . . I tried hard to buy a property in this place in 1984, but fell foul of exchange control rules of the time. Rather glad I didn’t . . . La Herradura was once a humble fishing village. Now it’s a tourist centre between Cerro Gordo and Punta de la Mona. Its bay is host to naturist beaches such as Cantarriján and leisure ports such as Marina del Este, which in recent years has become a popular haven for scuba-diving enthusiasts. The N-340 road acts as an umbilical cord between the coastal villages. From the La Herradura it passes curves, gradients, viewpoints and sheer ravines before arriving at Almuñécar. [To which it used to be possible to walk along the seafront. But not now.]

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.