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

Some stats that I find hard to reconcile:-

• The home ownership rate in Spain is 75%, higher than in all EU states except one.
• So, only 25% of homes are rented, I guess.
• Spain ranks among the lowest countries in Europe in terms of social housing, at only 2% of the total housing stock. This places Spain at the bottom of the European ranking for social housing availability, with the EU average being 4 times higher, and far more in the ‘EU-15’, whatever that is.
• Despite efforts to increase social housing, progress has been slow:
• In 2023, only 8,646 subsidised homes were built
• This is similar to the average over the last 10 years but is far below the 60,000 per year completed in the previous decade.
• Of the subsidised homes built in 2023, 52% were allocated for ownership rather than rental.

The Spanish government, it’s said, has recognized the need to increase social housing stock, with targets set to increase the proportion of social housing by 20% in municipalities with strained areas over the next 20 years. However, the current situation remains challenging, with social housing supply falling far short of demand. This is despite property ownership being a major concern for Spaniards and despite there having been several socialist administrations in the last 45 years. Odd.

As Brits start to look for more friendly destinations than Spain for their holidays and their investment in a holiday home, ‘North Americans’ are increasingly attracted to Spain, it says here.

A perennial issue – racism in Spain. Especially in sport.

Ryanair v AENA . . . The First Battalion of Innocent Bystanders might well suffer as a result of their war. In Galicia, Ryanair are removing 61% of their flights from Vigo, and 28% from Santiago de Compostela. Mostly domestic, I’d guess.

If you’re visiting Barcelona, be aware that: The Catalan capital is home to Europe’s most notorious pickpocketing hotspot La Rambla. And, away from its most notorious street, the Barrio Gótico has earned itself a reputation for night-time petty crime thanks to narrow, shadowy alleyways that make the perfect stomping ground for thieves. Other popular tourist attractions including the beach, Parc Guell and the area around the Sagrada Familia are also known targets. On the [upmarket] Paseo de Gràcia thieves look out for expensive watches to rip from people’s wrists. When I was there with my 2 daughters years ago, 2 likely lads ineptly tried to steal from me a plastic bag containing – a I recall – little more than apple cores. But I did have my wallet successfully pic-pocketed not so long ago in a packed food market in Madrid.

If this puts you off that Catalan city, there’s always lovely La Coruña here in Galicia . .

The UK

Richard North writes here of a fin de siècle feeling, where the whole edifice of government seems to be falling apart, bereft of ideas and high-level initiatives, with the prime minister under siege in his Downing Street bunker and the bookmakers running odds on how long he will last. . .  I cant recall, he adds, any time this early in the electoral cycle when the prospect of defeat for the ruling party was under consideration. His final sentiment: We were once a nation that meant something. I’m not so sure any more.

Centuries ago . .

The USA

Am I the only person who feels he’s watching a real-time fairy tale, as drafted by the Grimmest of brothers?

Canada v USA

One perspective on the unedifying saga . . . Trump’s one-month reprieve resolves nothing. He effectively retreated, given that the Canadians offered little that was not already agreed. . . . That climbdown makes him look like a bluffer who folded under pressure.  . . . There is no point wasting any time on Trump’s stated grievance against Canada. He alleged a failure to control fentanyl-smuggling and illegal immigration. Canada’s role in both is almost zero. Probably not Fox News’ take.

Israel/Gaza

Many commentators agreed that Trump’s [insane] proposal was too audacious to take seriously. But in pledging a US takeover of Gaza, the president handed the [egregious]Israeli leader a political lifeline.

Social Media/Quote of the Day

• The days of stepping back… to let an investigation run its course are long gone. The pace with which the court of public opinion moves demands action. Say nothing further, fail to inform, and a vacuum forms.
• Donald Trump is possibly the most brazen liar in political history – The UK Attorney General. Trump’s reply: [I am not. He is. And everyone knows it. A horrible, nasty man with the IQ of a rock]
• Once a crooked realtor, always a crooked realtor.

The Way of the Mad, Mad World

Stop the world. I want to get off . . . Gen-Z are flocking to TikTok to discover their destiny.

Transgenderism

Not the first time I’ve heard this . . . A gay rights group – the LGB Alliance – says “misogynistic” and “homophobic” trans extremists have corrupted DEI, turning workplaces into ‘battlegrounds in the culture war.

AI

A friend in the South of the UK asked me for the recipe for a chip butty, as his [effete]neighbours had never heard of them. I was impressed that an AI engine gave me the correct way to make the ‘classic’ item, while adding that you could top the chips with condiments and sauces to your taste. Which I consider a travesty.

Spanish

• Zafarrancho: Havoc, row
• Peroles: Pots, pans, casseroles
• Ademán: Gesture, move, flourish
• Croque: A bash on the head. [Obsolete?]
• Chirigota: Joke [Ditto]

Did you know?

• The percentage of Spaniards who believe the earth is flat – 6.
• The percentage who believe they can communicate with ‘spirits’ – 24.

Finally . . .

A headline in one of today’s newspapers . . . Por qué no intienden las rotondas? A very good question. Often asked by me.

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.