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

Hmm. A blunt ad directed at (North Americans) who already have or are thinking of getting residence in Spain under the so-called Beckham rule. Sounds valid to me.

Being positive . . Here are 10 reasons to visit Spain this summer. As regards Galicia, it’s accurate to say that summers are cooler here and that we have lovely beaches but what isn’t said is that this is because it rains every day, all day. I’d stay away, if I were you.

Europe

Will today’s emergency/panic meeting of the leaders of European nations have achieved anything other than nice words? And maybe some promises. Or even some ‘commitments’.

The USA

As I’ve said before, it’s harder not to write about the USA right now that it is to write about the events of the last few days.

This is an article from an American resident in the UK, writing in a right-of-centre paper. And this is an article from a left-of centre UK paper, Neither of them pulls any punches in respect of Trump and Vance and their sickening acolytes. And both articles contain some very memorable phrases. The first one again explains that how differently ‘Calvinist’ Americans think from Europeans, having wealth as the absolute measure of moral worth. The author asks, like the rest of us: What exactly is of interest to Trump? What drives his vision for the future, apart from his own glorification as the greatest American president of modern times?

María, also an American, writes on this topic from her Galician village.

It’s almost a relief to know that there’s at least one Republican who is as sickened as the rest of us by the buffoonish antics of Trump and Vance and their arse-licking of Putin.

This Saturday Night Live skit is well worth watching.

As is this portrayal of Trump at Musk’s feet.

You might have seen a Republican toady/jackass ask Zelensky if he owned a suit. This was one Brian Glenn, the smug partner of that absolute nutcase Marjorie Taylor Green. What a household that must be. As someone has pointed out, he didn’t have the courage to put the same question to Musk a week or two ago.

Finally . . . Here’s an editorial from the Wall Street Journal, headed: Putin Wins the Trump-Zelensky Oval Office Spectacle. Vice President Vance starts a public fight that only helps Russia’s dictator. Within the article there’s this apposite comment: “It is bewildering to see Mr Trump’s allies defending this debacle as some show of American strength,” Not just bewildering but vomitando.

Russia

This says it all really . . . Donald Trump has been offered the chance to build a giant skyscraper complex in Moscow. A new zone called Trump City could be created featuring a Trump Tower surrounded by smaller skyscrapers relating to the US president’s territorial claims – named ”Canada”, “Mexico,” “Panama,” and “Greenland.” The proposal comes from pro-war MP Vladimir Koshelev, deputy chairman of the Russian parliament’s committee on construction, housing and utilities, amid delight in Moscow at Trump’s public attack on the Ukrainian president.

Russia v Ukraine

An interesting claim: Putin can’t afford peace – Russia’s economy is hooked on war. The invasion of Ukraine wrecked Moscow’s finances – but it’s now the Kremlin’s only source of growth.

Net Zero

Can’t see current plans surviving increased investment in defence spending.

Spanish

Soez: Coarse, salty, filthy. Profane, rude, dirty, gross, obscene

Finally . . . You Have to Laugh

A – possibly true – tale about Noah Webster, of dictionary fame . . .

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.

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.