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

Monday’s blackout . . .[If bored, scroll down].While it may be tempting to blame the unprecedented power outage that hit the Iberian peninsula this week on the rapid growth of wind and solar power in Spain, reliance on renewables is not to blame. Rather, the issue appears to be the management of renewables in the modern grid. The biggest blackout in Europe’s history should be a stark warning to governments: investments in power storage and grid upgrades must go hand in hand with the expansion of renewables generation. I guess that means: Find some way to get more inertia into a renewables-dominated system, so as to prevent oscillations that trigger a rapid series of shutdowns. Of course, I have no idea of how this can be done – assuming it is doable – but it does seem clear that – in the meantime – it would be wise to avoid the renewables’ element above a certain percentage. See here on this, where the Spanish PM is accused of lying re the relevance of renewables. And, if it is true that the re-start relied heavily on gas-fired and hydro generators to re-energise the grid and establish synchronism, it does seem unwise to continue shutting down traditional sources of energy right now. And to continue boasting – Sr Sánchez – about the ever-rising percentage of renewables contribution in Spain.

Cousas de Galicia

Yesterday being Mayday, we had the festival of Os maios in Pv city.

A Festa dos Maios es una celebración colorida y participativa que une a la comunidad gallega en torno a la naturaleza, la música y la sátira, marcando el inicio de la primavera con creatividad y alegría. Es considerado una de las últimas manifestaciones folclóricas gallegas que celebran el ciclo de la naturaleza y la comunidad, manteniendo vivas tradiciones ancestrales y fomentando la creatividad y la participación social.

Trumpworld/LA LA Land

The FT: Trump’s 100 days of chaos: The real battle to save the American republic may have just begun.

The NY Times: DOGE Is building a surveillance state. Truly shocking.

Keeping it light. Well, less heavy . . .

• Stephen Colbert.
• Seth Myers
• Jimmy Kimmel

Russia v. Ukraine: The Minerals Deal with the USA

The worst seems to have been avoided, which is said here to be a real problem for Russia, against the background of global energy developments. The balance of probability is that Putin will now fail to turn Ukraine into a castrated vassal state along the lines of Belarus.

Quote of the Day

If you’ve done the job [of US President], survived its vagaries and vexations and still believe you are the personal agent of national salvation then you are an uncommon figure; either perhaps a unique genius, alone equipped to move the world off its axis, or an even bigger fool, destined for larger failure than any of those who have come before you. See here.

Spanish

• Tela: Cloth, fabric.
• Estar en tela de juicio: To be in question.
• Sesgado: Biased, skewed, slanted [As the government claims the explanations of the electricity companies are. Though not its own, of course]
• Dilucidar: To elucidate
• Barranco: Ravine, gorge, gully
• Mara: En América Latina se refiere a organizaciones criminales juveniles conocidas como pandillas, especialmente en Centroamérica.

English

Do Americans ever say can’t the way Brits do? Or am I right in thinking that that they always prefer cannot? Actually, I just realised that ‘always’ is wrong there, as I’ve noted American saying can’t with a short A. As in cant. Not carn’t, as Brits do, with a long A. Even those of us from the North.

Did You Know?

Spring is lamprey season along the river Miño/Minho – the border between Spain and North Portugal. While it is very probably the most repulsive-looking fish, it’s a delicacy to some . . .

An English king – Henry I – is said to have died from ‘a surfeit of lampreys. Which, in my case, would be less than a mouthful. Horrible stuff. As bad as it looks.

Finally . . . You Have to Laugh

The Jester has announced a plan to rename Veterans Day (Nov. 11) “Victory Day for World War I,” and V-E (Victory in Europe) Day (May 8) “Victory Day for World War II.”  Because only Americans had anything to do with these triumphs . . . “We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance. But we never celebrate anything. That’s because we don’t have leaders any more, that know how to do so! We are going to start celebrating our victories again.” Guaranteed to infuriate the Russians, who suffered c. 9 million military deaths and 19 million civilian deaths in WW2. Next stop the military parade he’s always hankered after? And the renaming of the French Revolution The American Revolution: Part 2??

Does the man actually know anything about the past?

Can he tie his own shoelaces? Or chew gum and walk at the same time? I think we should be told.

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 . . .

I can also be read on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/colin.davies.752861 or on Substack at https://doncolin.substack.com/

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. But see here on this. 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.

Getting a mortgage in Spain: Some advice on this challenge.