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 travel tips . . .

• One way to enjoy Andalucia . . .
• Road trip options.
• The longest greenway tunnel in Europe – a hidden gem for cycling and hiking enthusiasts. [For Brits: Bring a flashlight = Take a torch]

Cosas de Galicia

For whatever reason, Galicians consume per capita more tranquillisers and antidepressants than any other region. Possibly the famous rain. Or the massive increase in Caminers . . .

Portugal

A major political development.

The Latest Insane Pronouncements of TACOman

The president of the USA [sic] re-posted an insane claim that Biden had been executed and replaced by a robot. Since Trump’s accusations are always self-criticisms what are we to conclude from this act? It might well explain quite a lot of the last 6 or 7 months.

Trumpworld/LA LA Land

Is Trump a good dealmaker, asks The Economist here. Have a guess.

Quotes of the Day

Elon Musk on Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill: I have been disappointed by him. [Musk believes that Trump’s sweeping budget and tax plan will increase the budget deficit. As do many others, of course.]

If you’re going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything – you’d better watch out because we’re coming after you: Not the words of a small-town sheriff but the Attorney General of the United States. A bit player in Trump, the Movie.

The Way of the [Very Modern]World

This chap is said to be “The Mozart of the attention economy”. He’s a 27-year-old, online-content- creator and entrepreneur, known as MrBeast”, whose YouTube channel has 400m subscribers. I guess you have to hand it to him. Especially if his videos qualify as ‘family entertainment’. I hope to god he never writes about the Camino. [Update: While he has mentioned and featured Bolivia’s Camino de la Muerte, there’s no indication he’s ever spoken about the Camino de Santiago. For such small mercies, dear Lord . . .Fingers crossed]

Spanish

• El gobierno tira de Ayuso para sacar cabeza: The government uses Ayuso to stay afloat/to keep its head above water.
• Bidón: Drum, canister, barrel, can, jerry-can.
• Afanarse: to strive for.
• Parkour: Parkour. Free-running

English

Judging from an article I read yesterday, American English doesn’t recognise the past participle ‘bent’ and sticks with ‘bended’. As in: The media has too often capitulated to Trump and too often bended the knee.

A few more incel jargon words . . .

• The gynocracy: A world dominated by females.
• Hypergamy: Marrying into a higher social class.
• Looksmaxxing: Getting fit.
• Gym-maxxing: Ditto.
• Moneymaxxing: Making enough money to allow you to manipulate, dominate and harm women.

Clearly a nice bunch of guys. Who believe 80% of women are attracted to only 20% of men, meaning the rest of them all lose out. Unless . . .

Did You Know?

During the summer of 1790, George Washington spent the equivalent of £5,600 on ice cream?

You Have to Laugh

Mexico has renamed the Liberty Bell The TACO Bell and the Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has given Trump “full credit” for the change.

Private Eye has another go at parodying Trump. . . . Trump decides to rename VE day ‘Victory Day’. These are his alternatives in full:-

• America Kicks Ass in Europe Day.
• Why Did We Did Everything To Save Loser Brits Day.
• How America Won The War Single-handed Apart From Russia Who Were Also Amazing (Hope This Will Do, Vlad) Day.
• Victory Over Scumbag Communist French Day.
• We should have kept everything west of the Elba Day.
• Nobody Has Ever Disrespected Us Like The Allies Day
• It’s Crazy How You Get Disrespected By These people. I Mean We Did You All A Favour And Nobody Ever Thanks Us Day.
• Like, What Do We Even have To Do To Get Some Credit Day.
• Nobody Ever Made A Film About What We Did In The War Day

Try minute 3.47 seconds here for a hearty laugh. And then at 4.34.

Finally . . .

A musical treat . . . Four music legends sing a gospel song for their friend Elvis. L-R Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis

Finally, Finally . . .

Possibly the penultimate extracts from The Pillow Book . .

I remember a clear morning in the Ninth Month when it had been raining all night. Despite the bright sun, dew was still dripping from the chrysanthemums in the garden. On the bamboo fences and criss-cross hedges I saw tatters of spider webs; and where the threads were broken the raindrops hung on them like strings of white pearls. I was greatly moved and delighted. As it became sunnier, the dew gradually vanished from the clover and the other plants where it had lain so heavily; the branches began to stir, then suddenly sprang up of their own accord. Later I described to people how beautiful it all was. What most impressed me was that they were not at all impressed.

Awkward Things

• One has gone to a house and asked to see someone; but the wrong person appears, thinking that it is he who is wanted; this is especially awkward if one has brought a present.
• One has allowed oneself to speak badly about someone without really intending to do so; a young child who has overheard it all goes and repeats what one has said in front of the person in question. Someone sobs out a pathetic story.
• One is deeply moved; but it so happens that not a single tear comes to one’s eyes— most awkward. Though one makes one’s face look as if one is going to cry, it is no use: not a single tear will come. Yet there are times when, having heard something happy, one feels the tears streaming out.

Things That Give a Clean Feeling

• An earthen cup.
• A new metal bowl.
• A rush mat.
• The play of the light on water as one pours it into a vessel.
• A new wooden chest.

Things That Give an Unclean Feeling

• A rat’s nest.
• Someone who is late in washing his hands in the morning.
• White snivel, and children who sniffle as they walk.
• The containers used for oil.
• Little sparrows.
• A person who does not bathe for a long time even though the weather is hot.
• All faded clothes give me an unclean feeling, especially those that have glossy colours.

Adorable Things

• The face of a child drawn on a melon.
• A baby sparrow that comes hopping up when one imitates the squeak of a mouse, or again, when one has tied it with a thread round its leg and its parents bring insects or worms and pop them in its mouth – delightful!
• A baby of two or so is crawling rapidly along the ground. With his sharp eyes he catches sight of a tiny object and, picking it up with his pretty little fingers, takes it to show to a grown-up person. A child, whose hair has been cut like a nun’s, is examining something; the hair falls over his his eyes, but instead of brushing it away he holds his head to the side. The pretty white cords of his trouser-skirt are tied round his shoulders, and this too is most adorable.
• A young Palace page, who is still quite small, walks by in ceremonial costume.
• One picks up a pretty baby and holds him for a while in one’s arms; while one is fondling him, he clings to one’s neck and then falls asleep.
• The objects used during the Display of Dolls.
• One picks up a tiny lotus leaf that is floating on a pond and examines it.
• Not only lotus leaves, but little hollyhock flowers, and indeed all small things, are most adorable. An extremely plump baby, who is about a year old and has a lovely white skin, comes crawling towards one, dressed in a long gauze robe of violet with the sleeves tucked up.
• A little boy of about eight who reads aloud from a book in his childish voice.
• Pretty, white chicks who are still not fully fledged and look as if their clothes are too short for them; cheeping loudly, they follow one on their long legs, or walk close to the mother hen.
• Duck eggs.
• An urn containing the relics of some holy person.
• Wild pinks.

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.
• This post of mine contains several relevant articles from ThinkSpain.
• 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.
• A comparison of UK and Spanish living costs.
• And here’s a personal guide to moving to Spain – to work, not to retire.