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

The Spanish government has formally blamed everyone but itself for the infamous blackout. To the surprise of few, I’d guess.

Peak tourist numbers will soon start to clash with peak holiday absences in health centres and hospitals. Best not to fall ill.

If you rent out property here in Spain, you need to read this.

After the death of a friend, I attended at a tanatorio(funeral parlour) gathering for the 4th time yesterday. The first time I did so, I attended in full UK funeral gear – black suit, white shirt and black tie. At each gathering, I’ve been less formal than the previous time, to fit in with the Spanish informal practice. I might well be in tennis gear for the next one. Unless it’s for me . . .

I frequently get ads in Spanish at the start of my English podcasts. Yesterday, there was one for something called Fy-ree Floos Floos. Which turns out to be a Fairy Spray product for the kitchen. See here, where you can read that there’s a debate on whether to call it Fluss Fluss or Fliss Fliss. Flis was – I believe – an insecticidal spray – possibly DDT – of decades ago, called Flit worldwide.

Cousas de Galicia

Yesterday’s temperature highs were 38 here in Pv city and 41 in Ourense. ‘August levels’, said the media. Thankfully, today a sea breeze brought them down by 10 degrees in Pv city. I’m not sure it’ll have reached Ourense. The VdG reports that Scientists say 15,000 trees will be necessary in the latter city, to combat the increased annual temperatures.

Portugal

The new government “plans to transform Portugal”.

The USA

TACO Tonterías

• Publicity-seeking Emanuel Macron – whether purposely or not – always gets it wrong. [Yet more projection]
• I’m not going to change my mind as too much water has flowed over the dam.
• Maybe Putin should act as peace-maker between Israel and Iran. [As he’s famous for being peace-loving, I guess].
• Hesgeth is to blame for the disastrous parade, for getting the ‘tone’ wrong.

Integrity

• I have never seen such open corruption.
• This is the looting of America: Trump and Co’s extraordinary conflicts of interest: Bitcoin, internet, EVs, private dinners for hire – the list of pay-for-play and quid quo pro goes on, and on … and on.

Quotes of the Day

• Trump is deeply inconsistent. He has no specific policy aims. He just wants to do what he thinks 52% of the American population will like him for and what will get him plaudits or more TV coverage. His calculated comments are just based on getting TV coverage and poll numbers and not about any strategic end game. But his base seems to be divided on strategic issues. The younger MAGA voters don’t agree with the [still around] neocons on regime change in Iran, for example.
• Trump has disowned his National Security Adviser, because his strategy is not based on what his intelligence service says a situation is but on what Trump believes it is.

Russia v. Ukraine

Have we been given another 2 weeks for The World’s Greatest Deal-Maker to achieve something? Anything? Did I miss it?

The Way of the World

I’m beginning to lose confidence in the internet . . . For the 4th time in a month, a shop didn’t stock the product I wanted. Actually, it was worse; the shop on the company’s web page no longer even existed.

Spanish

• Celador: Orderly, warden guard, porter.
• Vertiente: Slope, side. Aspect.
• Tendal: Clothes-line, clothes-horse.
• Cetro: Sceptre, staff.
• Canícula: Heatwave

Did You Know?

Trump’s ‘all-American’ mobile phone is a re-skinned Chinese phone, which costs less than a quarter of the gold-painted Trump version.

You Have to Laugh

• Trump said he had to leave the G7 summit “for obvious reasons”, though failed to elaborate whether he meant he’d been expected to talk with leaders, not at them, or simply that the trouser press in his room was broken.
• The ad for The Trump phone includes: Access 27/7 to doctors. All from your own homw [sic]

Finally . . .

Given that it’s said of Trump that he believes everything he thinks is true – regardless of evidence to the contrary – I asked Perplexity if narcissists ever have self-doubts . . .Narcissists can experience self-doubt, though it often manifests differently than in others. Despite their outward confidence and grandiosity, many narcissists are actually driven by deep insecurity, low self-esteem, and a constant need for validation. They may doubt their abilities, worry about being seen as weak or imperfect, and fear not being loved for who they truly are. These insecurities can lead to feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability, which they typically mask with defensive behaviors, manipulation, and efforts to maintain a superior image. While narcissists are generally not very self-aware and tend to blame others for problems, their need to protect their self-image often stems from underlying self-doubt and shame. In summary, narcissists are indeed troubled by self-doubt, but they usually hide it behind a façade of arrogance and control.

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.
• Finally, from a tax lawyer: Everything you need to know about taxes and healthcare when retiring to Spain.