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

This is a decent article on Spain’s approach to immigration and it’s good to see these 2 points made: The government smartly prioritized immigrants from Latin America. Fluent in Spanish and overwhelmingly Catholic, Latin American immigrants blend with the local culture even in the least cosmopolitan parts of Spain. And they meet a crying need in a big economy fueled by a travel and tourism industry that is brimming with jobs that most Spaniards don’t want.

Rather in contrast, Spain does its utmost to prevent illegal immigration into its (non-colony) North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which are claimed by Morocco. Only this month there have been severed problems with both Moroccan migrants and Palestinian refugees fleeing Gaza, who began swimming from Morocco to Ceuta. See here and

Spain is an (in)famously noisy country but I’m pretty inured to this Or, rather, I thought I was until 7.30 last night, when the group due on the nearby stage at 9.30 went through a test number. The decibel level was truly – if figuratively – deafening. Very possibly the loudest thing I’ve ever heard. Here in Spain, extremely loud concerts are not unusual – and there are lots of them during our 2 week fiesta – but this noise was out of the ordinary. And, once again. I’m compelled to ask Why? and How many kids will suffer impaired hearing later in life after being subjected to it? I quote: Exposure to very loud music can cause permanent and cumulative hearing damage, leading to hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and increased sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis) later in life. I imagine this is particularly true of the (very) young fans crammed up against the huge speakers every night during this fiesta fortnight. Madness.

Life as a bullfighter . . . Morante de la Puebla was injured both on Friday night in Marbella and on Sunday night in Pontevedra. On Friday, he had a strong fall (voltereta) but continued to perform well, cutting 2 ears and a tail in the event. On Sunday in Pontevedra, he suffered a serious goring. Which prevented him from continuing. So, not his weekend . . .

Cousas de Galiza

Sadly, the prolonged heat of the last month has effectively destroyed the corn crop. As this stuff is used for animal feed, I suspect meat prices will rise in due course.

This is a problem which is acute for some of Galicia’s coastal towns . . . The VdG today: The motorhome dilemma: The massive arrival of tourists, seasonal housing occupancy, and the efforts of authorities to provide services are not the only things causing tension. More and more visitors are using mobile homes to travel around Galicia. In some towns, they are welcomed, as their councils have invested in parking areas for them. While in others, they choose to restrict their stay, create rules, and even impose fines.

As I expected, there’s no work taking place on the pavement in front of the houses I pass every day. Nor on the large new shopping precinct on the road out of Pc city to Vilagarcia. Worst of all, work has stopped on the road – actually the Camino – running down from the supermarket I use. After weeks of closure, this had been opened briefly but was fenced off again just in time for the August shutdown. Adding to the usual driving problems of this time of the year. . .

The most common forenames in Galicia remain Manuel and María Carmen but the times are a-changing. This year the most favoured baptismal names are Mateo, Martín, Hugo, Leo and Lucas. And Noa, Sofía, Olivia, Martina and Valeria. I guess it will be quite a while before the most favoured boys’ name is Mohammed. Again.

Reader David tells me that – thanks to warmer water – there are terrifying Portuguese-men-of-war jellyfish in the sea off La Coruña. I recall seeing, as a kid, many jellyfish on the Merseyside sands but I guess it would be fanciful to recall such monsters there.

THE MAGA REALITY TV SHOW

This columnist rejects the NYT and WSJ assertion that Trump is winning his trade war.

A hard-hitting article, if there ever was one. Aimed at Trump’s favoured economist. . . . The Political Economy of Incompetence.

Quotes of the Day

• I suspect I’ve already posted this Hannah Arendt comment before: Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty. [Think Kennedy, Hesgeth, Bondi and Noem. And the dreadful Leavitt, who might not be stupid but is astonishingly loyal to her mad boss.]
• The fact that the Trump administration is staffed with incompetent jerks, might just save American democracy. It would be worse if they were actually good at what they try to do.

Russia v Ukraine

Hurry, hurry, hurry! – exhorts The Guardian’s Marina Hyde – It’s Trump’s great Ukraine giveaway. Bargains galore, if your name is Vladimir Putin.

Spanish

• Rezo: Prayer
• Fustigador: Scourge.
• Una pieza: Applied, colloquially, to a person it depends on the context: 1. In a complimentary tone: it can mean that someone is unique, special, or extraordinary at what they do, is very good, or stands out greatly. 2. In a mischievous or mischievous sense: it can imply that the person is cunning, resourceful, unpredictable, or difficult to handle. 3. In an attractive sense (less common and sometimes with a flirtatious connotation): it can refer to someone being striking or seductive.

Did you know . . . English

The words swath and swathe are closely related but have differences in meaning, usage, and regional preference. Both come from Old English swæth meaning a track, mark, or path cut through vegetation. .

• Swath: 1. Primary meaning: a strip or area of land, especially one that has been mown or cut. 2. Figurative meaning: a broad area affected by something.
• Swathe: A broad strip or band of something, often fabric or material wrapping around. an also refer to wide areas covered by something.

Swath is more common in American English, while swathe is more common in British English, though both are understood internationally. At least in Britain, they have different pronunciations, conforming with the ‘rule’ about the letter E at the end of a world – So, swath and swaythe.

Swath isn’t used as a verb, whereas swathe is. Think of Jesus and the swaddling cloth.

Finally . . .

I tested my football-kicking strength in the Fiesta fairground last night. Big mistake. Pulled a thigh muscle and ripped my lightweight trousers. An ice-pack helped but sleep was disturbed. But at least I scored a higher number than my 6-year-old grandson. Before collapsing in pain. I’m older than I think I am . . .

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.

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.

If you´re thinking of moving to Spain, this link should be useful to you.