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

Why Spain’s economy is booming and what could derail it.

Good question. What is it with Spanish politicians? It’s as if corruption and dodgy deals are a kind of parliamentary sport – and getting into power has less to do with running the country than with lining the pockets of your increasingly pricey suits.

In Cataluña, fire shepherds deploy goats and cows to fight wildfires, creating natural fire blocks.

Cousas de Galiza

The warmer seas have brought strange new creatures to Galicia’s coast . . .

• Salpas

• The blue dragon babosa marina/sea slug. Toxic.

• The fried egg jelly fish.

The VdG today: Fires that are impossible to extinguish: It only took 2 weeks in August for the fires in Galicia to ravage an area similar to that burned in the previous 9 years: more than 130,000 hectares. Rising temperatures, rural depopulation, and a lack of forest management have led to more virulent fires that, experts warn, are only a warning of what is to come if prevention policies are not taken seriously. With more fuel in the mountains and out-of-control temperatures, the fires we have experienced, and those yet to come, are “beyond the extinguishing capacity of our resources,” as they generate temperatures and winds that fuel their spread, without human resources being able to stop them. Therefore, they demand planning efforts so that “We don’t only remember the mountains when it’s summer and they’re burning.”

Summer in Pv city these days . . . You even have to reserve seats at a barrel . . .

A different view of the recent concerts from mine . . .

THE USA and THE MAGA REALITY TV SHOW

Trumpisms

• The invitation from the governor of Maryland to walk the streets with him is nasty and provocative.[God forbid that Trump would ever say anything like that.]

Vanceisms

• Putin isn’t stringing us along. [= I think what the boss thinks.]

Frightening articles if you live in the USA . . .

• American politics was violent before Donald Trump. But he has made it far worse. Democrats and Republicans alike once condemned political violence. But in MAGA world, all opponents are “scum” and everything is fodder for the culture war.
• The US Supreme Court has freed Trump further from the rule of law. Why a recent ruling poses an ‘existential threat’ to America’s constitution.
• I researched every attempt to stop fascism in history. The success rate is 0%. Once they win elections, it’s already too late.

After I read that last article, I came across this comment in the book I’ve cited about the rise of the Nazis: Referring to Hitler’s constantly reiterated assurances that he intended to come to power legally, Chancellor Brüning said: ‘If one declares that, having come to power by legal means, one will then break the bounds of the law, that is not legality.’ Sound familiar?

It’s disheartening to know that 77,284,118 Americans voted for Trump, despite the experience of his first term and the madness of his campaign. [BTW . . . Harris got 74,999,166 votes. So, 49.8% v 48.3% – 1.5 percentage points difference. Constantly characterised by Trump and Leavitt as a ‘landslide’ for him.]

The big question – Can he be stopped next November?

Quotes of the Day

Is it possible to imagine anything worse that the president of the USA wearing a hat saying ‘I was right about everything’? Oh, yes . . . Millions of people agreeing with the sentiment.

Russia v Ukraine

• Projection? . . . Russia has accused western European leaders of not wanting peace in Ukraine and praised efforts by Trump to end the war.
• Vice-President Vance said the US would “keep on trying” to broker talks in the absence of a deal.

Spanish

Carestía: Famine

You Have to Laugh

My Spanish feed yesterday included reviews of the J.Lo concert in Pv city. Which took place 6 weeks ago. . .

Finally . . .

Parking in my street. With the driver absent and the engine running . . .

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.