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/Galiza

Says Lenox Napier here co-ownership can create problems for a prospective buyer. And also for those who become one via an inheritance.

This is the first episode of a BBC series starring Eva Longoria (a Mexican-American) and – in a supporting role – Spain. One reviewer has dismissed it as “a string of banal clichés strung together” but you might not agree. This is the first episode, on Cataluña and its delights, including its famous food. That sniffy reviewer also opined that “Truth be told, I think Spanish cuisine is just about the world’s most seriously overrated” but Ms Longoria clearly doesn’t agree. If you have – by whatever means – access to the BBC iPlayer, you can access all the episodes now, including No. 5, on Galicia – starring our flowers apparently. I will comment on it tomorrow.

Corrections:-

• Despite being on the Poio side of the river, the barrio of Lérez and its parish of O Burgo is actually part of Pv City.
• A reader advises that the houses I cited are ‘listed’, so can’t be demolished and replaced. I hope not but this has certainly happened to old houses in Pv city in the last 5 years. On the other hand, I know that you can’t do away with façades in the old quarter and your restored building must retain the old one in front of the entirely new stuff. So maybe age is a factor. Or location.

This is a report on yesterday’s match between my friends in Os Porcos Bravos and the Sheffield Stags. It rather understates the intensity of the parallel activities. which will continue this evening. For those still standing.

ALICE IN MAGAWORLD

Trumpisms.

What was I saying about Germans being criminalised for making jokes about Hitler? It’s reported that: National Security Directive NSPM-7  stipulates that anyone who insults Trump, calls him or his enablers “fascist,” or opposes Christo-nationalism is anti-American. And that:Anyone deemed “anti-American” is a proper target of persecution. An AI search suggests this is an exaggeration but is still worrying because:-

• It identifies ideological markers such as Anti-Americanism, Anti-capitalism, Anti-Christianity, Support for overthrowing the U.S. government, Hostility toward traditional American views on family, religion, and morality. All of which are flagged as potential indicators – not automatic proof – of domestic terrorism or organized political violence. Critics argue that terms like “anti-American” or “anti-Christian” are vague and could be used to target dissenting political views.
• Free Speech: Civil liberties groups warn that the directive could criminalize protest movements or advocacy organizations, especially those critical of Trump or Christian nationalism.
• Political Targeting: The directive explicitly mentions groups like Antifa, despite it being an ideology rather than a formal organization, raising questions about enforcement.

Quote of the Day

Lawmakers like Representative Ro Khanna have called the Directive “McCarthy-era tactics,” suggesting it could be used to silence opposition.

The Way of the World

This episode from the series on Gaza takes us to the eve of WW1, when the Ottomans ruled it. It’s possibly the most relevant to the current situation there.

Spanish

• Gazapo: Howler, goof, blunder. And: A young rabbit.
• Contratiempo: Setback, mishap, hitch, etc.
• Molestar: To annoy, irritate. etc. I had thought that ‘to be annoyed’ was estar molestado/a. But I’m told the past participle isn’t used in this case and it’s estar molesto/a. But . . . It seems that molesto/a can also mean ‘annoying’, as in Mi vecina molesta.
• This is analogous to aburrido meaning both ‘bored’ and ‘boring’, as in:- Su última novela es el libro más aburrido jamás escrito. And Estaba aburrido hasta la médula; I was bored to death.

As often in Spanish, the context is crucial.

On the subject of difficulties with Spanish . . . Here’s an amusing SNL sketch on the invention of Spanish, kindly sent to me by a bilingual friend who’ll tell me if I’m wrong on molesto and aburrido . . .

English

Scrote: A worthless, obnoxious person; a gobshite or toerag. (Abbreviation for scrotum).

Did you know?

You can use compacted hash in constructing an eco-house. It’s called hempcrete or hemplime.

You Have to Laugh

Finally . . .

BTW: Pontevedra FC won the match yesterday but were watched by only 2,000 in a stadium which holds 12,000. And 10 of us were Brits. Some of us sober.

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.