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

More evidence – on the issue of finance – of Spain’s semi-federal status. Fourteen of the relevant fifteen regions reject the new model of finance agreed with Cataluña. Especially, Galicia.

Lastres is said here to be the most beautiful town in Northern Spain. Whenever I read of much increased tourism in Northern Spain, I recall reading – 25 year ago – a statement in Cees Noteboom’s book – All Roads to Santiago – to the effect that it was virtually empty of tourists, despite the fact that, if you picked it up and put it down in France, there’d be millions of them. As there now are.

I’m not sure I ever knew Julio Iglesias has a massive estate near La Coruña, though I did know that he used to fly to nearby Combarro from time to time, by helicopter.

Easter Sunday occurs between March 22 and April 25 and it’s April 5 this year, mid way. But already I can hear them practising on the Semana Santa drums more than a kilometre away in Pv city. Sadly, there’s always a chance here that, as last year, all the huge effort will be wasted, if rain causes cancellation,

There’s a big gastronomic event coming up, in Arbo on the river Miño border with Portugal. The star feature will be the lamprey, an ugly fish which, to me, tastes as bad as it looks. But others adore it, of course. I might just go for the trout.

Culture note: Madrid’s El Prado must-see exhibitions in 2026

Portugal

An unusual candidate in the presidential elections

The USA

Trump has asked Congress to approve his (naturally) Great Healthcare Plan, which those in the know have described as “a joke”, “half-baked”, “a con”, “not even detailed enough to be considered a plan” and “a sad attempt to continue gaslighting the American people.” After around 10 years waiting for it, will the Americans see a genuine Trump healthcare plan emerge before he leaves the stage? It seems rather unlikely.

Cynical Sycophant of Week:  María Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan opposition. And someone again passed over by Trump for acting president of the country in favour of Maduro’s deputy. This has not gone down well with the Nobel Peace Prize Committee. And here’s Lawrence O’Donnell on her futile gesture. She will spend the rest of her life explaining that she always knew that Donald Trump was an imperialist fool but she was just trying to deal with him to save Venezuela from his madness.

And here’s Jimmy Kimmel. On this and several other things. Very good. And funny.

The polling on ICE is not looking good. As if Trump really cares, being able to convince himself of the opposite.

There are many questions re Trump that vex me. Perhaps the biggest is: Could the Americans possibly have given such power to anyone less fit to be their president? Especially the second time around. Plus: Can very many Americans really be as stupid as ignorant Europeans think they are? And: In US society, are celebrity and wealth really as attractive to voters as they seem to be? Whatever . . . If the Republicans win the mid-terms, I vow never to write another word about Trump or the USA.

Meanwhile . . . Two dyed-in-the wool but honest Republicans struggle here to understand the appeal of Trump and the nature of the current Republican party. And wonder – despairingly – how it will be for the next general election. Not exactly encouraging.

Quote of the Day

Katherine Leavitt ⁷– Trump’s lady chipmunk.

Spanish

• Hacer frente; To face, face up to. confront.
• Anzuelo: Hook, fishhook. Lure. Bait.
• Perrito faldero: Lapdog.
• Skyline: Guess

English

I’ve been confused about where to put the full stop at the end of a quotation at the end of a sentence, having seen it both inside and outside the quotation marks. This explains why . . . For sentences ending with a quote: In American English, the full stop (period) goes inside the closing quotation mark. British English places it, outside unless part of the quote itself. So, there’s now little doubt about which is correct . . .

Did you know?

Talking of lampreys . . . King Henry I of England died in 1135, traditionally because of a “surfeit of lampreys” – an overindulgence in the eel-like fish, which he reportedly ate against medical advice. A chronicler recorded that he fell ill after the feast, suffering fever, chills, and convulsions before dying soon after.​ Experts now doubt lamprey poisoning as the cause, suggesting alternatives like listeriosis from contaminated food,. His sudden death sparked “The Anarchy,” a 19-year civil war over succession between his daughter and his nephew.

You Have to Laugh/Cry

When British troop, after defeating the Turks, entered Baghdad in 1917, the general in charge of them told its citizens: Our armies do not come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators. Since the days of Halaka, your city and your lands have been subject to the tyranny of strangers, your palaces have fallen into ruins, your gardens have sunk in desolation, and your forefathers and yourselves have groaned in bondage. Your sons have been carried off to wars not of your seeking and your wealth has been stripped from you by unjust men and squandered in distant places. Great Britain is determined that you should prosper even as in the past, when your lands were fertile, when your ancestors gave to the world literature, science, and art, and when Baghdad city was one of the wonders of the world. . . . The general empha- sised the ‘close bond of interest’ between Britain and Baghdad, whose merchants had been trading together in ‘mutual profit and friendship’ for 200 years. The Germans and the Turks had made Baghdad a centre of power from which to attack Britain and her allies in Persia and Arabia: Therefore the British Government cannot remain indifferent as to what takes place in your country now or in the future. There was another – ominously vague – reassurance about Baghdad’s political destiny. Britain did not wish ‘to impose upon you alien institutions’ but hoped that ‘the aspirations of your philosophers and writers shall be realised’, with Baghdad flourishing under institutions in accord with its ‘sacred laws’ and ‘racial ideals’. He drew Baghdadis’ attention to events in the Arabian Desert, where the Arabs had ‘expelled the Turks and Germans who oppressed them and proclaimed the Sharif Hussain as their King, and his Lordship rules in independence and freedom’. The proclamation concluded with a rousing crescendo. Many noble Arabs have perished in the cause of Arab freedom, at the hands of those alien rulers, the Turks, who oppressed them.’ Great Britain was committed to ensure that these noble Arabs shall not have suffered in vain. It is the hope and desire of the British people and the nations in alliance with them that the Arab race may rise once more to greatness and renown among the peoples of the earth. O, people of Baghdad. Remember that for 26 generations you have suffered under strange tyrants who have ever endeavoured to set one Arab house against another in order that they might profit by your dissensions. This policy is abhorrent to Great Britain and her Allies, for there can be neither peace nor prosperity where there is enmity and misgovernment. Therefore, I am commanded to invite you, through your nobles and elders and representatives, to participate in the management of your civil affairs in collaboration with the political representatives of Great Britain, so that you may be united with your kinsmen in North, East, South, and West in realising the aspirations of your race.

Now, you and I might think this was a pretty nice speech, doubtless sincere and well-intended, BUT . . . In Baghdad the proclamation largely fell on deaf ears. And: In London it occasioned severely raised eyebrows. In a withering aside during a debate, the Speaker of the House of Commons observed: ‘I am afraid it contained a great deal of Oriental and flowery language not suitable to our Western climate.’

Finally . . .

This is the AI ad I cited yesterday.

Got to admit she’s appealing. But, fortunately, the higher of my 2 brains is stronger than the lower one. Which might be an age/wisdom thing.

Finally . . . Finally . . .

An Irish tribute to Pam Bondi. BTW, it proves a challenge too far the (AI?) writer of the subtitles.

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. And this is something on the so-called Beckham Rule, which is beneficial – tax-wise – for folk who want to work here. But see here on this. And 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.