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
The local environment . . .
- Next-door Asturias – ‘Spain’s nature reserve’.
- After 150 years’ absence, the brown bear (oso pardo) is now well established in Asturias and Galicia.
- Galicia’s population of 82,000 wild boar is the highest density in Europe.
- The starting point through this route of Spain’s enchanted forests had to be in Galicia, where mythological creatures and magical beings still live in holes in the trees. Though not in mine, though.
The Pv city street closure I cited was even longer than I’d thought. Fifteen months, in fact. And the new building is not flats but un centro internacional de creatividad.
Talking of creativity . . . Spain’s renowned Impressionist painter, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida – known as the ‘master of light’ – was born this day in 1863, in La Cuesta, near Valencia. If you get the chance, you should visit his house in Madrid, which is a lovely museum and art gallery.
I was a tad surprised to see a foto of the road up to my house in this article on the alleged neglect of my bit of the barrio of Poio. Or Pijolandia, as I call it.
The UK
That bye-election won by the Green Party . . . One take on this: The Green Party’s sectarian campaign should alarm us all. Thanks to Labour’s failure to help Gen Z voters, its alliance with conservative Muslims could win more seats . . . On Thursday, the old mainstream parties stood impotent and irrelevant while basic tenets of secular democracy were kicked aside. We now have a polity made of 2 populist blocks, Reform and the Greens, prepared to say anything, however incendiary, in order to win. We are entering perilous times.
Poland
Its GDP is growing fast and is headed for overtaking that of Spain. There can be little doubt that entering the EU was good for the country . . . Large inflows of EU structural and cohesion funds have been used to modernise transport, energy and digital infrastructure, raising productivity and supporting long‑term growth. For the 2014–2020 EU budget period, Poland was the single largest national beneficiary of EU funds, Looking ahead to for the 2028–2034, Poland is again set to receive the highest national allocation.
The USA
What could be more comforting than having a desperate man in a baseball cap telling you your nation has just started a war in the powder keg of the Middle East? Will it go down in history as The War of Desperate Distraction, 2026?
An earlier post of mine – Trump, the president of peace.
Cuba
Another distract-ful invasion? Trump has said that the Cuban government “ is talking with us” and “in a big deal of trouble”, adding: “We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba”. He hasn’t provided any concrete plan or detailed explanation of what such a “takeover” would mean in practice.
The Way of the World
Corruption is not the day-to-day thing in Spain it was in two countries I’ve lived in. Nor is it in the USA. But there’s undoubtedly corruption at the highest levels of society in each country. Possibly for the same reason – those guilty of it stand a good chance of getting away with it. Especially, in the case of the USA, if they’re very rich and prominent. This thought has been prompted by reading that the president of Barcelona football club has been accused of serious financial crimes, including money laundering, tax fraud and participation in organised crime related to major contracts. And I see that the president of the Real Madrid club is said to be a highly controversial and polarising figure who has been accused in the media and by individuals of corruption but never prosecuted.
Spanish/Galician
- Azada: Hoe, grubber. Used for pulling up potatoes here in Galicia. Where it’s the favourite weapon for killing a neighbour with whom you’re having a property dispute.
- Col rizada: Kale. (‘Curly cabbage’).
- Cortejo: Cortege. Not to be confused with the Galician cortello, which means ‘pigsty’.
Talking of that language . . . . Galician is full of words and expressions with their own unique character, the kind that evoke the warmth of a hearth, village conversations, and a way of speaking passed down from generation to generation. Many remain alive in the collective memory, but they are heard less and less in everyday life. These are expressions with a rich history behind them. Little linguistic gems that form part of Galicia’s cultural identity and that are now at risk of disappearing if they are not used.
- ‘Tapafurados’:’ This is said of the youngest child in the family, especially when they arrive when no one expected any more offspring. A very vivid word, full of the humor so typical of Galician.
- ‘Ir para as encollas’: A very expressive way of saying that someone is getting older or aging with the passage of time. It evokes that slow shrinking that comes with age.
- ‘Batecú’: Describes a fall in which a person hits their bottom on the ground. Short, loud, and very vivid: you can almost hear the thud when you say it.
- ‘Manducar’: A colloquial verb that means to eat or consume food, usually with a certain relish. Very common in family or festive contexts.Tapa dos miolos (Head and Neck): A popular expression referring to the bony part of the head that protects the brain. A perfect example of the descriptive power of traditional Galician.
These 5 expressions are just a small sample of the linguistic treasure that Galician holds. Each one embodies a way of seeing the world, of naming everyday life with humor, precision, and plenty of wit.
English
In case you don’t already know . . . English can be difficult.
Finally . . .
From when pop songs were rather better than they are today – one of the best. As ever, the comments are spot on – eg A great lost classic. There is no reason why music cannot be this good today! And this is the combination of a great composer and a great singer.
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 there.
If you´re thinking of moving to Spain, this link should be useful to you.
Cosas de España/Galiza
The local environment . . .
Next-door Asturias – ‘Spain’s nature reserve¡.
After 150 years’ absence, the brown bear (oso pardo) is now well established in Asturias and Galicia
Galicia’s population of 82,000 wild boar is the highest density in Europo
The starting point through this route of Spain’s enchanted forests had to be in Galicia, where mythological creatures and magical beings still live in holes in the trees.
The Pv city street closure was even longer than I’d thought. Fifteen months, in fact. And th new building is not flats but un centro internacional de creatividad
https://www.diariodepontevedra.es/articulo/pontevedra/alfonso-xiii-reabre-trafico-ano-tres-meses-despues-reforma-antiguo-conservatorio/202602271806161435560.html
Talking of creativity . . . Spain’s renowned Impressionist painter, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida – known as the ‘master of light’ – was born this day in 1863, in La Cuesta, near Valencia. If you get the chance, you should visit his house in Madrid, which is a museum and art gallery.
I was a tad surprised to see a foto of the road up to my house in this article on the alleged neglect of my bit of the barrio of Poio. Or Pijolandia, as I call it.
The UK
That bye-election won by the Green Party . . . The Green Party’s sectarian campaign should alarm us all. Thanks to Labour’s failure to help Gen Z voters, its alliance with conservative Muslims could win more seats . . . On Thursday, the old mainstream parties stood impotent and irrelevant while basic tenets of secular democracy were kicked aside. We now have a polity made of 2 populist blocks, Reform and the Greens, prepared to say anything, however incendiary, in order to win. We are entering perilous times.
Poland
Its GDP is growing fast and is headed for overtaking that of Spain. There can be little doubt that entering the EU was good for the country . . . Large inflows of EU structural and cohesion funds have been used to modernise transport, energy and digital infrastructure, raising productivity and supporting long‑term growth. For the 2014–2020 EU budget period, Poland was the single largest national beneficiary of EU funds, Looking ahead to for the 2028–2034, Poland is again set to receive the highest national allocation.s
The USA
What could be more comforting than having a man in a baseball cap telling you your nation has just started a war in the powder keg of the Middle East.
Will it go down in history as The War of Desperate Distraction 2026?
An earlier post of mine.
Cuba
Another distraction?
Trump has said that the Cuban government “ istalking with us” and “in a big deal of trouble”, adding: “We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba”. He hasn’t provided any concrete plan or detailed explanation of what such a “takeover” would mean in practice.
The Way of the World
Corruption is not the day-to-day thing in Spain it was in two countries I’ve lived in. Nor is it in the USA. But there’s undoubtedly corruption at the highest levels of society in each country. Possibly for the same reason – those guilty of it stand a good chance of getting away with it. Especially, in the case of the USA, if they’re very rich and prominent. This thought has been prompted by reading that the president of Barcelona football club has been accused of serious financial crimes, including money laundering, tax fraud and participation in organised crime related to major contracts. And I see that the president of the Real Madrid club is said to be a highly controversial and polarising figure who has been accused in the media and by individuals of corruption but never prosecuted.
Spanish/Galician
Azada: Hoe, grubber. Used for pulling up potatoes here in Galicia. Where it’s the favourite weapon for killing a neighbour with whom you’re have a property dispute.
Col rizada: Kale. (‘Curlt cabbage’).
Cortejo: Cortege. Not to be confused with the Galician cortello, which means ‘pigsty’.
Talking of that language . . . . Galician is full of words and expressions with their own unique character, the kind that evoke the warmth of a hearth, village conversations, and a way of speaking passed down from generation to generation. Many remain alive in the collective memory, but they are heard less and less in everyday life. These are expressions with a rich history behind them. Little linguistic gems that form part of Galicia’s cultural identity and that are now at risk of disappearing if they are not used.
Tapafurados: This is said of the youngest child in the family, especially when they arrive when no one expected any more offspring. A very vivid word, full of the humor so typical of Galician.
Ir para as encollas: A very expressive way of saying that someone is getting older or aging with the passage of time. It evokes that slow shrinking that comes with age.
Batecú: Describes a fall in which a person hits their bottom on the ground. Short, loud, and very vivid: you can almost hear the thud when you say it.
Manducar: A colloquial verb that means to eat or consume food, usually with a certain relish. Very common in family or festive contexts.
Tapa dos miolos (Head and Neck): A popular expression referring to the bony part of the head that protects the brain. A perfect example of the descriptive power of traditional Galician.
These 5 expressions are just a small sample of the linguistic treasure that Galician holds. Each one embodies a way of seeing the world, of naming everyday life with humor, precision, and plenty of wit.
English
In case you don’t already know . . .
Finally . . .
From when pop songs were rather better than they are today – one of the best. As ever, the comments are spot on – eg A great lost classic. There is no reason why music cannot be this good today! And this is the combination of a great composer and a great singer
Thoughts from Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain 
Ya han atacado Irán.
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