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

Alleged corruption . . .The Guardia Civil yesterday raided the PSOE HQ under an order from a judge who’s investigating whether the party paid almost €200k to a network to ‘dig for dirt’ on the police officers, judges, and prosecutors investigating cases against the PM’s family members. (Coincidentally, the trial against his brother for malfeasance and influence peddling begins today).

Says The Corner here: The sheer bewilderment within Spanish society at the PSOE’s political quagmire is indescribable [Given that an ex PM is accused of corruption as is the current PM’s wife.]

Here’s the perspective of a right-wing site and here and here are those of potentially neutral observers. I find it impossible to know whether are fires below the immense amount of smoke swirling round and being ‘bellowed’ by the right wing parties.

Property

• The frenzy moves inland.
• I’m sure I’m not the only one to fail to understand why building land is not used, for one reason or another. A new study claims Spain has enough land for up to 3m new properties, but much of it remains unused with town councils and private developers accused of hoarding land. Despite facing a housing shortfall of 700,000 and rising property prices, an economist says millions of new homes could be built but they are trapped on frozen land. 

The gang that stole expensive bottles of wine from a Michelin-starred restaurant in my barrio of Poio was led by a narcotráfico who was – and is – in prison. The theft was actually carried out by 2 ex-employees. My guess is that the gang leader lives not far from my house.

Folk might be fleeing the heat of elsewhere to Galicia but it needs to be noted that Deaths from extreme temperatures have risen in Pontevedra province, with almost a thousand cases in 5 years. It’s estimated that in 2025 there were 223 deaths related to weather conditions, the highest figure since records began.

A survey of the world’s most walkable cities has Pv at number 2, behind Venice but ahead of Helsinki, Kyoto, Madrid and Paris. Which might mean that perambulating in Pv city could soon be as challenging as in that famous Italian city.

But this is not yet listed among the major concerns of residents, which are reported to be:-

• 1. Driving: Getting around and parking. [The mayor famously hates cars]
• 2. Housing: The difficulty of finding a place and the high cost of it
• 3. Depopulation of districts and parishes
• 4. Unemployment
• 5. Cleanliness: Rubbish collection
• 6. Lack of companies [?]
• 7. Never-ending roadworks
• 8. Lack of public transport
• 9. Streets, pavements and roads
• 10 Delinquency and safety

The notary’s office didn’t call today. I won’t mention this again until the day they do.

The Middle East War

The latest update from Naked Capitalism.

The United States of Trump America

• Will the latest deal work? Podcast or Video
• Trump is now at his most dangerous Podcast or Video
• What the inhumane administration of an inhumane president is up to now.

The petulant president is reported here to have snubbed his NATO allies. Who probably also won’t be invited to next month’s cage fight on the White House lawn, to their immense chagrin.

Anyone surprised that there are no funds in the account of the Board of Peace? And no knowledge of where funds that should have been there have gone?

China

China is overhauling the world’s largest surveillance network with advanced artificial intelligence, giving the state more automated powers to track people, analyse behaviour and predict potential unrest in real time. Here’s how.

Spanish

• Protagonizar; To star in. To be involved in
• Canícula: Heatwave
• Intérprete; Performer, actor, artist, etc.

Did you know abut?

The 1904 Olympic Games that got lost.

Finally . .

There was a noisy demonstration last night near where I was dining with Spanish friends. One of us knew that it was against compulsory purchases ahead a major new residential development in the north of Pv city but no one could tell me why the apparent leader was wearing a (sporran-less) kilt.

Finally . . . Finally .

Mystery afoot . . .

A local mystery . . . On 29 or 30 days a month, I get no snailmail. One 1 day a month I get several letters and 2 mags from the UK. What on earth can be going on at Correos?

My thanks to those readers who take the trouble to Like my posts.

The Usual Links . . .

The US commentators I follow, all on Podbean and/or YouTube for free:-

• The Daily Beast Podcast/Video
• Inside Trump’s Head Podcast/Video
• The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent Podcast
• The Rest is Politics US Podcast/Video
• The DSR Network Podcast
• The Politics Girl Video. Amusing
• The Daily Show Video. Very amusing

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 X at Thoughts from Galicia. And on Substack here. I no longer post 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.