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

Now that you know how things work here, you’ll understand this para: Judge Peinado has convened a preliminary hearing this Tuesday in preparation for the possible jury trial of the wife of the Prime Minister. This procedure is a crucial step before the judge issues an order to proceed to trial and sends the case to the Madrid Court for prosecution. So – as I wrote yesterday – it’s an investigating judge – in this case a very right-wing one – who decides whether there should be a trial, not the police or a body like England’s Criminal Prosecution Service. This is happening here despite the fact that the Public Prosecutor has said the lady has no case to answer. But Spain permits private prosecutions and this one was initiated by 2 right-wing groups. It rather smells of a political vendetta.

It’s reported that guided tours in Pv city this summer increased by 30% this year. I was less than surprised at this news, especially after having to weave my way through a group of around 50 in the old quarter yesterday.

The Pv city council has set up an Observatorio Turístico, to serve as a recipient of data which will allow better sustainable management of a sector which continues to grow in the Rías Baixas . Above all because of the Camino de Santiago boom”. Another thing that didn’t surprise me. The improvement is described in the PR release as something which will promote the city without sacrificing residents’ quality of life. A tad late for that, I think. BTW: This being Spain the provincial government also has an (overlapping) Observatorio de Turismo Rías Baixas. And probably the regional government as well.

My cleaner this evening endorsed my impression that there were fewer folk attending the Feira Franca this year. Or at least fewer dining tables than previous years. One factor was ‘affordability’, of course, set the high price of meals and a second was new regulations about the time by which tables had to be disassembled. Which was as fun-spoilingly early as 1.30am.

The United States of Trump America

Two articles from UK newspapers:-

• The i: Putin is making a fool of Trump again, and it could cost him in the mid-term elections.
• The FT: As his presidency flounders, Trump is more dangerous than ever. Forget lame ducks. He will defend his dominance like an ageing silverback gorilla.

Relevant Books

• To be published in October. Can be pre-ordered now: Wtf America?!: The Way Out of This Hell and Back to Democracy. On Amazon or here.
• The final pages of Kurt Andersen’s fascinating run through the USA’s history – Fantasyland: How America went haywire. A 500 year history.

The Way of the World

• Headline: The influencer Igho ‘Tiny’ Ubiribo died after undergoing penis enlargement surgery in Thailand. The British businessman of Nigerian origin, known for his lavish lifestyle, was 43 years old. So, the unkindest cut of all . . .
• The ad on the podcasts I listen can be in English, Spanish. Gallego and French. This is despite my obviously Anglo surname. AI assisted targetting clearly has a way to go.

Spanish

• Dar con: To find, stumble upon, come across.
• Superar con creces: To surpass
• Anegado: Flooded

Did you know?

When good manners were effortless . . .

You Have to Laugh

Finally . . .

I’m occasionally surprised by waiters or waitresses using my first name when I don’t recognise them as someone I know. But I was taken aback last night when a drug-addicted beggar whose pleas for money I’ve been ignoring for years addressed me as Colin. Fame at last! I almost gave him something.

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 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. And this, on the annual costs of owning property here.