Another journey, another magnificent new Spanish motorway that wasn't there the last time I passed this way. This time the extension of the A66 between Mérida and Salamanca. Or to 100 or so kilometres south of this city, to be exact. With bits more during that 100km.

Different cultures, different terms of endearment . . . A middle aged man taking a photo in the Roman amphitheatre in Mérida and shouting [I guess] to his, unseen, wife - "Calla, coño". Or "Shut up, c**t".

Mérida, by the way, is well worth a visit but you should try to chose a day when hundreds of coaches are not disgorging zillions of semi-interested schoolkids. The magnificent Museum of Roman art is especially worthy of a prolonged visit. Beautifully designed. Despite the city being a tourist trap, the locals all seem remarkably friendly and polite. But you mustn't expect decent food, of course. At least not in any place catering for visitors.

80% of Spanish women are reported to prefer their knickers to be embroidered with things like 'Only for fun', 'Kiss and tell' and 'Let's dream together'. How this fits with the fact that 65% of Spaniards can't understand a word of English, I cannot say. Or with today's report that most Spaniards are dissatisfied with their sex lives and - at most - have sex only 1.9 times a week.

A harbinger of imminent doom? The local newspaper tells me that house prices in Caceres have fallen 1.1% so far this year. If this really is the start of the big crash, you heard it here first.