Strange saints; The Pope v. wealth; And Gays; 'Clubs'; Nuns; Naked men; and Beggars

To the outskirts of Santiago last night, to dine with friends and to visit a church displaying the 'miraculously un-decomposed' body of Santa Minia, who was new to me. Like Lenin and Stalin, she lies in state - in the church of Brión - and it wouldn't be the Catholic church if it couldn't take financial advantage of this. So there's a naturally a collection box next to the casket and items on sale as you exit the church. As there is with every tourist attraction these days.

Talking of the Catholic church . . . I see the Pope has pronounced against the worship of wealth. Has he walked round the Vatican, I wonder. Or popped into the Museum or (worse) the Treasury of any church in Spain or Portugal? There's a lot of worshipped wealth on display there. If Francis goes on like this, he may find himself becoming the second Papal retiree in a few years. With the blessing of the Curia.

But it's not all good news from the Vatican this week; His Holiness has exiled a young priest who was making sacrilegiously positive remarks about those of his brethren with homosexual tendencies. Of whom there are more than just a few in Rome, it's said. Indeed, so many that if they were all similarly exiled, the place would grind to a halt. If that's the right phrase.

Talking of driving to Santiago . . . If time isn't of the essence, I normally take the old highway, rather than the expensive autopista. One of the pluses of this option is that I can check if there are any new brothels(Clubs) to add to those that were there the last time I went this way. Or whether any have closed because of La Crisis. As has one of the 3 or 4 in my barrio of Poio. I can never remember its name but it's either Working Girls or Factory Girls. Either way, pretty self-explanatory.

Observation around Pontevedra is forcing me to change my belief that any woman in Spain shorter than 5 feet(152cm) is forced to become a nun. This was born of the experience of only ever seeing nuns below this height. But 2 things have forced reconsideration: 1. You just don't see many nuns these days, and 2. What you do see is many more women below 5 feet who are not nuns. QED.

One belief that remains firm, though, is that it's compulsory in Spain to put the word corazón(heart) in the lyrics of every song you write. Even if it's a Rock number.

The King of Spain is in hospital for another operation, revitalising the debate about whether or not he shouldn't abdicate in favour of his rather-more-popular son. Husband to the lovely Letizia. Anyway, when the Queen was visiting him, a naked man ran round the place shouting "No to the CIA's secret crimes". We probably won't get to hear it but I'd love to know his explanation for this mode of protest. Especially if he's one of the surgeons there.

Well, after 7 or 8 weeks of sun, the weather broke on Thursday, when it began to rain. And, thanks to the Atlantic Blanket, it hasn't stopped since. An augury of our wetter-than-Manchester winter. Hey ho. Good for the garden, as the Brits always say. Not to mention the ducks.

Finally . . . A conversation with one of the pipe-playing, tune-slaying beggars of the town:-

Could you give me 50 cents?

No. I regularly see you buying drugs in O Vao. I'm not going to give you money for drugs.

But I only buy hashish. And I'd never use your money for that. I'd use it to buy a sandwich.

Yea, right.