One of the local papers claimed today there are 4,000 things to do when there’s no sun in Galicia. Which is just as well as we’ve hardly seen it for a week.

The same paper also advised that the car driver most likely to be involved in a serious accident in Spain is male, under 22, recently qualified and sitting behind the wheel of a powerful car. Rather more surprising was the rider that there are more of these in Galicia than elsewhere. Not males under 22, that is, but young men driving powerful cars. As the region is relatively poor, my guess would be this is not unconnected with the importation of high-value powders along the cove-rich coast.

Domestic violence gets a lot of attention in the Spanish media, though I seem to recall the incidence is below that of the UK, for example. But history was made this week when we had the first recorded case of violence between cohabiting lesbians. I suppose it had to happen.

Just a quick comment on the recent post from a Boston Yankee on the subject of healthcare [or the lack of it] in the USA. It is, of course, a good tactic to compare the US system with the UK’s NHS, as no one in their right mind would want to copy the latter. Although it’s commonplace for British politicians to claim the NHS is the envy of the world, the truth is it’s a laughing stock. Far more credible models are provided by the [ironically more socialist] governments of Germany, France and Spain. In these countries, there’s a judicious mix of public and private provision which does a far better job than either of the poles-apart Anglo extremes.

My Faithful Ferrol Friend, Fernando, has pointed out that one of the meanings of the Spanish verb, sentir, is to be sorry, though it usually means ‘to feel’. So no adjective is required and there’s no truncation in Spanish. But, undaunted, I’ve asked him to scour Spanish literature to prove the negative contention that this verb has never been accompanied by something like ‘regretful’. A tall order but I think he’s up to it. Vamos a ver.