The relevant health minister – disappointed that [at least] 90% of small bars and cafés still permit smoking – yesterday morning pronounced on TV that, if things were still the same by the end of the year, she would introduce compulsion. This caused outrage amongst the owners, who said they didn’t care if their customers smoked themselves to an early grave as long as they ran up bills en route. By the afternoon, a repentant minister had softened her line somewhat and was suggesting financial incentives would be introduced. This was rather more acceptable to the owners, who suddenly discovered they might just care what their customers did. Depending on the numbers.

Well - apart from a long wait because one of the two clerks was on her statutory coffee break - my application for an extension to my residence permit went very smoothly today. Even pleasantly. Ironically, the only problem was I presented too many photocopies, something I’d previously thought impossible in Spain. The next step, though, is unclear to all parties. This is because, as an EU citizen, I no longer actually need a residence card. However, the Pontevedra office hadn’t yet dealt with an application from someone in this position and so I am, in effect, a guinea pig. Why am I going through this process, if it’s unnecessary? Well, because it’s illegal not to carry identification in Spain and a small laminated card is a lot easier to tote than a passport. And cheaper to replace.

Misguided Film Title Section: On current release is a film about Johnny Cash, called ‘Walk the Line’. This, of course, was one of his big hits and, as I understand it, the theme of the song is a love so strong it causes him to walk/toe the line. Or to keep to the straight and narrow. In Spanish it’s called “En La Cuerda Floja’. Which means ‘on the tightrope’. I wonder what the reaction will be of those who think they’re going to see a circus epic.

I’ve been known to poke fun at the ludicrous modern statues which dot the outskirts of Pontevedra but, within the extensively pedestrianised town centre, there are some beautiful examples of urban statuary. Our most recent addition – financed, I suspect, by a savings bank rather than the council – is the group of local writers and musicians shown below. The other group pictured is self-explanatory and adorns a fountain in the centre of town. So hats off to someone.

Ditto for the Spanish press, which yesterday carried obits of Moira Shearer. Mother of Alan.














The savings bank forms the backdrop.