Daytime TV in Spain is frankly dire. Possibly the worst items are the high-on-music, low-on-dialogue soaps imported from South America. One of the latest is set in an ‘elite’ school and features adolescent girls whose uniform consists of tight white shirts, black mini-skirts and high-heeled leather boots studded up the side. A paedophile’s dream.

At 4%, inflation in Spain is the highest in the Euro Zone. It compares with an EU average of 2.4% and 1.4% in the UK. In the latter you can get 5% on even a current account, whereas in Spain you’d be lucky to get 3% on a deposit account. Is it any wonder people invest in property?

But the good news is that, not only is the Spanish economy still booming away at 3.6% a year, there are also signs this growth is starting to owe more to exports than domestic consumption. But with inflation so high relative to international competitors, can this continue?

I’m indebted to my friend Andrew for another vignette of Spanish life. He and his wife were woken last night by a fireworks display taking place at 3.30am. It’s against the law, I believe, to have these after 12.30. The wrinkle here is that it was the local council giving the display. Will they now prosecute themselves?

My daughter holidaying in Cuba has finally assured me she’s still alive, in an SMS which said she was about to have ‘lobster and coconut ice-cream’. Enterprising, these Cubans. Her message ended ‘Viva Castro’ but maybe this is compulsory.

Finally, you can all stop looking for the 20 kilos of cocaine that went missing from a police station in Valencia last week. Two light-fingered cops have been arrested, one in Madrid and one closer to home in Lugo.