One of those Spanish shopping expeditions yesterday. I was buying a new laptop but there was confusion as to whether it really had the wi-fi capability I’d been promised. Eventually I was assured that it did but that the only software on it was the Windows operating system. So I took it home, where I discovered I was lacking part of the power cable. After a second visit to the shop, I switched on the machine and found there were several software packages on it in addition to Windows XP. Can it possibly be the shop’s sold me a computer that’s been returned to them by someone who installed the software? Or do they just not have the faintest idea what they’re doing?

There was one more touching route to this blog on the last day of January:- reasons to leave the UK – If you’re that desperate to find reasons, you should probably stay.

Talking of the UK, I occasionally touch on local corruption here in Spain but I read last week that a very significant part of the ever-rising local tax burden in the UK goes to fund the gold-plated pensions of the swelling ranks of local bureaucrats. All very legal but isn’t this little more than licensed corruption?

Hardly surprising news but the fatality rate for young male drivers in Spain is double that of their counterparts in, say, Sweden and Holland. Statistics are particularly bad for those who’ve recently qualified. A proposal’s been made that the legal alcohol level for such novice drivers be zero. How many parents could disagree? Well, mothers anyway.

Galicia Facts

Between now and 2013, Galicia will receive a total of 5 billion euros from various EU funds. This includes 400 million from the Cohesion Fund, just announced. Allegedly, this is three times more than the Xunta was expecting. But very handy just before the local elections.

Galicia may be well down the rich-list of Spanish regions and its population may only be 7% of the country’s total but the salary of its president ranks in the top 3. My initial thought was that this justifiably reflected the difficulty of having to deal daily with a nationalist coalition partner. But I then decided it was more likely a happy result of the job being held for so long by ex-Franco minister and political heavyweight, Manuel Fraga. Or Miguel, as I like to call him.

Norway has asked the port authorities in Vigo to check the cargo of a Russian trawler berthed there. This is a ‘nice’ development, given that the EU has reminded us this week that Vigo is the worst place in Europe for the unloading of illegal catches. I’d be pretty hacked off if I were a Russian captain arrested in Vigo. Probably by smiling policemen,

The January road toll in Galicia was a depressing 28. Although down on last year’s 34, it was up on 2005. And it turns out Galicia has the highest number of pedestrian fatalities in Spain. Last year, 38 people were mown down - several on zebra crossings, of course. I hope the Brits buying up rural ruins come armed with fluorescent coats. Though staying indoors early Saturday and Sunday mornings would be the wisest strategy.

Finally . . . For those Gallego speakers who are not in the nationalist camp, here’s a site which may amuse. Even Xoan Carlos and Carlos may enjoy its ribbing:-

http://galpondebreogan.wordpress.com/