Well, here's a thing - The distance between my house in Pontevdra and the ferry port in Santander is almost exactly the same - 550km - as that between the ferry port in Plymouth and my daughter's flat in Leeds. I now sit back and wait to see how this can be interpreted as an anti-Spanish comment.

Talking of which - The BBC reported today that the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer today claimed that, at 2.5%, the growth in the British economy this year would be the highest in the developed world and better than in any other major economy. As Spain has the world's 8th economy and as this is forecast to grow at 4% this year, these are highly questionable statements. Which I shall be taking up with Mr Darling in person. If I can bring myself to call him Darling. Surely he can't be suggesting Spain is part of the developing world. Or perhaps he's just another ignorant, arrogant Brit. Anyway, I have meanwhile written to the BBC accordingly.

When you get off the ferry at Plymouth, you have to negotiate around a dozen roundabouts before you can get out of town. And there is a speed camera about every 50 metres. I don't know how visiting Spaniards react to this instantaneous regimentation but I felt I'd arrived in a police state. I say 'instantaneous' but Immigration and Customs took almost an hour to get through. But, then, there were a lot of suspicious men in their 60s and 70s driving old E-type Jags and the like.

Finally - as regards recent comments posted, my thanks to Gabriel for taking up the cudgels on my behalf, with great eloquence. And my sympathy and empathy for the sort of nonsense that he was then assailed with. My thanks also to Duardon for his belief that I write in good faith.