Estimates for next year’s economic growth in Spain continue to fall, with the latest reductions coming from the OECD and The Economist. However, as I keep stressing, it will still be – at 2.5% or so - higher than in any other EU country. Probably more relevant for individuals, though, is the bad news that inflation will be the worst of the world’s 13 largest economies. That said, a full 70% of workers here are said to have inflation-linked wages. One rather feels for the other 30%. Especially if they have a mortgage.

Other worrying news is that el stock of unsold new properties is between 300,000 and 500,000. And rising. Mostly around my house, it seems.

A new bit of Spanglish? I read you can now chat up strangers by connecting anonymously with their Bluetooth from yours. This is called el toothing here, it seems. As it may well be back in the Anglo-Saxon world.

For those more stay-at-home folk with an interest in Spanish cuisine, here’s news of a comprehensive book I stumbled across this morning. Not literally, of course. I’ve yet to buy it.

I like a bit of irony; I support the police in the application of new laws against reckless driving; and I occasionally write critically about Spanish drivers. What on earth prompts this set of thoughts, you may ask. Well, for the first time in over 40 years, I was yesterday done for speeding. Heading towards the northern coast of Galicia, I was stopped and told I’d been doing 75kph [47mph] in a 50 [31] zone. As someone who tries to observe the limits, I rather shamefacedly told the trafico cop I’d thought it was a 70 zone as we were well out of the town and on the open road. And I asked whether there’d been a 50 sign I’d missed. He assured me there was and duly sent me on my way, 100 euros poorer. But . . . . travelling back later, I found there was no such 50 sign. Worse, the first sign out of town was one signalling the end of a 70 zone. So, what is one to conclude? That the police had removed the 70 sign at the edge of the town and set up a perfect trap? That the police in every country always become over-zealous when they start to apply speeding laws? That life is very unfair? Or that there’s no point going on about it and I should be glad the bastards didn’t deduct any points from my licence? On balance, I think I’ll go with the last sentiment. Eventually. But, for the record, the stretch of road in question is after Outeiro as you head towards Ortigueira, 17.5km from the AP9. This used to be the N642 but, of course, has recently had its number changed to AC862. As is the Spanish custom, this might be something else next week.

The good news is that my mood was considerably improved by some classic rural Spanish hospitality from people I’d only just met. And the sun shone all afternoon on a beautiful coastline.

And to finish on a light note . . . Here’s a comment from a site thrown up by Google Alerts - Northern Spain and Galicia outstandingly has elongated been an undiscovered jewel in the whole of the Spanish tourism industry. So do come up and visit. But be on the lookout for non-existent traffic signs.