A full 20% of people in Spain are said to live below the poverty threshold. ‘Poverty’, of course, is not an absolute measure but is defined relative to [growing] income levels. For what it’s worth, the best statistic is for Navarra [10%] and the worst for Estremadura [39%]. Galicia comes in at 23% but the range between the coast and the interior must be very wide. Relatedly, Spanish annual household income is reported to average 21,300 euros a year, with the Navarra figure being 29,900, against only 17,900 in Estremadura.

Incidentally, Navarra is one of the regions reported recently to make only a small contribution to central coffers, thanks to some rights [fueros] dating back a few centuries. Understandably, the Navarrans are rather reluctant to give these up, even in the name of national solidarity. Most of them may well want to stay part of Spain, rather than be incorporated into the Basque country, but that’s as far as it goes. ‘Cake’ and ‘eating it’ spring to mind.

Talking about solidarity . . . In a suburb of Pontevedra, there was a demonstration on Saturday against the possibility of our displaced gypsies being housed there. Ironically, this suburb comprises a large proportion of ‘good’ gypsies - the ones who run the market stalls, send their kids to school and stay out of the drugs trade.

It may well be very difficult to get Telefonica to provide broadband - or even a basic line! - in rural areas but, in some Galician towns and villages, go-ahead local councils are setting up w-fi facilities for all residents. Talk about feast and famine. Meanwhile, Telefonica goes on reporting ever larger profits. I do hope Chavez nationalises their Venezuelan business, if he hasn’t already done so.

Cultural differences: Spanish women in their 50s are reported to spend an average of 4 hours a day with their grandchildren. I suspect British women would struggle to reach 4 minutes. Except, of course, in those 3-generation families subsidised by the state where husbands/fathers are conspicuous by their absence.

A couple of days ago I read Spain was no. 2 in the world for phishing emails. Today I read that the UK is no. 3 in the world for spam, after the USA and China. I guess these are compatible statistics, with the former being a sub-group of the latter. Incidentally, spam is now said to comprise 98% of all email traffic. How depressing.

In Spanish, the letter V is usually pronounced as a B. I mention this because the word for ‘minks’ is visones. As opposed to ‘buffaloes’, which is bisontes. So, it can be tad worrying to be told hundred of minks have been released from a local farm. At least until you realise your mistake.

Finally – a brief note for all those who arrive at my blog after typing something like ‘Colin Davies blog’ in their search engine . . . Firstly, many thanks. Secondly, it’s much easier to get the latest post if you use Google Reader. Or one of the other alternatives of which I have zilch knowledge.