A nice cartoon in yesterday’s El Pais. A diner is pictured saying – With a little sauce, election promises are great. Even better when drowning in lies.

So, what do the UK, Morocco and Switzerland have in common? Well, according to Easyjet, if you’re travelling to Spain from any of these, new EU regulations oblige you to provide certain personal data in advance of your flight. If not, you won’t be allowed on the plane. I wonder what the logic is. I guess it isn’t an Islamic connection. Schengen?

I’ve mentioned more than once over the years just how much of a challenge the Spanish Christmas and New Year period is to both your stomach and your mental health. Here are some details from Ben at Notes from Spain which put flesh on these bones, as it were.

Some international institution has said there’s a ’lack of authority’ in Spanish schools and colleges. As I give a conversational class to teachers of English at one of these, I can only say that, after you’ve been subjected to the astonishing noise levels of Spanish 5 year olds, you can no longer feign surprise at how noisy adults are here.

A close friend of the Prime Minister has joined the Telefonica board as a special adviser. One wonders why.

Prostitution – an advance. Down in Sevilla, they’re going to start fining the men who patronise street prostitutes. Reportedly, this already happens in Barcelona. It’s a start.

Galicia Facts

Here’s the usual seasonal announcement – The (to me) unappetising goose barnacle – percebe – will be costing over 300 euros a kilo this Christmas, because of the usual seasonal shortage. I think I´ll give it a miss. Again.