I’ve never seen as many hostels per square metre as in Cordoba’s old quarter. No wonder prices are so keen. At least at this time of the year. Cyber cafés and WiFi hot spots, on the other hand, are very thin on the ground. Which is why yesterday’s post was so late. [And why this one – written at 8am – is being posted back in Pontevedra at 11.45pm].

Staying in a Portuguese hotel is an unnerving experience. Firstly, there’s no loud clamour arising from the dining room. Then, when they go to bed at 2, 3 or 4 in the morning, the Portuguese don’t feel the need to bawl ‘Goodnight, etc.’ at all their friends, slam doors and turn the TV on full blast. As I’ve said before, a rather dull people. But at least they give you a full night’s sleep.

Actually, there’s a misleading comment in the last paragraph – The Portuguese never go to bed at 2, 3, or 4 in the morning. They're clearly beyond redemption when it comes to enjoying life.

The winner of the Miss Spain contest is from Tenerife. As she’s in the classic ‘Spanish beauty’ mould and therefore virtually indistinguishable from her companions, they should have no difficulty substituting her with one of the latter, should she prove to be pregnant. Or even just married. Actually, there is a problem. As she’s only 17, she’s too young to take the normal path to the Miss Universe contest.

I caught a few seconds of the latest pre-election debate last night between the President and the Leader of the Opposition. The former seemed rather annoyed and even swivel-eyed. So I assume the latter had got under his skin. Whether this did him any good, I’ll have to wait for the pundits to tell me later today. I anticipate that different papers will take different views.

Figures are now appearing on the impact of the property sector collapse on the income of Spain’s Autonomous Communities/regions. The fall in tax revenue is said to range from 21% in the Canaries to 2% in Castile and Leon. Actually, the trend is bucked up in the North West, where Galicia and Asturias saw 0.2% and 3% increases, respectively. One wonders what this means.

Returning to Robert Byron and his book, The Road to Oxiana, I found myself in complete agreement with his comment that “The beauty of Esfahan steals on the mind unawares. Before you know how, Esfahan has become indelible, has insinuated its image into that gallery of places which everyone privately treasures.” Closer to home, Cordoba may well merit this accolade as well. Salamanca certainly does.

Which reminds me . . . The Galician connection with the Mezquita is that the bells of Santiago cathedral used to hang upside down there. The claim is these were brought to Cordoba on the backs of Christian slaves after the Moors had sacked the place in the late 10^th century. And were then taken back - on the backs of Moorish slaves, naturally - after the Reconquista, a few hundred years later. But who’s to say? Slaves don’t often write diaries.

I leave you with this translation of an intriguing tapas item on last night’s menu – Chicken tights.