The report I cited yesterday about wind power said that – impressively – Spain had become a global leader in this field. And that, one day last week, the wind provided around 50% of the country’s electricity needs. Looking out of the window as I write this, I imagine the figure today might be 110. But, on balance, I suppose this achievement is some compensation for the despoliation of vast tracts in the hills of Galicia, Asturias and elsewhere in Spain.

In the UK, there’s a battle taking place between London and Edinburgh over whether the [minority] government in Scotland can introduce a local income tax. The British government has pronounced this unconstitutional and so has naturally had a good deal of criticism levelled at it from north of the border. As one commentator put it this morning - As the icing on her confection of invective, Ms Sturgeon played to the anti-colonial masses in her party's ranks by accusing the Treasury of behaving like a "proconsul". When all else fails, accusing the "Brits" of reverting to imperialist type always works for the Nats. If you live in Galicia – and even more so if you reside in Catalunia or the Basque Country - you’ll already be boringly familiar with this inflammatory strategy. I guess it must work.

Anyone who doesn’t take Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez too seriously might enjoy this. As might some who do.

Two classic searches which brought readers to my blog this morning:-
throwing donkeys off church towers, and
motorway brothels in Spain
I think I’ll start a rumour that, here in Galicia, they chuck a vast rage of farmyard animals off brothel roofs. Should do wonders for my statistics. And we do have a lot of both farmyard animals and brothels. Quite possibly on the same site.

Galicia Facts

Returning to the weather theme - If you chose this week to check out Galicia as a holiday/retirement option, I do hope you like wind and rain. If not, I hope it wasn’t anything I said that attracted you here. It could be worse; you could – like me – have your neighbours knocking down their interior walls 8 hours a day while you are stuck in the house.

Finally, I’m not having too much luck with multinational companies whose products I’ve bought. While in the UK, I mailed a camera to Nikon for a repair they assured me would probably be free. But now they say it will cost ₤183 [€228] to fix, plus 59 quid [€74] to send back to me. As I paid only ₤6 to send it to them special rate, I’m rather nonplussed by this. But I think I know what I’m going to tell them to do with the camera. If I can be bothered. Another famous name off my shopping list.