In the interests of balance, I should record that The Economist has praised the Bank of Spain’s handing of an economic situation which is turning out to be the crisis it was forecast not to be a month or three ago. Perhaps the bank never believed the pre-election assurances of the government. Or was impervious to the shower of election bribes that were offered.

Less positively, for a depressing explanation of why Germany’s annualised growth rate of 6% shouldn’t be taken too seriously, click here.

As I filled my car with petrol at €1.22 a litre [or 4.39 quid a gallon], I took to wondering who was benefiting from the incessant increases. Apart from the producer countries, of course. And the oil companies earning ‘windfall' profits. And their shareholders getting bigger dividends. And the governments – regional and central – whose tax revenues are soaring. But, these apart, it can’t be in anybody’s financial interests, can it? At least not in the short term. And at least not for you and me. On further reflection, though, the increases seem to be a bonanza for everybody but us consumers. Or have I missed something?

To brighten your day – Here’s a follow-up to yesterday’s citation of the hatchette job on Cherie Blair, this time from The Observer. It’s always fascinating to see bitchiness in full flow but this piece ends with a marvellous suggestion as to how the un-sainted Cherie might go about garnering some sympathy for herself. Tough as this might sound.

Reportedly, only 8 years ago 83% of Spaniard parents were unconcerned about their kids attending classes with ‘foreigners’. For which read not fellow EU citizens but immigrants from, then, South America and, now, just about everywhere. The point of the article was that the number would be much lower now. Reading it, I recalled something said to me when I was 19 and banging on about the need for tolerance – “Yes, but it’s easy to be tolerant when you have nothing to tolerate”. Such have been the demographic changes in Spain in the last booming decade, it was inevitable tensions would rise and take Immigration to the top of the regularly published Worry List of the Spanish populace. And that’s without considering the impact of an economic downturn. Interesting times. That old Chinese curse.

Galician Facts

The region’s language-normalisation officers are demanding more cash and resources so they can more effectively police the law requiring that kids here are taught 50% of their lessons – the more important ones – in Gallego. Which has at least the beauty of being logical. What’s the point of an un-enforced law? A question which occurs to me quite regularly.

According to yesterday’s Diario de Pontevedra, the daily consumption of water in the city is 300 litres. This compares with figures of 134 and 152 for unmetered/metered houses in the UK a few years ago. And with 166 in Spain in 2005. I wonder what on earth we’re doing with it all.

Finally, a propos nothing at all, I’d like to pay tribute to Ryan Giggs of Manchester United, after whom my border collie was named by one of my Evertonian-father-defying daughters a little over 14 years ago. He has played in the first team throughout this hugely successful period and brought nothing but credit to his team. Ryan Giggs I mean, not Ryan Davies. A true, understated hero among the prima donnas who surround him. I do hope he doesn’t become a manager and end his career in ignominy. After all, he can probably pay well for good advice. Which will be even more expensive if he ignores it.

The Anglo Galician Association – open to all who speak English – now has a Forum on the web. If you have a query about Galicia, why not register and post it.