Last night, my younger daughter and I were pondering the question of why things in the UK are so expensive. But we didn't come up with an answer. And then, this morning, I read that - in one London borough at least - it costs €325 to get your car from the municipal pound, against €83 here in Pontevedra. Council featherbedding would be my guess. Which I've previously labelled a particularly British form of corruption.

One area in which UK prices have risen significantly recently is that of gas and electricity. Allegedly, the second phase of the European Emissions Trading Scheme has added an average of $39 to household bills and another €47 has been added by the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target. Plus €13 because of a 'renewables' obligation, which forces electricity suppliers to buy a proportion of their electricity from wind or other renewable providers. So, what happens in Spain? Are these EU regulations ignored? Or are they implemented, but with the government [i. e. taxpayers] picking up the bills so the consumer prices can be kept down? Or a bit of both?

Here in Spain, it's compulsory for developers to give you a bank guarantee to cover stage payments on a new build. Despite this, during the recent boom [was it only yesterday?] it was not unknown for developers to decline to comply with this obligation and to insist you signed the contract on their terms or move aside for the next couple in line waiting to board the gravy boat. Now that the boom is over and construction has ground to a halt, many folk who did get guarantees are finding they're in no better position. For banks and insurance companies are welching on them, for one specious reason or another. The Bank of Spain has said this is wrong and must stop. So I guess it will. On the other hand, it may not - showing again how difficult a place Spain can be when things go wrong. As British victims of the infamous Valencian 'Land Grab' laws found out. However, there's good news for these aggrieved people; the EU is taking the Spanish government to court over the laws and their implementation. So, there's now greater hope of compensation or restoration. One cheer for the EU.

Galicia

President Zapatero dropped in on Galicia today,with his basket of pre-election promises about spend in the region. So stand by for the announcement - quite possibly tomorrow - that the interests of Galicia demand that voting be brought forward from next March to this October or November. Coincidentally, before the economic situation deteriorates further.

I popped into a Pontevedra bank today to ask what their commission rate was on foreign exchange transactions. As there was quite a queue for the 2 tellers on duty, I approached one of the usual 6 or 7 desks for personal service, most of which were free. I guess the woman there could have answered my question in one of several ways - including "I'm sorry, sir, but these desks are for customers of this bank. " - but what I got was a three-second stare and the bald statement "You will have to ask the teller that". As if it changes by the day. Or isn't on her computer. Or even in her head. Annoyed as I was at this unhelpful response, it was nothing compared to my partner's anger at being told over the phone it was impossible for the bike shop to give her any prices as she would have to come down to talk to them about these. This is not the first time either of us have suffered this attitude and I wonder, therefore, whether it's a cardinal element of whatever customer service training programs Spanish shop and store staff go on. 'Never let pass an opportunity to force them to come to the shop. Don't make anything easy for them. If you give them a price, they can compare it with someone else's'. Probably not but I only ask.

Una chapuza is a botched job. To its eternal credit, the Voz de Galicia has for some time been drawing our attention to the worst examples Galicia can offer. See here for an example or two. Or take a look at the walkways in our communal gardens next time you are passing.

Finally - My thanks to Martin for identifying yesterday's plant. Here the next one . . . A toughie, I suspect.