It seems that Scotland is to be given the sort of 'fiscal independence' enjoyed [I think] by Spain's Basque and, to a lesser extent, Catalan regions. Whether this will strengthen or weaken demands for full independence is the great unknown. But the interested observers certainly won't be confined to the UK.

Reading something or other last night, I again noted that the word cristiano is used in the context of language here to mean Spanish. Which seems just a little bit presumptuous to me. In like vein, I wondered about the translating of dim sum [also din sun, it seems] as tapas orientales.

And still on translations - but this time with no whiff of controversy - I see that the English 'behind bars' becomes 'between bars ' [entre rejas] in Spanish. Perhaps this explains why so many Spanish criminals - or at least those convicted of financial skulduggery - don't seem to stay locked up for long.

Gazing out of the window of the Chinese restaurant at lunchtime, it finally dawned on my why so many off-road vehicles are sold here. So you can get off the road and park on the pavement. Or sidewalk to our American friends. Who call the road surface the pavement, I believe.

And still on the language theme . . . In Gallego, the harsh Spanish J becomes a soft X, pronounced sh. To compensate, up in the hills near me Gallego speakers pronounce the G as a J. No me da as khanas. Or something like that . . . It can all be very confusing to the ear.

I may have said this before but I feel those responsible for the televising of Spain's corridas could usefully take a leaf out of Formula 1 car racing and put a mini camera on the forehead of each bull. Or - as with cricket stumps - one in each horn. Imagine being able to see the face of the matador as he gets gored in the groin. Picture the photos in the next morning's press! Remember - You heard it here first. Or maybe second.

Galicia

The Xunta coalition parties are each conducting a sort of road show to remind us how well they've done in the last three years. And possibly to distract us from the impression that they're at each other's throats. The PSOE's is entitled Three Years Changing Galicia. Which rather begs the question For better or worse? And the BNG's is entitled Transforming Galiza. About which, I guess, the same could be said. Echoing what I wrote a few days ago, one local columnist has opined that It all suggests we're being dragged into a long and insufferable election campaign. Ain't that the truth.

A different local columnist has raised similar points to mine about the unseemly race to festoon the hills with more wind turbines. It's ironic, he rightly say, that an ecological measure has now become associated merely with money and that environmental concerns have all fallen by the wayside. He recommends that an impact report precede each installation, as I think is done in the UK. But I fear it will be a while before politicians of any colour will be willing to put such a sheet anchor on their ambitions. And anyway, they're probably driven by nothing but the laudable motive of meeting EU sustainable energy targets.

Which reminds me . . . While I may be unclear about what is happening around grand schemes for fish farms along our coast, the Xunta seems to have no doubts on the subject. It's taken to putting full-page ads in the local press patting themselves on the back for their visionary plans. Which seems an odd use of taxpayers' money to me. But, as I say, I don't fully understand everything going on around me. Must be age.

Finally, a reminder about the Anglo Galician Association, which is open to everyone who understands English and who has any sort of interest in Galicia/Galiza. The Forum now has 60 registered members and the full web page will be up and running within two weeks.