A few months ago, I filled in forms designed to stop me receiving telemarketing calls on my land line and mobile phones. Has it worked? Well, no. And my Spanish friends laugh at my naivety for believing it ever would. Indeed, the cynics among them think the whole process was a set-up designed to collect data that could be sold to the likes of Telefónica and Orange. I prefer to think not and remain confident it’s merely a question of a delay in getting the system operative.

In line with my comments yesterday, the Ministress of Health has announced that Spain will use its Presidency of the EU during the first half of next year to introduce a complete ban on smoking in public places here. I wonder if this will be slow getting off the ground as well. Quite possibly. But better late than never.

A brief fashion note . . . During the final bout of summer sun last week, the shorts-and-high-heels of the young ladies of Pontevedra gave way to shorts and floppy-legged boots. With the arrival of wind and rain this week, we’re back with tight jeans, ordinary boots and, of course, the more-than-occasional Palestinian scarf.

Some of you may have noticed I’ve changed my profile photo for one taken by my elder daughter in a restaurant down in Trujillo. When I suggested that a truly loving daughter would have ensured it flattered me, she replied that she had. Worse still, she was supported by her sister. What a great job I’ve done as a father.

Apparently, though, my ugliness is of no consequence to the twenty-plus young women on Tagged.com who wish to be a friend of mine. Nor to an older woman of Pontevedra who is 52 but who today has sent me a photo of a scantily dressed young lady. Which was a bit of a surprise as I’d assumed she was the only one of them who wasn’t on the game.

Finally . . .This is the blog of the Spanish gentleman, Miguel Angel Martinmas, who did a such a great job of guiding the George Borrow Society members around the Arapiles battlefield a couple of weeks ago.