Dawn

Dawn

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

According to our local paper, the takings of the stallholders during this year’s Semana Grande are 30-40% down on last year. Which seems a lot to me. Perhaps they feel the taxman will be influenced by this claim. Assuming, of course, they pay any.

Pontevedra now has a new museum. It centres on a huge fosa (defensive ditch) just inside the medieval walls. This was unearthed a year or two back when one of the squares in our old quarter was being re-paved. There used to be a large mansion (El pazo del arzobispo)) on this spot but this, we’re told, was destroyed by marauding Brits in 1719, some of whose catapulted boulders are on display in the museum. Or will be when it’s finally opened. Which, I suspect, was originally scheduled for before the start of this year’s tourist season.

Talking about things that are slated to happen . . . .The local press recently reported on a protest against the ban on smoking in public places rumoured to be coming into force in January next year. This, the protesters say, will force people out on to the street in order to indulge their habit. By analogy with teenage binge-drinking - el botellón - this new group activity has been given the name el cigarillón. Some of us are less sympathetic to this plight than others.

Finally . . . Does anyone know whether the phrase territorio comanche has any particular meaning?

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