Dawn

Dawn

Friday, July 13, 2012


I went down to the Chinese buffet by the roundabout tonight and enjoyed a meal there. Or, rather, I didn't as it's been the latest victim of la crisis. Well, that plus the stupid decision to locate it where they did. I believe I'm on record as saying it couldn't possibly survive, despite all the promotions I was only too happy to take advantage of.

Bulls learn quickly, they say. Which is the main reason they're not allowed to fight again should they leave a ring alive. Well, not officially anyway. I remembered this when watching this morning's bull-run in Pamplona. As I'm sure you know, the six bulls are guided from their pen to the bullring by six cows, sometimes goring a few drunken idiots along the way. Well, when they get to a sharp right turn, the cows - showing they've done this a few times - slow down, keep over to the right and continue running. The bulls, on the other hand, invariably move to the left side and then crash into the barriers, where even the drunkest idiot knows not to stand. Indeed, there can sometimes literally be a pile-up. Amazingly, the bulls always survive this. Which is decent of them as they are needed for the evening's corrida.

Someone told me that The Phone Shop produced a useful comparison of prices from all the internet providers. So I went there this morning to see what was on offer.
What can you tell me about R, the cable provider?
Ah we don't do R.
I live in A Caiera. Has anyone got good cover there?
Well, not R. Only Telefónica.
What's their best deal?
Ah, we don't do Telefónica but their shop is just over there.
I hear they only give half a mega.
Ay, that's not worth paying for.
Thanks a lot.

Pontevedra is a town-cum-city of 80,000 souls and we have not one but three tourist centres:-
1. For Pontevedra town and Pontevedra province. Opposite the Town Hall
2. For Galicia. In Plaza de Verdura.
3. For the Rías Bajas (Rías Baixas). In a magnificent building near the basilica de Santa María.
Please don't ask me to explain why one office couldn't cover all these. All I know is that this sign (to no. 2) is pointing in the wrong direction, as the Turismo office moved over two years ago.



My perception is that the sign - though more than misleading - is new. But I may be wrong on this.

Right behind this sign is this fine building.



It used to be the Bank of Spain but, as Brussels in now running the economy and there's no need any more for a national bank, the offices have been converted in luxury flats. Of course, there's nil demand for these and so the whole building has nil value, regardless of how well the flats have been fitted out. But I wonder at what ridiculous value they're sitting on someone's books. Where they claim to price to market but don't. Just like everybody else.

Finally . . . There was an obit of Victor Spinetti in El Pais today. I'd wager that no one in Spain has heard of him and less than one per cent of his fellow Brits are slightly familiar with his name. So I wonder what criteria El País uses.

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