I
wrote yesterday of the arrest of yet another high-profile Spanish
businessman, Gerardo Díaz Forrán. I also cited the the lack of
trust in politicians. Right on cue, Nick Lynne of Iberosphere writes - The arrest of the former head of Spain’s employers’
association should come as a shock. Sadly, it is more likely to be
interpreted by the international community as yet another indication
of the many deep-rooted and extensive problems that afflict this
country, the most important of which is a lack of transparency in
politics and business, along with a failure to implement corporate
governance practices. This being the underlying situation, should
there really be any surprise the politicians and their friends went
to town when money flooded into Spain after the launch of the euro?
And wasn't it all totally predictable? Did no one warn the mandarins
in Brussels, when they went ahead with their
one-size-fits-all-we-can-trust-everybody model? Apparently not.
As
I've said a couple of times, it's hard to know how to deal with the
myriad beggars and panhandlers who populate Pontevedra's streets –
the accordionists, the bagpipe players, the middle-aged, middle-class
men and women sitting on the steps of shuttered shops, the gypsy
crone who tries to tell your fortune, the men and women who shove a
hand in your face as you're trying to read El País, the
gypsies outside the churches, the guys who guide you –
unnecessarily - into public parking spaces, and the gypsies at the
supermarket doors. Which of these are really deserving? And which of
these are more deserving than the rest? Apart from the hash-heads
slaughtering tunes on pipes, it's really hard to decide. And now a
tough challenge has been made even more difficult. For it emerges
there are Romanian gangmasters who 'employ' compatriots to stand for
twelve hours outside supermarkets, paying them peanuts and living
very high on the hog from the proceeds. I guess I'll stick with my
policy of paying no one but the truly good performers who lighten my
day as I pass their pitch on Plaza de Peregrina. The young lady who
plays classical music on the flute and the couple who perform
enchanting folk songs. Ironically, possibly from Rumania.
Talking
of gypsies . . . We all know they came to Europe from Egypt. Hence
the name. And also that they originally came from India. But DNA
research now shows, it's reported, that they came from the
Untouchables class there. Hard as it may be to believe sometimes -
especially when you see them scouring the rubbish containers at night
- they've actually come up in the world. Finally on this – In
Western Europe, it's Spain which has the highest percentage of Gypies
among its population.
Walking past a
cake shop yesterday, I saw a plate of Jesuitas in the window. These
seem to have come to Spain from Argentina, like the churrasquerías,
or places which specialise in grilled meats. These are said to be
images of Jesuitas but I have my doubts, as one of the fotos in the
second row is of the pasteis de Belém I recently enjoyed in
Lisbon. Anyway, I'm now left wondering how many other pastries in
Spain are named after religious
orders.
After
typing the above paragraph earlier this evening, I found it
impossible resist the siren call of the churrasquerías of
Pontevedra. So I drove down to town and parked near the one close to
the Parador. Only to find it closed, leaving me with a longish walk
to the other place I know of. But it was worth it.
Talking
of closed places . . . It's not only shops which are reincarnating
themselves but also bars. Walking back to my car last night, I passed
one which has re-invented itself as least thrice in the last five
years. First it was an ordinary tapas bar. Then an Irish bar. Then an
upmarket tapas bar. And now it's closed but with a notice on the door
saying it will open as a pulpería/pulpeira in January. These are
places which specialise in octopus. Good luck to it. If only because
of perseverance, it deserves to succeed.
Finally
. . . Facebook continues to do things which stretch my patience.
Today I logged on to find the message Conecta con Jotxe on my
wall. This turns out to me a woman who will hep me realise my dreams,
to know myself better, to resolve those doubts which trouble me, to
chose the best moment for taking those important decisions, etc.,
etc.
Doubtless
a woman of integrity but how the hell does she get to promote herself
on my wall? Is she paying Facebook for this privilege? And is there
some way I can stop these intrusions? I bet it's not worth asking
Facebook. That said, by pure chance, I've just seen that Facebook has
sent me an email on the subject of Our Global Site
Governance Vote. Maybe if I could be bothered their
jargon-stuffed message, I'd get some answers to the questions raised.
BTW
– If you're tempted to check out Ms Jotxe, you should know she
appears to achieve everything through analysis of Zodiac signs. Not
necessarily a charlatan. Possibly just an idiot, tapping profitably
into global imbecility.
No comments:
Post a Comment