I went today to do the tests (eyes, ears, coordination, etc.) that one has to do in Spain every 5 years - probably after a certain age - before renewing your driving licence. As I'd expected, there were a lot of forms and a lot of signing but the innovation was that, as with the supermarket, the latter was done on an electronic pad. Inevitably, it didn't all go smoothly. I decided - after a second's thought - to answer honestly a question on whether or not I was on medication. So, now I have to get my doctor to write half a book on me and my treatment before they can send the application off to El Tráfico. Does this happen anywhere else? My recollection is that you don't need to do anything at all in the UK until you reach 70.

As ever, I had to explain at the test centre that I didn't have two surnames. And that it was Spain that was different. But I've had a thought on this. Thanks to his several unfriendly visits, Francis Drake is not a popular figure along this coast. So, I think I'll give Drake(Draké) as my putative second surname next time. And see where this takes us.

The latest crooked mayor in the dock is the one up in Lugo. (Though not the one involved in a brothel business; that was the previous chap). He's been charged with taking bribes from the company which impounds errant cars. In the course of the investigation, the police discovered that the company had been operating for four years without a licence. But nobody had said or done anything. Perhaps because they didn't want to upset the man with the patronage.

Which reminds me . . . The Argentinean President, Mrs Kirchner, has been accused of sending 3 billion euros to Switzerland. I can understand 1 billion; things have certainly gone up a bit. But 3 billion? What can you do with 3 that you can't do with 1? But, anyway, the person who's blown this gaffe is the pilot who flew the plane taking the bags of cash. Who may or may not be telling the truth. Back home in Argentina, Mrs K was asked recently why her patrimony had increased 700% since her late husband had become president before her. She replied that he'd been a successful lawyer and she was a successful president. Especially, it seems, as regards land about to be re-classified as edificable. Seems they got lucky a few hundred times with this.

Talking about Argentineans . . . The new Pope is being hailed as 'ordinary' because he allows other people to get in the lift with him and makes his own coffee. If it were down to me, I'd say he was ordinary because that's exactly what he is - just an ordinary man doing a tough job which involves a lot of dressing up in clothes and colours that would be viewed suspiciously in some quarters. An Austrian cardinal has said that he knew Francis's election was inspired by God because there was a 'series of supernatural signs' that led him to support this unfancied candidate. One of these, he confided, was that, before he went into the conclave, someone from Argentina had whispered Francis's surname in his ear. Now, call me a cynic but I'm pushed to see anything supernatural in this. I'd have been more convinced if an Argentinian has whispered Mrs Thatcher's name in his lughole.

Still on Catholicism . . . I heard the Christian cross recently described as the best corporate logo in the world. But today I heard that, long before Christianity, it featured in Egyptian religious art. Even more surprisingly, it had been used in the Jewish faith before Jesus came along. But this practice stopped around that time. I guess it's just an appealing shape, especially as it looks like a (Lowry?) figure with its arms out.

The standing of President Rajoy with the Spanish public is the lowest on record. Worse, he's facing very public resistance from the presidents of 5 or 6 regions to his plans for further austerity. This wouldn't be so bad if they weren't all from the same PP party as him. They have regional elections coming up and don't wish to be be ousted by an already irate electorate. Next step? God knows. Squeezed between Brussels and the regional 'barons', Sr Rajoy may well implode. As I used to say when the hapless Sr Zapatero was in it, what a tough job! Especially for a man who has maybe only a hundredth of the communication skills of, say, Tony Blair. Or even the inept Gordon Brown.

Finally . . . Here's a lovely little video that will certainly make you think.

Now that you've seen it, I can say that one of my thoughts was that in Scotland it's considered a beautiful day even when it's raining.

Finally, finally . . . A Galician reader has kindly advised me that the joke I cited yesterday works perfectly in Gallego, losing not just something but everything in translation.