Caminos; Cops and ATMs; Words; German virtues; & An apt name.

You might think that Spain's Caminos to Santiago - originally purely pilgrim routes - would be free of the chicaneries of life. But not so. I've read 2 accounts recently of people either installing false way-markers or destroying those of alternative paths which don't lead folk past their hostel or shop's door. All very disappointing. And enough to shake one's faith in humanity.

I was amused today to see an off-duty policeman described as fuera de servicio. This is the same phrase used for, say, cash machines which aren't working. Meaning 'out of order'.

Here's more information on the chap who used 4 years' false accounts to raise the listed value of a technology company whose sales were almost entirely a chimera. Today's news is that he's been whacked with a €600,000 bail demand.

Words

1. In Spanish, the word 'test' appears to be sneaking into the language, in place of prueba. At least in the world of medicine.

2. In English, the verb 'to unpack' has become the word of choice for all sorts of things - "Let's unpack that phrase" for example - and it'll be interesting to see if it survives.

3. God knows how it made its way into Spanish but it's been here for a while, I'm told - groguí. Or 'groggy'. Applied to one of the German players last night who'd taken a knock on the head

Talking of last night's match . . . One commentator felt that "Germany’s envied culture of planning, skill and intelligence gained its reward." I'm not sure England's approach would score even one out of three of that trio.

Finally . . . Could anyone be better named than Professor Brayne of the University of Cambridge?