Dawn

Dawn

Friday, June 03, 2016

Ponters Pensées 3.6.16

Corruption: Andalucia is a byword for this, so it's not terribly surprising, in today's climate, that the last 2 regional presidents have been charged with various offences in respect of an EU scam around massive subventions for phony training schemes. The investigation has been going on ('ongoing') for quite some time and numerous folk have been charged but, as yet, no one has been sentenced and no money has been returned in any form. For some reason – possibly related to the specific charges – we already know the 2 ex-presidents aren't facing a jail sentence. Not that this would have worried them; these are usually remarkably short for politicians here. And spent in a luxury jail near Madrid.

Driving in Spain: There's occasionally a flashing amber light for drivers approaching a pedestrian crossing. When this happens, the latter can have either a red or green light, though it's not easy for drivers to see which. It's obvious what pedestrians can (theoretically) do when their light is green but what does it mean when it's red? If they can't cross, why is there a flashing amber light for drivers? Just wondering. I guess pedestrians are wise to proceed with caution in all circumstances. Which essentially means waiting for a driver to stop and hope those coming in the opposite direction do the same when they get to the middle.

Words: An economist on yesterday's TV of taking 'active actions'. I wonder what these are. And whether there are 'inactive actions'.

Galician Jurisprudence: There's been a brouhaha here around the abortion of all cases not completed by a few days from now. But there's a loophole, it seems. For a 'complicated' case the judge is obliged to grant an extension. So, I wasn't terribly surprised to read today that every lawyer in Galicia has suddenly designated all his/her cases 'complicated'. So, a filed attempt to solve the perennial problem of snail-like justice.

Pontevedra Tourism: I may have mentioned that, in the past week or so, there's been an enormous hike in the number of foreigners visiting us. Or guiris, as we locals call them. Today I found myself behind a group of Germans before sitting next to 6 rich-looking Poles outside my regular bar. Can they all be coming from the huge cruiser ships docking in Vigo these days – including the Harmony of the Seas behemoth? Or is the city now on the international circuit? If so, is it my fault? God forbid.

Query: What is it with women and washing up liquid? Why do they have to use half a bottle to do a sinkful of dishes?

Finally . . . Castelao: I neglected to post this foto yesterday– of beggars at a church door. Nothing much has changed in more than 100 years – except perhaps the nationality of the beggars. More likely to be Romanian than Spanish these days. And none of them are blind. Or thin.




























Personal Note: I'm travelling to Santander today, to start another week-long camino, along the northern coast. I suspect it'll be rather less eventful and more enjoyable than the Primitivo of 3 weeks ago. If only because, I'm not going with any Dutch people . . . Anyway, I'll try to make a daily post of observations, etc. 

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