Dawn

Dawn

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Ponters Pensées 30.7.16

NOTE: My laptop fell on the floor yesterday  – off the ironing board – and later gave up the ghost. I’m writing this on my phone, so it will be shorter than usual. I have yet to master writing text on this, so you may well hear me cursing from wherever you are.

SPANISH GOVERNMENT: Should we have  3rd round of elections in November, my suggestion would be that there’s an additional option on the ballot paper: None of the above. Let’s stay with the non-government which has served us well for the last 12 months.

ILLEGAL PROPERTIES: Using satellites and drones, the government has discovered 1.9 million of these. The worst offending regions – in percentage terms – are Extramadura and Galicia, the 2 poorest of Spain’s regions. Which is hardly surprising against the backcloth of very high taxes if ever the government gets involved in transactions of any sort.

TAXPAYER LARGESSE: If you’re a state pensioner here, the government will heavily subsidise your holidays under the IMERSO VIAJES scheme. Need I say that this is designed to help the country’s hotel owners. As if they need this right now. Especially after the latest news of dangers elsewhere – the Zika virus in Florida.

SPANISH TEACHERS: I was with 3 of these yesterday when they all urgently consulted their phones to see where the government would be instructing them to work as of September. Astonishingly, this is only provisional. They won’t find out where they’re actually going to work for another month. Another Franco leftover?

RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA: When I tune into RT TV later this morning I’m sure I’ll find them mocking reports that Moscow has set up a disinformation centre in Scotland.

FINALLY . . . I bought some hiking trousers that I liked so much I ordered a second pair yesterday. Like the first, they have a serious flaw – there are no rips or tears across the knees. So, I’ll have to do this myself if I’m to be 'a la mode'.

GALLERY

Walking down the Street of Bitterness yesterday, I found myself outside the newish Slow City Hostel. Here are some fotos. Or, rather, there aren't. Problems with copying from Word. So, my immediate assessment:-

Positives:
Pretty cheap. At 17.50-20 euros a night, year round.
Super location. Quiet street. Close to my favourite tapas bar. Right in the centre of the old quarter.
Very pleasant owners.
Very clean.

Negatives:
None so far. Shared cooking and bathing facilities, perhaps. But it is a hostel. It’s fully booked at the moment, so you'll need to reserve if you’re thinking of a visit later in the year.





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