Dawn

Dawn

Saturday, August 06, 2016

Ponters Pensées: 6.7.16

Profitable Politics: Spain boasts 17 heads of municipal, provincial and regional governments who earn more than the (acting) national President. Doubtless they're all well worth it. The head of the list is the Catalan president, who earns 84% more than Sr Rajoy. Which is logical, I guess, as the Catalans regard themselves as being several cuts above the rest of Spain.

Spanish Stereotypes: Here's The Local's list of these. Click here for their view of how accurate they are:-
  • Spaniards leave home much later than everyone else
  • Spaniards are all lazy
  • Spaniards are bloodthirsty
  • Spain is all about sun, sea and sangria
  • Spaniards do everything late
  • Spaniards are really loud
  • Spain is a tourist’s paradise
  • Spain stops for a siesta
  • Spain is hugely corrupt
  • Religious and conservative
  • Spaniards love to party
  • Everyone loves flamenco
The United States: An exhortation you often hear or see there is God bless America. If the presidential election is anything to go by, He's clearly not listening. Assuming He (or She) exists, of course. Which is open to debate. At the very least.

Spanish Default: EU emission targets are being handsomely missed, it says here.

Andalucía: This is the region which everyone confuses with the whole of Spain. It's renowned for its poverty and its corruption. The former might not be quite as bad as the official figures suggest - no one believes the official unemployment statistics, for example - but the region's reputation for corruption is surely well-deserved. As El Mundo recently reported: As part of the perennial illegal financing scandal in Andalucía, the Servicio Andaluz de Empleo doled out over €100m to a clutch of 45 companies which ‘were close to the [ruling]PSOE party or the regional government.’

Galician Gorrillas: As opposed to gorillas. These are the men who 'help' you to park in places where its free to do so. And then hold out a hand for a coin or two. They're a bloody nuisance, of course, but only the cities of Santiago and Ourense here in Galicia have effectively banned them. Pontevedra certainly hasn't and I live in fear that one will suddenly appear in my 'secret' parking place down by the river.

Finally . . . Here's one of our vicious seagulls doing something extraordinary - eating a fish. More usually they go for the tapas on your table or the ice-cream in your hand.



FOREIGN RESIDENTS BULLETIN

1. In response to (any) future negative consequences of Brexit, I can take out either Irish or Spanish nationality. With the former, I can keep my UK nationality but not so with the latter. The British journalist and writer, Giles Trimlett, has initiated a campaign aimed at changing this situation. Read more about it here.

2. If you're thinking about the Spanish route, you should know that, as of October, both the bureaucracy and the cost will increase. Surprise, surprise.

GALLERY

Here's Eamon's view of what will happen when the brambles take over our contenadores . . .


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