Dawn

Dawn

Sunday, August 07, 2016

Ponters Pensees: 7.1.16

Peñas: As residents will know, these are groups of serious aficionados of the bullfight. Or that's the theory at least. And it may well be true in other cities. But here in Pontevedra, they're essentially boozing groups, some of whom do actually attend the corrida but most of whom begin an urban bacchanalia at midday on the 4 days of the year on which we entertain - and despatch - 6 toros bravos. The ages of the participants start at around 12 and go up to, at a guess, the mid-30s. They take over 2 or 3 of the city's squares and turn them into all-night, non-violent binge sessions. Generating vast piles of rubbish in the process. And quite a lot of vomit, of course.

Here's parts of the city at 3.15 yesterday:-








 And here's the same places at 11.30:-







And this is the street between the 2 squares which is used - by the males at least - for their emergency urinations. It's not a pleasant place to walk through early afternoon onwards and is positively revolting by midnight. As you can see, at 3.30, liquid is already making its way downstream . . .


Meanwhile, in a galaxy not far away, life goes on as serenely as ever:-

The main square at 3.30:-


And views from my watering hole around the same time. They were just as placid at 9pm and midnight:-



Spanish Pragmatism: As I say, we normally have 4 corridas a year. But this year there are only 3. Meaning there wasn't one last night. Theoretically, then, there was no reason for the peñas to be on the streets. And, indeed, it would normally be illegal for them to be there. But the council extended to them the normal dispensation given on the days of the annual bullfights. Which is pretty logical, given that few of their members will ever attend a corrida. Or even agree with them. By the way, the vast quantities of rubbish will all have been cleaned up and the streets hosed down by 8 this morning.

Pontevedra: I believe this is a 3D model of the city and its environs but I can't really make it out. Anyone?

Britishness. I have an old friend - from university days - staying with me at the moment and he's driving me mad with this. Yesterday he waited 3 hours for me to come back from tiffin in town - he preferred to watch the Olympics opening ceremony and the bloody cycling - before asking me if he could make himself a sandwich for lunch! Didn't want to presume to do so without my OK. No wonder the Spanish laugh at this sort of excess, self-effacing 'politeness'. If you stay with someone in Spain, you can basically do what you like. You can certainly go into the fridge to get something to eat and drink!

Finally . . . . Disappearing Socks: Proof positive? Said friend has lost one of his pair of black socks and the only feasible explanation is that the washing machine has struck again. Here's a foto of what was in the sump, offering at least some plausible evidence of this.


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