Dawn

Dawn

Tuesday, October 04, 2016

Pontevedra Pensées: 4.10.16

SPANISH SOCIETY

An Indian Summer: We've having another of these lovely things. So, time to remind you that the expression here is Un veranillo de San Miguel. Or "A little St Michael summer". Which sounds rather like an ad for Marks & Spencer.

A 'Pre-Wedding Reception': There was one of these in my watering-hole last Friday evening. It was a bit of a nuisance but the real reason for mentioning it is to stress just how informal the Spanish can be when this is the dress code for the evening. The range was from jeans and T-shirt (mostly but not exclusively males) to a degree of real elegance (mostly, if not all, females). And the number of kids and babies was unimaginable for a similar British event. Perhaps all the grandparents were out on the town.

SPANISH POLITICS

The PSOE Party: Here's an eloquent commentary on the recent implosion within what used to be the main left-of-centre opposition to the PP government. I'm not sure of the gender of the executioner. If female, she presumably speaks with an Andalucian accent. Which reminds me . . . when listening to Sra Díaz on the radio, I wondered whether even I could warm to a British party leader with a thick Scouse accent. I certainly don't like hers. But, luckily for her, I only pay taxes here: I don't have a vote.


GALICIAN STUFF

The Portuguese Camino: The estimated number of pilgrims for this year has been confirmed as 50,000. And the forecast for 2021 is 100,000. Que va! I love 'em but this is surely too many. Maybe I just need to find out how to make money from them. I've thought of giving guided tours but a massage centre has more appeal.

Morriña: This is the Gallego word for the particularly virulent form of nostalgia suffered by Galician emigrés. It's featured in recent reports about the Spanish chap - Juan Garbo - who worked so well as a British spy during WW2. Apparently, all was nearly undone by his wife's desperation to leave the UK to get back to her beloved Lugo, up in our hills. Basically, she threatened to blow the gaffe if she wasn't taken home. It worked, apparently. You might recall that she was described as neurotic, hysterical and tiresome by British Intelligence . . . One feels a degree of pity for whoever was her 'handler' in MI5.

Galician Women: As it happens, with the help of 5 Gallegas, I recently compiled a list of the principal characteristics of these lovely creatures. I'm not going to forfeit readers by posting it here but, if anyone wants to see it, they can write to me at colin@terra.com

The Santiago Rail Crash: To no one's great surprise, I imagine, the company responsible for the tracks has admitted it failed to disclose several 'relevant' documents on the issue of risk over the duration of the current inquiry.

The Porriño Rail Crash: It's emerged that the drivers' union warned of risk in connection with the Vigo-Oporto train in 2013. Mind you, for some reason they felt the biggest risk came from having Spanish drivers taking the trains down into Portugal.

Semi-Wild Horses: Our local population of these is reported to have fallen by 50%. This, apparently, is because the EU places a ceiling prices on meat sent to Italy for sale in supermarkets there. Possibly labelled as such.

LOCAL STUFF

Driving Schools: As I live on the testing 'circuit', the cars from these are one of the small banes of my life. Especially when I have to follow learner drivers and witness the most amazing stupidities. Such as the learner last night signally right at a T-junction but turning left. Can the instructor not see this? And don't get me onto the subject of how they tackle roundabouts! One's forced to ask how the very expensive schools here - there's a cartel - earn their money. Cynically, I wonder whether most of their income doesn't go on bribing the inspectors.

FINALLY

Yet Another Daft Ad: For cat food: Whiskas: Long live curiosity. Utterly meaningless.

THE GALLERY

More examples of Finnish/British nightmares:





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