Thoughts from Galicia: 26.7.17

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.

- Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain. 

If you've arrived here because of an interest in Galicia or Pontevedra, see my web page here.

Life in Spain:-

• Here's a report on the latest anti-bullfighting development in Spain, in the Balearic Islands. Whatever side of the divide you're on, you might share my ironic laughter that behind it is a concern to prevent animals enduring physical or psychological suffering. Think factory farms and slaughter houses.
• Last evening 3 different neighbours warned me I was facing a fine of up to €6,000 for washing my car in the street. But none of them could give me any logical reason for this, other than protecting the income of the local car washes (los boxes). And it's against the backcloth of massive per capita water usage/wastage in Spain. Thinking about it, I guess it makes sense for those living in a block of flats, where the only place to do this is on a busy road. For me - who doesn't - the way I look at it is: every time I avoid a fine of €6k, it compensates for all the motoring fines I've been tricked into paying. Psychologically at least.
• Here's The Local with another of its revamped lists - The most beautiful plazas in Spain.
• It seems that those bits of Spain fed up with a surfeit of tourists are going to tackle the problem by increasing specific taxes and introducing more regulations and paperwork. One could be forgiven for thinking this is the standard Spanish solution to commerce-related issues.
• It's hard to believe it's 4 years since the train crash here in Galicia which killed 80 people. Even harder to believe is the report that the ERTMS safety system which would have prevented it has yet to be installed in drivers' cabins. Maybe this would be construed by the court as an admission of negligence. Who knows?

If you're a Brit resident in Spain, here's a letter to you from the British ambassador,

Here's a review of an odd film set here in Galicia. Might be worth seeing.

Pontevedra's shops close with great frequency, sometimes to open as something else but often not. On the little street between Veggie Square and my regular watering hole, the only shops which have never closed are the stationers and the religious relics place - the cerería (after cera, 'wax', I guess.) The latest closure I've come against is the bike shop in my barrio to which I took my neglected 32 year old Raleigh Medale to have new tyres fitted yesterday. Mind you, as it was a public holiday, it would've been closed even if it had still be open. As it were.

Down at the border with Portugal, here's one of the groups performing in Valença's summer musical festival. They're Portuguese and you can see them on youtube, if you like that sort of thing. And here's their FB page:-

Finally . . . I really should put my dashcam on each morning, given the things I see happening in front of me. Like the drivers (all of them) who give no thought to passing cars when they open the doors of their parked cars. Or the middle-aged couple yesterday morning who thought it would be smart to travel against the flow of traffic on a main road. Albeit wearing safety helmets and in single file. So, not totally stupid. And don't get me onto roundabouts . . . .

Today's cartoon:-

Now . . . just to be serious for a moment . . .