Thoughts from Galicia: 21.8.17

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:-

• The New York Times comments on the fight against Islamist terror in Spain here. Some pertinent points:-

1. Spain has not seen the emergence of hard-line, anti-Muslim political movements as elsewhere in Europe.
2. Around 200 Spanish residents are believed to have traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the fighting there - a fraction of the hundreds who have gone from countries like Britain and France.
3. But Spain cannot escape its symbolic attraction for Islamists that is rooted deep in its history.
4. Like so many intelligence agencies in Europe, the Spanish are overwhelmed by the volume of potential terrorism plots they are trying to monitor, “They’re totally swamped with leads,” said a terrorist expert. “There is no way they can cover all their current open cases.” 

• I was interested to read of the La Ruta Búlgara last week. This is one route favoured by Bulgarian drug traffickers bringing cocaine through Spain into Europe. Guess where they land it. And occasionally get arrested. Or at least their local associates do.
• I recently posted a definition of fashion. I was reminded of it last week when reading that First Communion medals are now the thing for young women to sport in Spain. Either as pendants, brooches or earrings.

Over in the USA, a creationist called Ken Ham has built a (not terribly successful) full-size replica of the Ark and filled it with all the animals Moses and his family took into it. Including dinosaurs, of course. But, reading about the Dutch this last few days, I discovered that they beat him to this. It's in Dordrecht, by the North Sea coast. By the way, the English author of the book I'm reading wrote this sentence:- They paused just long enough for one of them to pronounce the place 'erg fucking cool' (very f**cking cool). Beats me.

Here in Galicia, the Tax Office (the Hacienda) continues to find new ways of generating revenue. Or, putting it another way, stopping widespread tax evasion. Their latest targets are illegal traders of tobbaco. Who may or may not be supplying the government-owned kiosks which sell tobbaco products here. And Stamps. Los estancos. 

Still on the Hacienda . . .  They've advised us that one of the tricks of the evasion trade is to declare a property a ruin and thus reduce or eliminate municipal taxes on it. Other oversights include not informing them of extensions to your house or of the installation of a pool in your garden. But now they have drones . . .

Very good news . . .  There's a to be a second bilarda pitch here in Galicia. If you're not familiar with this game/sport, this site will be of help to you.

Finally . . . In October 2013, I wrote something about Spanish brothels. Today, the page of that date was hit by a computer offering readers a choice of 6 brothels in Bangalore. With the emphasis on Bang, I guess. In case you miss the first list, the machine presents it twice more. So, just in case anyone is visiting the place and has unsatisfied needs:-

Independent Bangalore Escorts
Bangalore Escorts Service
Bangalore Escorts Agency
Escorts Service in Bangalore
Escorts in Bangalore
Bangalore Escorts

Today's Cartoon:-