Thoughts from Galicia: 11.9.17

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

• Another Spanish bank bites the dust?
• More police fines? This time justifiable.

Yesterday – perforce - I travelled from Pontevedra to Madrid for dinner with an old friend I hadn't seen for a while, prior to my walking out of the city on Wednesday on another camino with other old friends. After a less-than-thrilling day, the evening was most enjoyable. Except for the food and drink. Tripadvisor will soon be getting a critical review of El Espejo from me. Suffice to say for now that, for the first time in 17 years, I had to tell a waiter that the wine was dreadful. It was a rueda because, to my astonishment, neither godello nor even albariño were on offer. But my daughter tells me this isn't unusual in Madrid. Neither, I guess, are the astronomical prices, even by Pontevedra standards. Never mind those of Galician towns and villages away from the wealthy coast.

The Avanza bus was an Express, raising questions as to why it took 8 hours and stopped in at least 6 places en route. I guess this label is accurate if compared with, say, a milk float. Sadly, one of our stops came soon after a fatal accident in Tordesillas, which the morbid can read about here. Seeing other examples of tractors pulling trucks heavily overloaded with revellers prompted – in me at least – the thought of an accident just waiting to happen. But I often make this observation in a country where the elimination of risk is not yet a fetish. Ironically, I saw this headline somewhere yesterday morning about another accident: Why does someone always need to die before we take action?

Arriving later than expected, I had to get from Estación Sur to Tribunal and found it hard to figure out how to do this. So, here's a suggestion for the Madrid Metro people – Put up a map which shows all the routes. Not just a huge map of the lines with which Line 6 coincides at certain stations. This assumes you know which line your target station is on . . . If not, it's of no help whatsoever. Just like the Metro employees. Lesson: Get a map before you arrive in Madrid and descend into the Metro. By the way . . . Tribunal must be the deepest-down underground station in the world. Especially if you're in a hurry. And carrying a large bag.

Gullible Theists: If you're going to con folk in one dimension, why not try in two? See here for a valiant effort at this. I loved the opening line of the first reader review. All the other (fascinating) reviews - except one - are from people whose religiosity has turned them insane. Which is NOT my view of all theists, by the way. Some of my best friends . . .

Finally . . . Reader Geoff has kindly followed up with this citation of tips for when you're searching the web. I have to admit that, so far, my implementation of a hyphen/negative sign before the words I don't want cited on Google Alerts – e. g. Superfast Galicia – has had exactly the opposite effect. Clearly, I'm doing something wrong but don't yet know what this is. Can't blame Geoff. I guess . . .

Footnote: Here's what a useful Madrid Metro map would look like on the wall of Estación Sur:-

Or would, if it were legible . . .

Contrasting with what you do get, albeit legibly . . . .