Thoughts from Galicia: 4.9.17

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

• One aspect of life in Spain is that 'things just don't happen'. I talk to people who seem interested in doing bits of work for me but they never come back to me. I wonder if this is unique to me. If so, why????
• Be warned that, according to what I heard on Spanish radio last week, the incidence of anisakiasis in Spain is the highest in Europe. Per Wiki: Anisakis is A genus of parasitic  nematodes which have life-cycles involving fish and marine mammals. And: The areas of highest prevalence are Scandinavia (codlivers), Japan (sashimi), the Netherlands (infected fermented herrings (maatjes)), Spain (from eating anchovies and other fish marinated in escabeche), and along the Pacific coast of South America (ceviche). And: People who produce immunoglobulin E in response to this parasite may subsequently have an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis. More than enough to put me off eating seafood for at least a week.
• One of my bugbears . . . . In the 10km stretch from Pontevedra to Arcade on the old road to Vigo (the N-550), there are 23 speed signs. When you get to Arcade and go up into the hills, there are 8 in a distance of only 2km. So, hard not to commit an offence.
• Walking past a secondary school in Pontevedra last Friday, I passed a group of pupils which included 2 or 3 early-teenage girls in the very shortest of shorts. I couldn't imagine this being permitted in a British school. Or possibly even by British parents. But maybe I'm out of date.

A pertinent comment on the internet giants: The dazzling start-ups that fired our imaginations have become arrogant behemoths, answerable to no one.

The Spanish Language: President Rajoy – when avoiding questions re corruption in parliament last week – described one of his critics as: Mas chulo que un ocho. 'More arrogant than an eight'. I've no idea of its origin but it seems to apply to someone who thinks a lot of him/herself.

Nutters Corner: An anti-gay Christian leader contends that We Christians are being treated like Jews in Nazi Germany. Good god! What US president has ever been more favourable to Evangelical Christians than that phony Christian, Donald Trump?

I have to admit I laughed at pictures of Guardia Civil officers chasing the several piglets that had escaped from a truck on the A52 last week, near Xinzo de Limia, in the Ourense province of Galicia. I wished I'd been passing at the time.

Finally . . . Listening to old R&B songs while driving last week, I was reminded of one of the best lines in popular song. From “Poison Ivy” - You're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion. Well, it appeals to me anyway.

Today's Cartoon:-

Another of my Bill Tidy favourites . . . 

I won't hide the truth from you, Mr Clark. This is going to be an incredibly difficult operation.