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.
Cataluña
- A Belgian court will today decide whether to extradite Sr P et al back to Spain, to face a raft of charges. Faced with the option of a French or Dutch(Flemish?) speaking judge, Sr P and his colleagues have gone with the latter. This is said to be because he might be more sympathetic to separatists. I wouldn't bet on it.
- Click here for some details of the damage done to local businesses.
Spain
Needless to say, Punchski has poo-poohed allegations of interference in matters Spanish and has spoken threateningly of 'damaged relations'.
The English Language
There are, of course, any number of 'academies' on the Iberian peninsula offering English language courses. And folk get desperate to give theirs a catchy name. One I saw yesterday down near the border with Portugal made me smile – Royal Celtic Bay.
Galicia:
Fifty years ago, Galicia and Ireland had much the same population. Since then, Ireland's has grown by 2 million, while Galicia's has fallen by 200,000. Needless to say, it has 'aged' as well. Not good news.
Finally . . .
I'm down in Portugal for a few days, where:-
- Tailgating at high speeds is apparently still a sport, and
- Many drivers seem to be unaware what zebra crossings are for. Or at least of who has the right of way.
Which reminds me . . .
- Someone in an internet group dedicated to the challenge of driving in Spain commented that one only got fines because of breaking the law and that he'd never been fined in 30 years here. I thought of him last week when driving to Santiago from Pontevedra and experienced the speed limit going up and down 3 times in less than100 metres. And again yesterday morning when passing the 50 sign on the road alongside the Miño river, where the radar machine is right below the sign. And where the ticketing cop told me it was a shame I wasn't from around there as everyone knew about this set-up.
- The 4 zebra crossings at the roundabout at the bottom of my hill now have flashing cat's-eyes in front of them. This follows the fatal accident I mentioned a few months ago, after which the question was asked: Why does someone always have to die before we do anything? Not for the first time, of course. Nor the last.
Today's Cartoon
Saviour of the World. A picture more authentic that that of Leonardo Da Vinci . . .
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