Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly
loveable.
-
Christopher
Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain.
Cataluña
- Madrid is on the alert for any attempt by Sr P to make a flying visit ahead of the imminent elections.
Spain
- So, what is Xmas like here in Spain? Here's an insight, complete with a calendar. Good to hear that TV here is not blessed with cheesy ads this time of the year. Not sure about fewer lights. Perhaps not in the house but the streets everywhere are festooned with them.
- The Spanish Supreme Court has pronounced that pets are 'not things' but living creatures and that divorce settlements must, therefore, formally address the issue of their shared custody, exactly as if they were real rugrats.
The USA
- Courtesty of Don Quijones, here's an article on the depressing issue of growing economic inequality in the USA. Much the same has happened in the UK and Spain, of course.
The UK
- The Halifax BS tells us that Hart in north east Hampshire is the best place to live in the country. This "tranquil" district has been awarded the top spot 5 out of 6 times but briefly lost out to Winchester last year. BS stands for Building Society, of course. Not Bull Shit.
The Spanish Language
- I forgot to mention another acronym which confused me for a moment - OTC. This, of course, means 'over the counter' and refers to medicines you can get without a prescription. But I was rather surprised to hear it used in a Spanish radio ad. Albeit with Spanish pronunciation.
Galicia
- The average age for first birth here is 32.6. Of the mother, of course. And deaths here are now double births. All part of the population ageing process/problem.
- Relatedly, it's reported that Galicia's population will soon fall from 2.8m to 2.7m, partly because many of its young folk flee from its poor employment prospects. They go to the Canary and Balearic islands, it seems. To take advantage of the current boom in tourism.
- It struck me yesterday that Germany has an equivalent of Galicia's AVE high-speed train saga. It's the Berlin City airport. Now scheduled for opening in October 2020. Incidentally, forecasts for our AVE always suggest a December start, in whatever year. I guess this makes a delay into the next year seem less serious.
Finally
- An amusing event down in the antipodes.
Today's
Cartoon
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