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.
Spain
- A second rapper in a week has been sentenced to jail for lyrics which 'laud terrorism'.
- The Dutch author writes that: A core problem is that Spaniards don't value time. This is not very different from my own line of 16 years ago: If there is one thing which defines Spanish culture, it is - of course - the approach to time.
- Here's some info on the Valencia's extraordinary Fallas festival, which have just started and will continue for quite some time. I must make it one day.
Portugal
- Compared with Spain, it's astonishing how many people speak at least good English in Portugal. I doubt there's anyone in the tourism business who doesn't. Which is not quite true of Spain.
- Oporto's newish World of Discoveries museum was not well patronised yesterday. In fact, there were only the two of us and a large crowd of schoolkids waiting – noisily – to get on the boat trip which is the piece-de-resistance of the place. Faced with a wait of at least 30 minutes, we did manage to resist this but were told we could come back any time to try again. By the way . . . I couldn't heartily recommend a visit to the place, especially at the ticket price of €11.
- An unusual sight these days – a teacher belting one of her charges across the head, albeit lightly. I fear she'd be sacked and probably arrested in the UK.
The EU, The UK and Brexit
- Over the years, I've found it impossible to 'compromise' with my Catholic and Protestant friends and relatives. Which is understandable; when you have fundamental beliefs which drive your entire life, you're not likely to give way on them. Or even sacrifice a few subordinate beliefs. Either you give them up entirely as an apostate or you stop talking with folk like me who don't share your beliefs. And, of course, in some parts of the world, you imprison or kill them, to make sure they don't end up in your version of the afterlife. So it is with the religionists of the EU, who have their unshakeable faith in The Project and are not about to dilute any of either their fundamental or subordinate principles. So, can there now be any more than 2 options: 1. Stay in the EU, or 2. Suffer a hard Brexit? Still anyone's guess but I suspect the attitude of the high priests of Brussels are forcing more and more Brits to entertain the notion of the second of these. A second referendum anyone?
- But not everyone thinks the EU is racing towards a federal superstate. Here's the Dutch prime minister yesterday: The EU is not an unstoppable train speeding towards federalism and France and Germany are not the only EU countries that really matter. Click here for more of his views.
The UK and Brexit
- Here's Richard North on Mr's May's seminal speech of yesterday: Despite being the usual cliché-ridden production, it contained a surprising amount of what might be described as technical detail on certain aspects of our post-Brexit trade with the EU. That is not to say that it in any way added clarity to the speech. Rather, it reinforced the already well-established impression that our prime minister is totally out of her depth, calling for things which she has absolutely no chance of getting. More demolition work here for those interested. His final words: Her whole strategy is rotten at the core and cannot possibly succeed.
The USA/Nutters Corner
- Fart: Trade wars are good. The stock markets don't seem to go along with this.
Finally
- An IPSIS study suggests that:-
- A majority of people in countries
surveyed (52%) believe that transgender people are a natural
occurrence.
- This belief is most commonly held in
Spain (64%) and Germany (60%).
- People in Hungary (44%), Italy (45%),
and Japan (48%) are the least likely to believe that transgender
people are a natural occurrence.
- Although people in Italy and Hungary
agree at similar rates that transgender people are a natural
occurrence, just 11% of people in Italy believe transgender people
have a form of mental illness, compared to 43% in Hungary.
- People in Italy (11%), Spain (9%),
Argentina (13%), and France (13%) are least likely to believe that
transgender people have a form of mental illness. This compares
Serbia (44%), Hungary (43%), and Poland (41%).
- Among western countries, the United
States is most likely to believe that transgender people have a
mental illness (32%)
- The USA is also the most likely out of
all countries surveyed to believe that transgendered people are
committing a sin (32%).
- Americans are the most likely to say
that society has gone too far in allowing people to dress and live as
one sex even though they were born another (36%), while people in
Japan are least likely to agree with this sentiment (9%).
So, back to religion again . . .
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