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. Garish but informative.
Matters Spanish
- Spain's Venezuela Paradox . . The country's problems are causing headaches for all Spain's political parties, one way or another.
- The President of Belgium's parliament has stuck his neck out quite a bit. In the light of requests from Madrid for extraditions, he's ventured the view that Spain might not be entitled to EU membership. A bit harsh, I would have thought.
- From the sublime . . . No, I wasn't called by the the IT shop during the whole of yesterday. I called them again this morning at 10.30, to be told – again – that the owner wasn't in and that the assistant knew nothing about my battery. As I'm wont to say, unfathomable things either happen or don't happen in Spain and it's easier not to enquire as to why but just persevere, relying on your own resources and not expecting initiatives from anyone. Así son las cosas. “It is how it is”, as the Spanish say. And with which Vincent Werner took very great exception in his book. I guess I'll have to go to the shop for the 3rd or 4th time this evening. By the way, you very rarely get an apology for this sort of thing. It's like you're expected to expect it to happen and take it in your stride. ..
Matters US
- Yesterday in the Senate . . . America’s political culture was on trial and the verdict was guilty. . . A dark spectacle that offered a glimpse of the state of the disunion. . . Bile, ugliness, and tribal politicking. . . The Foxification of American institutions continues. How desperately, depressingly true that is. Is this really the sort of country that Americans fought and died for, first against her colonial masters, then against slavers, and then against the totalitarian regimes of the 1930s? Not to mention communists in Korea and Vitenam. A country whose tone is now set by an imbecilic, lying misogynist whose base is fanatical evangelist Christians who think he's an instrument of their vengeful god. And that anyone who opposes him is driven by the Devil. Millions must be revolving in their graves. If I believed in the Devil, I'd say he's done a fabulous job of corrupting a great country.
- There's a nice article on it all in Politico, here.
- But, anyway, this is a (long) article on Fart's approach to the transitional phase of his presidency. It won't surprise you but will surely shock you. Assuming you've been left with at least a modicum of shockability.
Matters Galician and Pontevedran
- Galicia, it's reported, suffers from very low 'foreign' investment. But I don't suppose this reflects an emphasis on the local language, Gallego, or a fear of 'nationalism'. Other factors must be at work. IKEA, for example, went down into Portugal because of a lack of industrial space in Vigo. Hard as that is to believe.
- According to Spanish Society of Cardiology, Galicia has the highest percentage of overweight people nationwide. I don't see it in Pontevedra but, then, this city is almost certainly not representative of the regional population as a whole. Lots of cigarette smoking, skinny young women.
- One town, Narón, has an original approach to the problem.
- Another possible reason for our high car insurance premiums – Animal accidents are more frequent here than anywhere else in Spain.
Finally . . .
- A TV ad for a remedy for 'Tired Feet' has reminded me that Orwell also predicted products aimed at making you feel ashamed or guilty. In his case, something for Pedo-Pong.
© [David] Colin Davies, Pontevedra: 28.9.18
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