Dawn

Dawn

Sunday, April 07, 2019

Thoughts from Galicia, Spain: 7.4.19

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
            Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spai
Spain
  • Another re-launch this week of Real Madrid’s vision for their Bernabeu Stadium, although little mention that they have already done this twice before, once in 2011 and again 2014, and on neither occasion have the artists’ impressions progressed to be any more than that. 
  • BTW . . . The (in)famous president of the club is head of a huge construction company. Just saying . . .
  • The latest 'abuse' of Airbnb services is to rent them for use as temporary brothels. At least in Spain, where they're known as pisos de relax.
  • Here in Galicia, the locals are up in arms because, after years of trying, they haven't persuaded Madrid to hand over ownership of the A9 autopista to the local government, whereas the Basques got their A68 within weeks of asking. Possibly even days. Greater clout?
  • Two Madrid-based pickpockets were recently arrested in my barrio. The guy is Polish but his female friend is Spanish. I wonder if they're the bastards who did me 2 years ago. 
  • Spain now offers 8 weeks paternity leave. In the USA, I think it's 8 hours. At most.
Brexit, the UK and the EU
  • NTR. 
  • Except this comment: Brexit has cut through our politics like a hot knife through butter, shaking up tribal loyalties and ensuring that the next general election, whenever it is held, will be defined by this issue. For one thing, there will be not just 1 but 2 'pro Brexit parties' to vote for. Votes will be taken from both main parties. You'd have to be a fool to claim to be able to predict the result with any degree of accuracy. For all the boredom of the parliamentary shenanigans, this really is the most exciting time in British politics since 1832. Probably.
UK
  • This is the latest fashion, I read. A phone bag. Possibly for all 3(?) genders. Dear dog.


Spanish
  • Word of the Day:  Cielo.
  • Chimichurri. This is a spicy sauce which goes with grilled meats (churrasco) - an Argentinean speciality. A Galician friend insists the origin is British sailors saying Gimme curry. But I do wonder about this.
English
  • A posh word for toilet is loo. I always thought it came from lieu. But allegedly it's from gardez l'eau. Maybe.
Finally . . .
  • Pope Francis says God wants inter-faith solidarity. What God wants is fraternity between us and in a special way. I wonder how His (Alleged) Holiness knows this but, anyway, all it means is that, if God existed, he'd think like you and me.

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