Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain
Spain- I was a little taken aback that 2 friends yesterday told me they were not at all surprised that the Spanish were the unhappiest folk in the EU, pointing up that my perspective is one of someone retired who can enjoy the best of Spain. One is a Dutch friend who's lived and worked here for 20 years and the other is a Spanish lawyer friend who works primarily for property-buying foreigners. Factors cited included: the difficulty of getting a job; the precariousness of your situation if you do; low salary levels: the absence of a meritocracy; nepotism; croneyism; corruption; the unemployment rate; the low level of benefits; the widespread desire to be a civil servant; and, overall, the constant fear for the longer term, even when tomorrow looks secure. All in all, I was reminded of Vincent Werner's book Not What it is; The Real (s)Pain of Europe, which I touched on in quite some length here and (even more so) here. And I was left wondering how Spain would be faring these days if it didn't have the permanent benefit of the sun and hadn't had the 30-year-long benefit of massive EU largesse.
- To be rather more positive . . . Spain retains its place as the world's most attractive tourists destination. Back to the good fortune of having that sun . . .
- Well, our fiesta season is now over, with the ending of yesterday's Medieval Fair, the Feira Franca. For me its high point - apart from all the women in beautiful outfits - was the chance to get a roast-ox sandwich. Twice, in fact. Here's what it looked like before the stall opened:-
- And here is this year's novelty . . . A short trip on the river in an 'old boat. Not so old it lacks a motor . . . :-
- A little earlier this week, there was another fiesta near Pontevedra. A gastronomic one in our equivalent of Marbella, Sanxenxo. One of the oddest, in my view, being based on onions. As evidenced by these constructions:-
- Other local fiesta news . . . There were over 2,000 portions of tripe served in Poio's fiesta gastronómica of last week. Though none to me.
- This is a staircase I know well, as it's a (steep) shortcut up and down to my barrio from Pontevedra. But I'm not the only one who uses it; all the city's drug-addict beggars do so on their way to and from the gypsy settlement for their daily fix. And the local residents are none too happy about the lack of lighting there:-
- For many years, I used to greet each passing camino 'pilgrim' with the standard Buen camino! But the numbers are now so heavy I'd be doing this every 30 seconds when walking, or every 5 seconds, if on my bike. So, I've given up doing so. Though I still direct some of them to the new variant out of the city, if they look a tad lost.
- I looked a bit more into the 'food medium', Anthony Williams. His book delves deep into the healing powers of over 50 foods fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, explaining each food's properties, the symptoms and conditions it can help relieve or heal, and the emotional and spiritual benefits it brings. Among Williams' claims is that he can arm you with the truth about some of the most misunderstood topics in health: fertility; inflammation and autoimmune disorders; the brain-gut connection; foods, fads, and trends that can harm our well-being. Best of all, he can show you how angels play a role in our survival and reveal in-depth information from Spirit on how to protect yourself in the future. He cites a number of celebrities who believe in him and you won't be at all surprised to know these include the Mistress of Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow
The USA/Nutters Corner
- The President continues to be far more interested in whether or not he's skilled with a Sharpie (a felt tip pen) than he is with the victims of hurricane Durian.
- Right-wing pastor, Rick Joyner, blames liberals for the rise of white supremacy, because they challenge racism. Still convinced that conservatives are under attack, he’s encouraging Christians to form their own militias in preparation for a civil war.
Finally . . .
- Having installed the bell on my bike, I did manage to get it to ding, after its initial clack. Needless to say, I've had to use it behind people walking on the dedicated cycle tracks.
- Life in Spain: I don't think I received a single letter in my buzón during August. Certainly, the Private Eye which arrived 4 September was 2 weeks late. I used to get very upset about this sort of thing when I first cameleer. I've since followed my own advice to others and lowered my exceptions . . .
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