Dawn

Dawn

Monday, November 18, 2019

Thoughts from Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain: 18.11.19

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.   
                  Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain
Spanish Politics
  • Político says here that there are hard lessons from the Spanish liberals’ electoral collapse. And that It is Brussels and the EU that could be left most exposed by the Spanish election results. The article reminds us that Ciudadanos was founded as a liberal-centrist movement. We could be forgiven for having forgotten this.
Spanish Life 
  • Nice to read that a Spanish chap - Antonio Camazón -played a key part in unwrapping the Enigma enigma. He doesn't make it into Wiki in English but here's something on him in Spanish.
Galician Life 
  • For rich camino 'pilgrims' who want to go all the way and beyond - and for others, of course - there'll soon be a splendid new parador in Muxía. Albeit a few years late. Well, it was slated for 2003 but will definitely be open in 2020. Maybe.
The UK
  • Following  Prince Andrew's disastrous interview, the Woking Pizza Express has been flooded with cheeky reviews, describing it as being “fit for a prince”and “a great place for an alibi”.
 The USA
  • Político again: An impeachment inquiry is a constitutional exercise, a vindication of checks and balances, a living expression of rule of law. But the start of public hearings on Wednesday was a reminder of what impeachment really is in the modern presidency: A brutal exercise in psychological exposure. . . The day was a portrait — a vivid one — of Trump being Trump: obsessive, hectoring, contemptuous of process and propriety, as bluntly transactional about military aid to a besieged ally as he would be about a midtown real estate deal. More here
 English and Spanish
  • I'd guess that most native speakers of English wouldn't be able to give the right answer to the question: What is the most common vowel sound in English? Which is 'The schwa'. Several other languages have this sound too, it says here, But: In Spanish there is no such sound that would resemble the "schwa" characteristics.
  • A nice comment on a video about learning English: It can be hard sometimes. But, it can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.
Spanish 
  • Phrase of the Day: Estar en su salsa: To be centre stage
Finally . . .
  • I've heard of lavender being effective agains moths - though, in my experience, it ain't - but now I read that it's going to be tried against our ravaging wild boars. Hopefully with rather more success.

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