Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain
Spanish Politics- There are more ministers and Vice Presidents in the Spanish cabinet than in nearly all EU countries. Only Slovenia - at 5 - has more than the 4 Spanish Vice-Presidents. Aimed, it's said, at restraining the hard left propensities of the President of Podemos, who's one of them. And the husband of the Ministress of Equality, of course.
- For a country with one of the highest electricity prices in Europe, we have far too many blackouts. Two nights ago, I passed a spot at the bottom of my hill where these seem particularly frequent, and I got home last night to find it'd been our turn. So I once again had to adjust all the electric clocks. Irritating. To those of us easily irritated.
- As when you're attending a classical music concert - as I was last night - and some old woman behind you talks during the performance.
- There are times when a combination of Spanish individualismo (lack of consideration for others/thoughtlessness) and an absence of efficiency/organisation creates havoc on a scale almost unimaginable. Such was the case yesterday, when torrential rain catalysed such a combination, causing a vast traffic jam in the environs of Santiago's main hospital. As a result of which it took me almost an hour to progress a few hundred metres, from the autovia to the main entrance.
- I recently cited the word chapuza. I think of this every time I drive to and from my parking spot, on this side of the river, near O Burgo bridge. This is because the numerous pot holes on the B road I use are forever being 'repaired' in somewhat temporary fashion. With the inevitable result.
- Talking about that bridge . . . I now wonder if the road closure at one end of it which was supposed to be ended by Xmas will still be with us at Easter. Watch this space.
- I stopped off for a coffee en route to the hospital yesterday morning and perused a local paper, in particular the back pages. These are alway dedicated to a bizarre mixture of 'tombstones' re the recently dead and small ads for prostitutes. To my surprise there were only 5 of these - blessedly free of the fotos which accompany them in Portuguese newspapers - but I was amused to read in one of a 'discreet venue' with 'easy parking'. Hopefully free.
- Coming back from Santiago last evening, I noticed that only 3 of the hanging metal struts just before the low bridge are still in place, compared with 5 on the side I mentioned the other day. Not that 10 would stop trucks hitting the bridge, it seems.
- Which reminds me . . . Yesterday morning, in the heavy rain and poor visibility, I was waiting to enter the main N550 road when I just about discerned a car coming toward me, without its lights on. This was the only one I saw like this for the next hour. And it belonged to the Traffic Department of the Guardia Civil. Do they really drive cars with no automatic lights facility: Or had some clown switched this off?
Russia
- Ffart's friend, Mr Putin, is showing him how to do it.
- They are now advertising vitamins for men. I predict toilet paper for 'real men' within 5-10 years.
Spanish
- Word of the Day: Fogoso; Passionate. Fiery. Spirited. A word which appears often in the small ads mentioned above. In the feminine form, of course.
- Word of the Day: To usualise. Heard from a social scientist/academic, of course. Ugly but will be common within a decade, I'm sure.
- At the hospital yesterday, the menú del día included a starter of pasta with carbonara sauce. When I asked for the espagueti I was firmly notified that it was not this, but macarones. So now I know.
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