Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain
Spanish Politics- One wonders why Spain's right-wing PP party didn't support the EU parliament's condemnation of the lack of judicial impartiality in Poland. Or, rather, one doesn't. It depends on this when in power. Witness the Catalan saga, some would say.
- One gets inured to corruption among the powerful and already-very-rich in Spain. For example, this chap, an ex-bank chief and a member, I think, of the Croesus-rich Botiín family of Santander bank. Of course, he won't really go to jail and the fine is a tiny fraction of his wealth.
- Interesting to see that a woman will head the Guardia Civil for the first time. Hopefully this will mean can improvement in the driving abilities of members of its Tráfico Department.
- Something for the cheese aficionados among you.
- Come early February, I'll be down in Madrid again and - assuming it's free - might well pop into FITUR - an event cited by Lenox Napier, in an article on his home town of Mojácar. Which is not what it used to be, it seems
- The EU says we'll finally have an AVE high-speed train service to Madrid in early 2022, which compares with Madrid's promise of 'early 2021'. Which compares with the 'end 2019' we were given not so long ago. Take your pick. Mine is sometime in 2023. At the earliest.
- Astonishingly - in these days of massive tourism - there are 12 councils in Galicia which don't have a singe bed available for visitors. Not even on un camping(campsite). Nine of these are in the mountainous province of Ourense. Which is a tad surprising, as at least 3 camino routes pass through it.
- The local police report that drivers are being caught at up to 300kph on our autopistas. Maybe the drivers feel the thrill is fair compensation for the extortionate toll charges. And aware that there'll be few vehicles on them to crash into. Or just terrify.
- Relevant to something below is the fact that, as we're on the extreme West of a country that's got the wrong clock - because it's in the wrong time zone - it doesn't get light here this time of year until around 9am. But the evening light is compensatingly longer, of course.
- The writer of this article addresses the question of whether Ffart - actually impeached since it was written - will be found guilty or will emerge stronger from a 'circus of a trial'. For Trump, he says, putting an ambassador he dislikes on the next plane from Kiev is no different from firing an unloved contestant on The Apprentice. Trump the boss gets to do what he likes. Otherwise, what’s the point of being president? This rather reminded me that for decades I've been wont to ask - jokingly, of course - What's the point of power, if you can't abuse it? Life imitating art.
- Did you know that the Spanish actor Antonio Banderas is considered a POC (person of colour) in the USA? By some folk, at least.
- Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp know that addiction is key for their own continued success. They have entire teams whose sole job is to make the app more addictive. Addiction means more money. Instagram will hold back informing you about how many likes you’ve clocked up until you disappear off the app for a while, and then… BING! Suddenly the news of being liked flashes across your screen. And they’ve drawn you back in once more. What 13-year-old can resist that? More warnings for parents here.
- Word of the Day: Un flechazo: A big arrow; a crush; love at first sight; Cupid's arrow, I guess.
- Phrase of the Day: El Poder Judicial: The judiciary. I think.
- Yesterday, thanks to the kindness of the editor, something I wrote years ago appeared in The Local. I sat back and waited for an explosion in readership. But, as of now, Blogger tells me numbers are about half of what they usually are. Beats me.
- The lady who sends me her new email address has transmogrified from Lisa to Maria. Of which there are very many here in Spain. And also in next door Portugal.
- Which reminds me . . . Yesterday, I sent a message meant for one Maria I know in Pontevedra to quite another one here. As it was bad news about someone who shared a name (and nationality!) of a mutual friend here in Pontevedra, she was - to say the least - shocked. It was only later, when pondering what I thought was an odd reply, that I realised what I'd done.
- Not content with that mistake, driving back from town last night, I left on the roof of my car 4 items I'd put there while I took a phone call. Driving back down, I managed to find 3 of them in the road and then went to check for the 4th at first light today. And got it. So, I don't have to ask if anyone has a spare left-hand glove of fine, dark brown leather. Not today, anyway.
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