Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain
Spanish/Galician Life - Lenox Napier reports that Redacción Médica claims Spain has the best health system in Europe and ranks 3rd in the world. I thought of this when reading all the complaints about deficiencies in yesterday and today's local press. I was particularly concerned to read that, in my own health centre in Poio, the shortage of doctors means a 4 week wait for an appointment. Possibly even longer than in the UK. No wonder they overwhelm the Urxencias department in the city's hospital. Where beds and gurneys in the corridors are commonplace.
- One of these days, I'll go to the RENFE site, log on to my account, go through the ticket reservation process and won't then be told: We're sorry but we can't deal with your request right now. Please try again later. Can this possibly be a deliberate strategy, aimed at putting off troublesome customers?? Meanwhile, I went to the station this morning and got a ticket there.
- Talking of bad service . . . This is a comment I took from Tim Parfitt's amusing book A Load of Bull . . . The Casa de Correos in Madrid – the Post Office, an imposing, extravagant building for such a piss poor postal service. This was written in 1999 or 2000 so might just be out of date. On the other hand, the introduction of computers might actually have made things worse. It's sometimes seemed like that to me, at least.
- Good news if you're a mascota in Madrid.
- Another major Madrid development.
- An unusual number of Spanish politicians have proven to be economic with the actualité when it comes to their educational qualifications. Hence this. Not before time.
- The Voz de Galicia is turning our rain into art, using the designs of a local ceramics company, Sargadelos for a series of colourful umbrellas. If I didn't already have 3 brollies, I might be tempted:-
The USA
- The old version . . He might be a murderous tyrant but he's our murderous tyrant. The new evangelical version.
- What's it all about? Sex, probably.
- Words of the Day:-
- Chorradas! Nonsense!
- In an article on a goat eating flowers in a cemetery - finally caught after an all-night vigil by neighbours - the animal was not described as either a cabro or (God forfend) a cabrón but as un cabrío and un castrón.
- As of yesterday, I had no idea what a Satisfyer was. But, thanks to this article, I now know what it is. And thanks to another article, I also know it's the basis of the best-selling disguise to be sported in the upcoming Lenten celebrations of Carnaval. Back to sex.
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