Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain
Spanish Politics- Inés Arrimadas has become the leader of the struggling Ciudadanos party. I'm sure it's not because she's very attractive, though I confess it might just influence me, if I had a vote:-
- Monarchical malfeasance. Kingly korruption. And the small sum of €100m. See here and here on some low ethics in high places. When was being a courtier-cum-concubine so profitable? Nice work, if you can get it. In Spain, at least.
- Brits in Spain- and elsewhere in the EU, of course - are 'confused and alarmed' at the implications of Brexit for next year and beyond. I wonder why I'm never included in any of these surveys. I believe I'm known to have opinions . . . But maybe that's the reason.
- As for opinions of the Spanish, El País advises that while 60% of them are worried about the coronavirus, only 22% have any interest in the Gibraltar sovereignty issue. The latter number would be far lower in the UK, of course. Unless and until hysteria is whipped up there by the execrable tabloid press. As official papers show, nothing would please the British government more than to get rid of the troublesome place.
- As for judicial opinions . . . Good to see that a Spanish actor has been acquitted of upsetting some Christians.
- This would not surprising in the UK but I was rather taken aback at 8.10 on Saturday night in a Jávea tapas bar to be told the kitchen had closed at 8. Too much foreign influence perhaps. Or maybe be it's just a café/bar serving tapas from time to time, not a real tapería. [Interestingly, this word doesn't appear in the dictionary of the Royal Academy. Too modern?]
- Jávea really must be an up-market place. There was a can of air-freshener in the toilets of the Chinese restaurant yesterday. I can't see this staying there for long in other parts of the country.
- Words of the day: Metro talk:-
- Correspondente con: Connecting with.
- Consigna: Left luggage
- I knew there was a phrase including 'Dutch uncle' and finally I saw it this morning in an article on the BBC, which is accused of acting too much like a stern aunty: Rejecting the contention that this was so, the writer stressed: It's tendency to lecture is more akin to what used to be called talking down “like a Dutch uncle”. Here's Wikipedia on the various theories on the origin of the phrase.
- I also think that I heard the phrase 'Dutch aunt' in respect of a sort of bolster that people in Indonesia slept with, for some reason or other. But the internet offers me only this. So I might be wrong on this.
- I'm not saying my sister travels heavy but, when I got into the lift with her bags yesterday, a voice told me - in 4 languages - that only 3 people were allowed in at a time. To be fair, she was planning for 4 weeks in Spain, before her plans were scuppered by the impact of the corona virus. And her preferred brands of tea and coffee might well not be available here.
- BTW . . . Based on what I carried up to our flat, said plans appear to have included attending several cocktail parties and even a ball or two. I fear disappointment.
- My sister has a great Scouse sense of humour. Just as well, otherwise I might now have a squeaky voice.
No comments:
Post a Comment