Dawn

Dawn

Friday, March 06, 2020

Thoughts from Madrid, Galicia, Spain: 6.3.20

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.   
Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain  
Spanish/Galician Life 
  • Once again, I've witnessed the adoration of babies here - with one waiter even going down on his knees to chuck the face of my grandson. (So much for no face touching!). And passing couples and individuals - even young men - smiling at him as he stood on the table pressed up against the window.
  • Spain's 'elegant new' wines, including a red Mencia from O Bierzo, home too of my favourite white wine grape - Godello.
  • More on the (rather corrupt) ex-king, from El País, in English.
  • Tim Parfitt's last Say of the Day: There it was again – the whole taking-years-to-come-up-with-a-final-decision thing.
The EU
  • I've recalled that the chap who wrote about Germany's (non)future is David Goldman, who writes under the name of Spengler. How Civilisations Die.
UK
The USA
  • So, Mr Bloomberg pissed away €550m on an election he was never going to win. I wonder if it feels good to have that much loose change lying around.
The Way of the World
  • It had to come - institutional transphobia. I'm reminded of the Latin phrase which, roughly translated, goes: There's none so distressed as those looking to be distressed.
Spanish
  • Phrases of the Day: 
  1. Un sondeo a pie de la urna: An exit poll. Lit: 'A sounding at the foot of the ballot box'.
  2. Phylo dough: Filo pastry. Seen on the menu of my favourite tapas bar in Madrid. Mas filo in Spanish. Or, on a menu, hojaldre
Finally . . .
  • Some kids eat everything and some hardly anything. I have one of each as grandsons. Yesterday, the-eater-of everything actually ate a lemon slice and the rind - after garlic prawns and mussels. Here's the proof:-

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