Thoughts from Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain: 31.3.21

 Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.  

- Christopher Howse: 'A Pilgrim in Spain'

Covid 

The UK & the EU: Ambrose Evans Pritchard here cites an analysis by France Stratégie, an agency of the French state, which strongly suggests that the UK is not the egregious disaster story that many supposed. As this revised narrative takes hold, it will greatly alter the post-Covid political landscape, claims AEP.  

Spain: A topical cartoon:-

Cosas de España/Galiza  

Last week, I asked several Guardia Civil officers about the number of people who could be together in a car and, contrary to my expectation, was assured the limit was 4. Yesterday, we learnt that on Sunday 5 people were fined €600 each here in Pontevedra because the Xunta, as of Saturday, had banned folk who don't cohabit from being in the same car. It says something that neither I nor any or my friends knew about this until yesterday. So, bang goes our trip up the coast and the money we'd have spent on hotels, etc. in our destination. I think I did say recently that, in these times and places, it helps to be tolerant of arbitrariness. Not to mention police officiousness. But, hey, you can always appeal, if you think you've been wrongly fined. 

Which reminds me . . . The latest national change is to oblige us to wear masks all the time in public, not just when we're within 1.5m of others. Which doesn't seem to fit with diners here being told last week to raise and lower their masks when dining alone at tables at the obligatory 2m away from other tables. It looks like the Galician Xunta had taken advantage of its power to introduce a harsher rule than the national one. Just to ensure we were all confused to the max.

Talking of arbitrariness and confusion . . . 2 days ago, 40 Brits were sent back to the UK on the plane they'd arrived at Alicante on, despite having documents said to be valid by both the UK and Spanish governments. The new 'useful but unnecessary' TIE cards were said - wrongly - by the local border police to be obligatory. Having expected this sort of thing, I got my TIE as soon as I could last year and pressured my 'too busy' daughter in Madrid to get hers, to replace her green A4 certificate of permanent residency. Enough in theory to get back into Spain but very possibly not in practice. 

Maria's Tsunami: Day 58

The UK  

An extract from the AEP article cited above: We can see in hindsight that the UK began the war on Covid much as it has begun almost every major war over recent centuries: half asleep, in utter shambles, with obsolete contingency plans. But - suggests AEP - as ever, the UK finally got its act together. Saving Boris Johnson's skin in the process. Contrast M Marcon and Frau Merkel, who seem to be increasingly out of favour right now.

Talking of times past . . . Back at the start of the 20th century, the eminent British politician, Sir Edward Grey made this aside about 'progress': As if anything could be good that led to telephones and cinematographs and large cities and the Daily Mail. Well, he was certainly right about the egregious Daily Mail, which - sad to say - is not only still with us but more popular than ever. So it must be doing something wrong.

The UK & Covid

British residents in France have until 30 June to start exchanging their driving licences, although talks are under way to extend the deadline. Meanwhile, there’s said to be a debacle. Which, aptly enough, is a French word imported into English.

English 

Having come across the expression yesterday, I confirmed my understanding that 'snide remarks' are those which are 'derogatory or mocking in an indirect way.' I imagine those who have a fondness for these lose friends over time. 

Finally  . . . 

Another topical cartoon:-