Thoughts from Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain

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

- Christopher Howse: 'A Pilgrim in Spain'*  

 Note: I'm indebted to Lenox Napier's comprehensive Business Over Tapas for 1 or 2 of today's items.

The Bloody Virus

• In 7 weeks, Sweden - where some official regrets were voiced this week - has moved from 8th position in the deaths/million table to 5th now. The UK has done even worse, climbing from 7th to 2nd, ahead of Spain and Italy and behind only the bizarrely high number of Belgium. Little wonder that Boris Johnson is getting it in the neck(infra).

Life in Spain

• There's a new tax in the offing, aimed at reducing the dreadful level of plastic packaging which we all have to struggle with.
• Talking about shopping problems . . .  There's s a lot of queuing outside locales these days, with everyone staying 1 to 2m apart. So, a lot more hanging around than usual. But I don't perceive a higher level of 'structuring time' by reading a book or magazine than is customary. Or doing puzzles or a crossword. Just more cud-chewing than usual.
• I cited Spanish racism yesterday but forgot to mention a comment one hears quite often here on this subject: "I'm certainly not a racist but I hate gypsies."
• Back in Spain's (phoney) boom years of 2002 to 2008, Galicia's president joined the vanity-project club by initiating our City of Culture on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela. I knew there'd been problems - such as slates falling off the new roof and a library for millions of books remaining empty -  but I hadn't been aware that construction was halted in 2013. I'd thought that - despite the inevitable corruption and massive cost over-runs - it was still a (sort of) work in progress. But no, it's going to be the worst sort of testament to the Spain of those years - an unfinished, unloved and unvisited massive white elephant. Well done, Sr Fraga. The most able of Franco's Ministers, it's said. Lucky not be alive and to have to witness a failure which is monumental in every sense of the word. 
• Back to everyday life . . . Here's María's Come-back Chronicle Day 24.

Portugal 

• Brits were given new hope of a sunny holiday this year when Portugal’s foreign minister advised he is talking to the UK government about an “air bridge” between the 2 countries, and that an early agreement would allow travel by the end of June. But quarantine when you get home??

The UK

• Richard North and John Crace lay into Boris Johnson here and here, respectively. Rather better - and more effective - approaches than the crude insults of Spanish Opposition politicians.  It’s getting harder and harder to know where satire ends and reality starts, says Crace. But perhaps the UK isn't the only country this can be said of.

The USA 

• As the world looked on in consternation, horror and even fear, Trump congratulated himself in a tweet which confirmed his insane/psychotic authoritarianism: D.C. had no problems last night. Many arrests. Great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination. Likewise, Minneapolis was great (thank you President Trump!).
• Will the Republicans really allow this dangerous inadequate to stand for a second term?

English

• A verb new to me: To sic: 'To attack (used especially in commanding a dog)'. Seen in US headlines about police/military action against both looters and peaceful protesters. Which to Fart are the same thing, of course.

Finally . . . 

• Talking of new words . . . I saw infestify in an article yesterday. But I'm guessing it should have been intensify. Click here for said article, para 10. 
• An impressive performance by Usain Bolt. Or by someone we could at least call 'Mr Bolt':-

* A terrible book, by the way. Don't be tempted to buy it, unless you're a very religious Protestant.