Thoughts from Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain

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'*

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

Living La Vida Normal in the Netherlands . . .

• Yesterday, I did a 32km(20 miles) round trip on my host's (ancient) bike. I fell off only once, when the chain came off, for no apparent reason, and I lost both momentum and stability. Fortunately I fell into some bushes at the side of the road . . . The only thing damaged was my pride.
• The coming back was rather slower than the going. Everyone in at least the provinces of Holland seemed to overtake me. Some of them at great speed.

Life Back Home  

• A soon as I saw this headline, I knew in which region of Spain the kamikaze driver lived. We have more than our fair share of these.   
• Can this article on English language papers really be true?  . . . The dossier exposes gang crime connections, shady dealings, skullduggery, and shenanigans, and much more, as our investigators unravel the actual proceedings in Spain, with bullying rife, as well as mental torture tactics applied by some to the more established operations in the market. We should know soon. 
• Some relevant advice on the EHIC card. 
• Day 39 of María's chronicle. 
• The web page of Hispania Nostra, which is dedicated to the (admirable) defence and promotion of Spain’s amazingly rich heritage. 

English/Spanish

• Three more refranes:-

- More than enough is too much: En el término medio está la virtud.

- Necessity is the mother of invention: La necesidad hace maestros/ No hay mejor maestro que la necesidad.

- No offence [to be] taken when none is meant: Palabras no sacan sangre. (This is the standard Spanish ‘apology’: I didn’t mean to upset you, so you can’t be.)

Finally . . . 

• I've been asked for pretty fotos of where I am. Well, I don't have any yet, so here's 3 from the internet:-

1. A lane I cycled down yesterday, which coould be in England:-

2. The town I'm staying in, Haastrecht:-

3. And someone with the name Haastrecht who came up in Google Images: and who I feel merits an appearance here:-

Patricia van Haastrecht. Who helped me up when I fell off the bike. Honest.

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