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 19
The USA will today overtake Italy in the deaths per million stakes. Some success, Mr Trump!
The Spanish government aims a hard-hitting video at the rule.breaking young. Esto No Es Un Juego.
Living La Vida Loca in Spain/Galicia
Spain’s education system doesn’t get an favourable international press, Here’s a relevant article.
And the economy isn’t too good at the moment, with a full recovery - it says here - now forecast for 2023. Possibly to coincide with the arrival of the AVE high-speed train here in Galicia.
We’ve had orcas in our (Ria )estuary). The media says they attacked a boat but a knowledgeable naval friend pooh-poohs this. They are, after all, dolphins, not (killer) whales.
At midday yesterday, Pontevedra’s ‘tapas street’ was very quiet, in sharp contrast with the day before. A waiter explained it was back-to-school day. Just primaria, I think.
Here's Julio Iglesias singing (in Gallego with subtitles) about his nostalgia and his home-sickness (morriña/saudade) for his patría chica, Galicia. He's reputed to drop in occasionally - by helicopter - for a meal in Combarro, 9km along the coast from Pontevedra city. Though not with the young man who's claiming to be the result of a one-night stand. Must be quite an old song as we call it Galiza in Gallego these days, not Galicia. As to the future, who knows. Iglesias was actually born in Madrid but his father (o meu pai) was from Ourense, up in our hills. The only place in Spain which can be both the hottest and the coldest in the country. Albeit at different times of the year. There's an aerial view of Pontevedra city at min 2.19. But Combarro doesn't figure.
Well, at least one brothel - in Madrid - won't be staying illegally open. Maybe.
María's Dystopian Times, Day 25. Incidentally, I made a comment to Day 4.
English
Three words new to me from David Mitchell's astonishing novel Cloud Atlas:-
Three more words new to me from David Mtchell's novel Cloud Atlas:-
- To splish: To scatter liquid about in blobs
- Ankh: An object or design resembling a cross but having a loop instead of the top arm, used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of life.
- To replumph: ?? Probably to fluff up, as with a cushion. Invented?
And one from today's Times: To whicker: (Of a horse) To give a soft, breathy whinny.
English/Spanish
I'm not posting refrains today as a reader has kindly warned me that; Hombre refranero, hombre puñetero. Which can be (politely) translated as 'A man of many refrains, is a pain'. The impolite would use synonyms for 'bloody'/'sodding'. Possibly followed by 'boring' or 'dull'. Or so say my Spanish friends.
Finally . . .
Did you notice that the company responsible for the Julio Iglesias video is called Portal Splish-Splash? Pure coincidence.
* A terrible book, by the way. Don't be tempted to buy it, unless you're a very religious Protestant.