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'*
Living La Vida Loca in Galicia/Spain
Another closure of the line between Vigo and Ourense - thanks to falling rocks - is a reminder that investment in Spain's pre-existing rail system has been neglected in favour of the AVE high speed train. Which, ironically, has been incredibly slow arriving in Galicia, being now 27 years late.
DHL continues to unimpress me. My old passport arrived yesterday, one day earlier than I'd been advised but without prior warning. As before, I wasn't asked to sign for it or even to give my ID number. Incidentally, there's a view around that the usual demand for a signature has fallen foul of Covid fears. Could well be true
I tried last night to get to my supermarket via the new road system, only to find the challenge had been intensified by the change of the one-way direction in each of the side roads off the main road through Lérez. When I finally got there - to find the ingress and egress lanes had also been swapped round - I noted there were few customers in the place. Perhaps there were dozens outside searching for the way to the car park entrance. My return home was through the road I mentioned yesterday. Need I say I met a car coming what is now the wrong way. Happily, he or she went into reverse as I approached. Which was good, as I was never going to drive backwards for 300 metres up a narrow road with granite walls on both sides of it.
Here's María's Riding The Wave: Day 45. Reminding us that yesterday was Spain's equivalent of April fools' Day.
Question for Maria: Before Brexit, could you really get into the UK from Spain without a passport, using only your Tarjeta de Residencia? I didn't think so. I certainly couldn't.
The UK
It's been noted that, while the (Leftish/Remainerish) BBC used to studiously highlight every negative forecast of Britain's post-Brexit economic future, it has equally studiously downplayed the revised forecast of the Centre for Economic and Business Research that sees UK growth outstripping that of EU countries, including Germany's. With the result that the UK economy will be 23% larger than France's by 2035, after it's grown by 4%pa 2021-2025 and by 1.8% after that. Of course, no one really knows how accurate these forecasts are but they certainly make for interesting reading.
The UK & The EU
Richard North on that FTA: We may have broken free of the "coffin lid" containment of EU law, but in our bid for "freedom", we are now bumping up against international agreements which keep us in lockstep with the EU. Ironically, though, this will hardly be noticed as the media is almost totally silent on this aspect of the treaty. As far as the popular press is concerned, we're "free", even if that amounts only to freedom to push at the second coffin lid.
Spanish
I can't recall if I've previously delighted readers with these 10 Spanish slang phrases you never learn at school:-
Me cago en la leche: I crap in the milk. Spaniards metaphorically crap on all kinds of things when they want to express anger or frustration; from God Almighty (Dios), to 'your' mother (tu madre) and the salty sea (la mar salada). Perhaps the most bizarre thing they choose to mentally defecate on is 'the milk'. All these expressions sound very vulgar in English but in Spanish they're so common most recipients would barely bat an eyelid.
Manda huevos!: Send eggs!. Unless you’re actually in the business of delivering groceries then this is bound to sound a little peculiar. But 'Manda huevos!', which means something like 'Give me a break!', is the perfect expression for when you're fed up or frustrated by something.
Llevar los huevos de corbata: Wear ones balls as a tie. Another use of huevos but this time not talking about the shell variety but rather male genitalia. To wear your balls as a tie translates as being tense or nervous. In fact, Spaniards will often hold their throat and say 'this is where I have my balls'- con los huevos aquí- when they want to express nervousness or fear.
Que te la pique un pollo: I hope a chicken pecks at your dick. Pretty self explanatory this one. Best reserved for someone who has really wronged you.
Vete a freir espárragos: Go and fry asparagus. This is a polite way of telling someone to fuck off in Spanish. 'Vete a freir espárragos' is a step down from ¡vete por ahí! (get lost) and three down from ¡que te folle un pez! ('May a fish make love to you').
Mojar el churro: To wet the churro. Yes, churros: those long, thick doughnut sticks we all love to dunk in chocolate and put in our mouths. Like most stick-shaped food, churros are euphemistically used to described a man's privates. 'Mojar el churro' means to have sex.
De puta madre: Of the whore's mother. Best translated in English as It’s the shit/ the best thing ever! There are somethings so great that you can only describe them as de puta madre. “I can’t believe how good that tastes! De puta madre!”
Matar el gusanillo: To kill the worm. To kill the worm is to take the edge off your hunger. "A ver si con esta tapa matas el gusanillo." - Let's see if you take the edge off your hunger with this tapa.
Pollas en vinagre: Dicks in vinegar. Use this phrase to call out those who are telling porkies. It's the Spanish equivalent of saying “bullshit.”
No seas tan pendejo: Don’t be such a pube. Use this when telling someone not to be such an asshole.
Finally . . .
Interesting to hear that 25th December was the feast day of Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun) - the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers.
* A terrible book, by the way. Don't be tempted to buy it, unless you're a very religious Protestant.