Dawn

Dawn

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Ponters Pensées: 21.8.16

Spanish Words: In English, the word 'cutter' can be a knife or a boat. It turns out the same is true of Castellano. Un cúter. As in:-
Arrastrando su brazo hacia un cúter de metal.
Pulled his arm into a metal cutter.
and
El cúter de la armada británica regresó.
The British naval cutter came back.

Spanish Names: I was telling some Spanish friends last night about our difficulties in getting brandy in 2 bars and being offered a drink called Felipe II instead. I referred to this as Felipe Dos, which convulsed them, as it should have been Felipe Segundo. Small minds . . .

Driving in SpainThe Roundabout Challenge: Chapter 16: This one is at the bottom of my road:-



As I approach it, cars coming from the left will be going either to the right - up the hill - or straight on. In some cases, they'll be signalling right and in some cases they won't be signalling at all. Although coming from a single lane, they all opt to move into the right hand - outer - lane of the roundabout. Elsewhere, you'd be safe to assume that those going straight on would head for the inner lane. But here they've been told not to do this unless they're making a U-turn. The end result is that, if you assume a car entering the right-hand lane and signalling right is actually turning right, you'll be hit by it whichever way you go. Take note.

Driving in Pontevedra: If you approach the city from the north on the coastal road - say, from Villagarcia - you'll arrive at a roundabout on the edge of town, just after a small industrial estate and just before the gypsy encampment of O Vao. I believe the local council plans to drive a spur road up through the latter, off the roundabout. Right now, though, if you left the roundabout on this uncompleted spur, you'd come right up against a wall of trees and hidden granite. But just in case you're blind - or very stupid - the council has erected this helpful sign:-


Finally . . .  My guest, Jack: He's a friend of my younger daughter and not - as some in the city are said to think - my young lover. A chap with a great sense of humour, he has some decent jokes. Sadly, though, he's also an inveterate punster. Sometimes they work but ofttimes they don't. He's become a huge aficionado of Spain's jamón and I came down this morning to find he'd last night polished off the final 2 slices and left this note on top of the empty pack:-

We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Coz I love you, jamón, baby.

So, jamón, feel the noise!

Oh, jam ón ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant

Be your own judge.

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