I see the shares my bank advised me to buy six months ago have almost returned to the price I paid for them. Another year or so of this and I might just be able to recover the charges made by the same bank for buying and ‘managing’ them on my behalf.

I love the ironmonger shops in Pontevedra. Without exception, they are from an earlier age, especially in their layout. But they also operate at the pace of a bygone time. If this is any reflection of the speed at which their tradesmen customers carry out their own activities, can it be any wonder that houses here seem to take at least two years to be built? It is frustrating to wait 15 minutes just to be told that they don’t stock the drive belt for an imported vacuum cleaner but it’s my own fault for being too English. If I were Spanish, I would simply interrupt the laconic conversation and demand a quick answer to a quick question. And no one would mind a bit. One day.

An army troop of 6 men last week staged a mock terrorist attack on a bar in the middle of Madrid. Trouble is, they neglected to tell anyone in advance of their intentions. Inquiries are now being made as to which imbecilic officer thought that this would be a good bit of training for his men. Naturally, he is lying low. Perhaps mock death is also part of the exercise.