Back on the theme of petty crime in Madrid - I see that at least some of the ATMs here now ask you to re-type your PIN at the end of the process. Before it will give you the cash, I mean. This, I’m told, is to reduce the chances some kid will distract you while another presses Continuar and snaffles the emerging notes. Possibly having added a nought in the process. Though I’m not sure how this works.

I finally got to see the Escorial outside Madrid today. And a lovely experience it was too, though the Basilica is closed for repairs. And they tell you when you get to them that you should've paid more to see the Royal Tombs and it's too late now.

Something else I’ve been impressed by this week is Nick Cohen’s analysis of modern liberal thinking in his fascinating book “What’s Left?”. I recommend it to everyone, whatever your political orientation. If you’re on the right – or even in the centre – it may not shock or even surprise you but it will certainly fascinate you. If you’re on the left, it may well discomfort you and force you to ask yourselves some tough questions. Cohen is a socialist of the old school and is clearly not enamoured of a modern Left which he feels has betrayed the universal values it once stood for. Allying with the fascist Right in the process. In the final chapter, he attributes this remarkable development over the last 20 to 30 years to four causes:-
1. Socialism for Shoppers: The Rise of Consumer Leftism
2. Multi-Culti Going Faulty
3. Liberal Disillusion, and
4. Fear
But you’ll have to read the whole book to flesh out these bones. Well worth a couple of hours.