Dawn

Dawn

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

One departed swallow does not, as they say, make a winter but I’m wondering whether a tiny recent development is just a sign of the times or an indication that Spain is changing for the worse. Traditionally, it’s never been a problem in tapas bars – and even many restaurants – to get a glass – or even a jug - of plain tap water. But twice in the last couple of weeks this has been refused to visitors of mine. I must keep an eye on this. Though – as I take the W C Fields approach to water – I shall be dependent on the frequency of visitors for data. Or reader reports.

My Vigo friend, Phil, has lent me a 1930s edition of George Borrow’s The Bible in Spain and I’m now re-reading this. Naturally, I’ve started on the chapters that deal with Galicia and was intrigued today to read of his near-death experience on a bridge in a place between Lugo and Betanzos he calls Castellanos. A brief bit of research indicated this was probably Castellana and this was confirmed by this marvellous find on the net. If this whets your appetite, you can download either the whole book from the web or just the Galicia chapters from my Galicia page, here. Or just his dyspeptic view of Santiago, here.

I should perhaps add that, if you're a sensitive Gallego, you might want to give all this a miss. GB did not find either Galicia or the language to his liking. Though he does make the occasional positive remark. Albeit mostly about the scenery. Obviously, things have improved immensely in 180 years.

Finally . . . My latest electricity bill arrived today. It’s a gross over-estimate of my usage and all three elements have risen in price. Only the VAT rate stays the same but this can only be a matter of time. Needless to say, there was no explanation or expression of regret. God only knows what old George would have made of this, whingeing Brit that he was.

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