The Spanish Brexit
Hinge: A university professor here says Spain will play a crucial
role in how things unfold, specifically as regards Scotland's ability
to go its own way. Few outside Cataluña in Spain want that to
happen. For obvious reasons.
Spanish Practices
Again: El País thinks that it still matters here who(m) you know,
rather than what you know. Read their article on nepotism and cronyism here.
Well, There's a
Surprise: Invoices in relation to work done on the AVE high-speed
train lines are said to have been inflated by the trifling amount of
€82m. Thirteen (state) employees of Adif have been arrested in
Barcelona in connection with this. All nice people and good parents,
of course. One paper reports that some of the cash went on
prostitutes, skiing holidays and some extravagant lunches. More here.
Developing Spain: For
the first time, purchases made by credit card have exceeded cash
taken from ATMs. But this, of course, rather ignores the cash that
never makes it to the bank, for one reason and another.
Getting Your own Back:
This used to be the phrase used, inter alia, when you spat against
the wind or peed so clumsily you got some on your trousers. But now
it applies to a new type of paint that actually guarantees the
latter. See here.
Galicia Promotional
Videos: Someone has posted 3 or 4 of these on my Google+ page. Here and here are a couple of examples. Oddly all of them are in
Galician(Galego/Gallego). So, the region is only being promoted to
those who already live here??
Those Funny French: My
lovely French guests of last week told me of a problem they'd had in
Spain: When they asked about the strength of a wine, they were always
merely told its alcohol percentage. In France, they say, this refers
to the quality of the wine and not to the alcohol content.
Finally . . . An ankle
oddity: I visited our new museum on Friday last. It's much improved
since nearly all the stuff from the old one was moved there. The bit
of the building which belongs to the old Jesuit convent has a sprung
wooden floor. I've no idea why but I do know that, walking on it, I
suddenly developed a shooting pain in both ankles at the same time.
As soon as I moved to the granite staircase, this stopped. Very
strange.
Finally, finally . .
. A correction: The European Union: The Rape of Europa: I cited this
book the other day. A quick flick strongly indicates it's an
anti-semitic rant. Should have read the reviews before I bought it. Except there aren't any. Or, rather, there weren't until 5 minutes ago. Don't buy it!!
For those who don't go to my FB page, here's the 8am view from my bedroom window this morning:
Awake! For morning in
the bowl of night
has flung the stone
that puts the stars to flight.
And, Lo: The hunter of
the East
has caught the sultan's
turret in a noose of light?"
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