Thoughts from Galicia: 29.8.17

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.

- Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain. 

If you've arrived here because of an interest in Galicia or Pontevedra, see my web page here.

Tour notes

• This might be an iron rule of travelling throughout Spain and staying in places which claim to offer wifi – If you're in a decent hotel in a town or city, this claim is likely to be true. If you're staying out in a village, it's not. Especially if it's a small hotel or hostal. Indeed, things out in the countryside might be so bad that you can't even get 3 or 4G.
• In Buitrago de Lozoya, not one of 4 cafés I tried had wifi. Indeed, such were the reactions to my enquiry, I concluded it was an unfamiliar concept there. Plus you don't even get a biscuit with your coffee in the café where I sheltered from the thunderstorm. 
•  But the medieval walls of the place are something to see.

• In Segovia, cheek by jowl with the famous acquaduct, you'll find Burger King and MacDonalds conveniently side by side.
  
  
  
  
  
• The old synagogue in the Jewish quarter of Segovia - where else? - is now a Catholic church. Next to it is a convent where - as so often in Spain - the nuns sell various pastries. One of these is called Hearts of St Teresa:-

Another pastry is called coquitos. Or 'small coqs'. Which doesn't sound quite right for nuns.

• Wifi reception is also weak in the Escorial environs, even in cafés which charge you €2 for a coffee.
• Driving tip - If you're going to the Escorial from the autopista from Segovia, the signs will eventually peter out and you will realise they are now pointing back to where you've come from. You need to have turned right where it says Monasterio, and then kept going uphill through at least one roundabout where there are no signs at all.

Life in Spain

• My calvario with my Spanish bank over my stolen cards continued yesterday, but at least I learned – when finding out where I had to send the copy of the police report to – that 'hyphen' in Spanish is guion. Which is also the word for 'script'.
• At the Escorial this morning, the officious woman at the ticket counter denied me a discount because I couldn't prove that I was British and that I was several years older than the relevant age. I told her she was the only person in Spain who thought I looked younger than I am. I didn't mention that the last person to guess put it at 8 effing years above what it is!
• In the Escorial, one's ticket is checked at least 4 times. I assume this is to catch those people who have helicoptered into one of the courtyards to escape the €10 entrance fee.