Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly
loveable.
- Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain.
Here's the
inevitable guide from The Local on your Easter fun options.
Life in
Spain: I went to see my GP yesterday about some minor complaint.
There were 3 doctors on duty at the health centre and, as usual, all
10 patients for each one had been given the same appointment time. So
there were 30 of us there. Me reading my book; 1 or 2 folk on their
phone; 5 or 6 chatting; and the rest staring into the middle
distance. It's the custom of the doctors to shout out the name of the
next person on their list, either from the door of their office or -
in the case of the older ones – from their desks. If there are
no-shows, no one gives a toss and the doctor just moves on down the
list. The first time – years ago - I forgot an appointment, I wrote
an apology. How the doctor must have laughed at my Britishness!
Taxation:
Spain's deadline for income tax declarations (La Renta) is 30
June but the season begins in April, when the Tax Office (La
Hacienda) sends out rebate info to the vast number of people who
are due these. This rest of us can go on line and use a new
program(Renta Web) which replaces the old one(PADRE) to
submit our data. I look forward to dealing with this in the last week
of June. Meanwhile, I'm a tad concerned to read that hackers are now
gaining access to declarations and, thus, to one's account number
and, presumably, to the Hacienda's process for taking money from
this. Nice to know. I must check if we can still make paper
declarations. I used to enjoy doing these . . .
For
reasons which are not entirely clear to me, our local politicians
just love to tinker with the traffic flow. I read a week ago
that Poio council plans to make the main road down to town just one
way – upwards. Which will put the kibosh on my parking practice.
And when I left the health centre yesterday, I found that my exit road was now
one-way. I then had to weave my way through narrow lanes for 5-10
minutes until I found myself on the coast road, heading west for
Sanxenxo. Which is not exactly what I'd planned. Irritating. But I'll
know next time.
Nutters
Corner:
- Bryan Fischer again: God invented the rainbow. It’s His thing. He put it in the sky as a promise that he would never again destroy the earth through a flood. Are you listening Al Gore? Yu do not need to worry about the planet being destroyed by floodwaters. Why? Because God has put His rainbow in the sky to let you and everybody else know, ‘I’m never going to do that again.’
- Ex-senator Michelle Bachmann: Donald Trump’s opponents, much like the people who built the Tower of Babel, are rebelling against God to bring about the creation of a manmade, one-world system. And scripture tells us that in the End Times, that is what Antichrist will be. He will be a part of a one-world system. Translation: If you oppose Trump, you are part of the Antichrist community.
Which
reminds me . . . We all know by now that Trump – to put it
politely – in no orator. And that he has a gift for the
utterly banal. But what to make of phrases such as 'little babies”
and “No child of god should have to suffer like this”. Anyone
ever seen large babies? And, if you believe in a god, aren't all
children his/hers? Or do the hordes of evangelists to whom Trump pays obeisance believe that those who oppose him are all spawn of the Devil? I
guess they must. We should have a badge.
Talking of
Trump fans . . . His bombing of the Syrian airport seems to have
lost him some of his erstwhile supporters. The ones who think the USA
should have nothing to do with the rest of the world. Here's Buzzfeed
on this.
Finally
. . . One of our regular beggars is a young woman who offers
hand-made metal trinkets and then for money when, as is usual, none
of these are bought. Yesterday, the lady at my next table – dressed
as someone far younger – smilingly declined the trinkets and, when
asked for money, replied rather sternly: No. You are young and
should struggle. I heard the word luchar, though maybe she
said duchar. To shower. On reflection, she must have meant
against the mendicant's drug habit. The one that keeps her skinny.
Today's
cartoon . . .
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