Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
- Christopher Howse: 'A Pilgrim in Spain'*
Covid
So, what percentages of the population are prepared to have the vaccine? Well, these were reported last week, as of October, with August numbers in brackets-
UK 79%% (85%)
Germany 67% (69%)
Italy 65% 67%)
Spain 64% (72%)
USA 64% (67%)
France 54% (59%)
Surprisingly, all the numbers have reduced over 2 months.
This is an interesting app in the risk of there being one person in groups of varying size around the world. It doesn't, though, indicate the consequence of that person giving you the plague. As we (think we) know, that depends on age, health and your personal precautions.
Living La Vida Loca in Galicia/Spain
Bureaucracy 1: It seems that, despite, thousands of denuncias for violations of the Covid restrictions, few of the resulting fines have been collected. Because no one knew who was responsible for this, as between the various administrations - municipal, provincial and regional (the Xunta). But now - according to the Voz de Galicia - A Solomonic solution has been reached: the Xunta will takes charge of fines relating to the violation of quarantines or isolations, while the rest must be pursued by municipal councils. Presumably for 'minor' things like not wearing a mask or not distancing, as opposed to breaking the curfew. My guess is this means nothing will be done re the vagabonds in Pontevedra's main square, who appear to have immunity to at least the law, if not the virus.
Bureaucracy 2: In my diary for late 2000. I wrote of difficulties of dealing with Spain's energy companies, who insisted I go through numerous (time and energy wasting) hoops before they'd deign to take my money and refrain from cutting off supply to my new home. Here's a rather more recent example.
And here's María's Riding the Wave - Days 15&16
The Way of the World
A Guardian headline: Silent victims: The hidden Romanian women exploited in the UK sex trade. Sex traffickers can make profits of over £1m a year per brothel – and Covid lockdowns have only made it easier for them to operate. Maybe today's woke generation should be rather more concerned with this than with some other things they rant about.
Spanish
1. I'm grateful to an (anonymous) reader for this phrase: Quien te ha visto y quien te ve. ‘If only they could see you now!; My, how you've changed!
2. Un atracón: Excess; Binge.
Finally . . .
Amusing aphorisms: 1. When one door closes and another door opens, you're probably in prison.
* A terrible book, by the way. Don't be tempted to buy it, unless you're a very religious Protestant.