Day 7

 Martha and I have just completed an intense week of Spanish classes at the same language school I discovered when I was here in 2016 (it's on the street pictured at left). Little did I know that I’d be returning all these years later and that Martha would be learning Spanish too. 

She’s become totally fluent at painting watercolors and drinking wine on our rooftop terrace and moderately fluent at ordering sandwiches. We also get to have conversations in Spanish, which is fun. “Do we have the wine?” “Yes, the wine she lives in my pocket.” And so on. Actually, I made that up. In all honesty, Martha’s Spanish after three months is way better than mine was. 

But none of that matters anymore because we’re leaving tomorrow for Menorca, a small Spanish island in the Mediterranean. Why? Contrasting recent headlines from Spain and Menorca the better question is why not? In light of the news flashes quoted verbatim below, where would you rather be?

Spain

• Spanish far-right party Vox campaigns on illegal immigration using manipulated data
• Catalonia in grip of worst drought in decades
• Spain officials quit over order for trains that were too wide for tunnels (obviously this one is both funny and tragic, but it was only a €260 million order, so not really that big a deal)

Menorca

• Two Spanish police officers in hot water over video showing them enjoying local fiesta a little too much
• Scientists find evidence of prehistoric drug use on Menorca
• If trees could talk, these ten amazing trees would have stories to tell

Every May for the last 50 years has been warm and dry here, but rain is predicted every day that we’re planning to be in Menorca. Luckily for us, even though it’s a tiny island, they have wifi, bars and they take credit cards.

And one small observation about the benefits of a multiparty system. Spain has more than 50 political parties and next weekend is holding national elections. Which means that candidates like this one from the Ciudadana party, can convey their message in whatever way they think appropriate, even if it means posing for your official campaign portrait naked.