Thank you for this post, and the previous one on the subject of Portugal. I've only been there once, in '96, and can't claim to know the country very well at all, especially compared to Spain where I've been many more times (including for long study periods at the University of Salamanca).
A lot of what you say resonates with me as an Italian (living between Italy and the UK), particularly about endemic corruption, but also about this, It is a largely Catholic country where any mention of 'church' carries the assumption of Catholicism. Despite this, or perhaps because it is a population secure in its beliefs and traditions, attitudes and legislation on things like drug use, same sex marriage, and other things that many countries struggle with, are liberal and tolerant to unexpected extremes. , which probably partly applies to Spain as well.
I really hope Portugal will recover from this disaster sooner rather than later...
So do we. There is corruption at the highest levels (just as I think there is in most countries) but there are many people with hopes and dreams and the talents to make them come true. I think the small communities will probably support each other, and there is an outpouring of goodwill from ordinary people all over the country who want to help. And yes, it's almost strange that Spain and Portugal, the home of the Inquisition, is the area of some of the most modern thinking in western Europe!
I certainly will not forget. I am astounded at the lack of reporting and ignoring of this massive disaster, along with the Iraqi/Iranian border earthquake and the Greek floods in more recent weeks. I can't understand why the Portuguese fires are not getting more attention. Most people hadn't even heard of them until the sky turned red!Is it that the British public have stopped caring? Once upon a time the BBC and Sky would be covering something so near 24/7. I don't know. Even the Californian and Australian fires get little more coverage. I seem to know far too many people experiencing such things - 2 years ago my friends were evacuated as the bush fires were coming - she left with their two small boys but he stayed on with water, and the fires clipped their property, the gardens, but the wind changed direction, else I dread to think what would have happened to him in his stubborn macho attitude if it hadn't. He's not even usually one of those type of men, if you know what I mean? And my step brother's mother in law had to throw all
( ... )
The excuse appears to be that less than 50 people died.....
People do strange things in the face of imminent disaster. One of our friends had to drag her husband to the car - he sat on their 'deck' with a G&T assuring her and the world that it would all be all right... And another friend actually went back to his house to drag his gas bottles outside....
Less that five people in a flood, other natural disaster or accident in a public place or of course an attack in the UK would warrant a mass news24 hour coverage and questions in the parliament!
I sometimes wonder how I would behave - when fire alarms have gone off in hotel rooms I've grabbed my daughter's soft toys and not my purse...!
Comments 5
A lot of what you say resonates with me as an Italian (living between Italy and the UK), particularly about endemic corruption, but also about this,
It is a largely Catholic country where any mention of 'church' carries the assumption of Catholicism. Despite this, or perhaps because it is a population secure in its beliefs and traditions, attitudes and legislation on things like drug use, same sex marriage, and other things that many countries struggle with, are liberal and tolerant to unexpected extremes. , which probably partly applies to Spain as well.
I really hope Portugal will recover from this disaster sooner rather than later...
Reply
Reply
Reply
People do strange things in the face of imminent disaster. One of our friends had to drag her husband to the car - he sat on their 'deck' with a G&T assuring her and the world that it would all be all right... And another friend actually went back to his house to drag his gas bottles outside....
Reply
I sometimes wonder how I would behave - when fire alarms have gone off in hotel rooms I've grabbed my daughter's soft toys and not my purse...!
Reply
Leave a comment