Spain Update – General Order of Precedence & more –4th May 2023

th of May: 2023

Kicking off in the capital, the atmosphere is terse after the 2nd of May parade or Fiestas del Dos de Mayo, reflecting the lack of harmony between the government of Spain and Isabel Diaz Ayuso, President of The Community of Madrid. The yearly parade takes place to commemorate the 1808 uprising where the people of Madrid rose against French occupation. Usually, all the important figures are invited per the institutional Royal Decree, but one man was left off the roster this year- Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency of Spain.

Still, despite not being invited, he went but was prevented from accessing the authorities' gallery, where the rest of the VIPs were. This caused a lot of criticism, as Moncloa (the central government) accused Madrid of failing to comply with the Royal Decree, which states that a General Order of Precedence at events should be adhered to. Basically, Bolaños should have been invited because he has more precedence than Ayuso herself in official activities.

If you want to know more about the Spanish order of precedence. Link in show notes.

Speaking of breaking with tradition, hitting the news this week is the arrival of the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro. Though, it's less about him and more about what he refuses to wear.

On Wednesday the 3rd, the King and Queen of Spain hosted a gala dinner with around 100 important guests. As is customary at these types of events, men wear a tailcoat and bow tie, and women dresses; however, Gustavo Petro politely declined, saying that it is a garment that "has to do with elites and anti-democracy." Traditions are a funny thing! Do you think it matters? Yes, no, maybe; tell us your thoughts!

row, and recovery of wages in: 2023

nnual gross salary on rent in: 2022

According to their independent real estate portal study, the autonomous communities with the highest percentages of annual gross income, like the Balearic Islands and Catalunya, spend 58% on rent.

nnual gross income on rent in: 2022

Want to know if it's going to rain? According to U.S. meteorologist and current meteorologist at Eltiempo.es, Mario Picazo, we need to observe how animals behave.

In August, his tweets about the weather forecast left many speechless after he outlined his recipe for knowing when it will rain by observing how cows in Asturias behave, saying that herds of cows rest on the ground to protect the fields because they know the rain will arrive. Regardless of whether you believe in this particular theory or not, he's one of the most famous faces in Spanish TV forecasting.

This week he's predicting that the unprecedented hot weather we've experienced before will turn cold, telling people to pause getting their summer clothes out, as cloudy days and rainfall lead us into May. It's clear that the weather is unpredictable, but considering Spain's droughts, maybe some rainfall isn't such a bad thing- just make sure you've got an umbrella.

Moving on, four members of the Spanish NGO Open Arms aboard their Astral ship removed the body of a man from the Central Mediterranean route between North Africa and Italy on Friday, the 28th.

The Astral rescue sailboat was cruising through the route in the Malta jurisdiction on Friday when one of the team members noticed something in the water, which they soon confirmed was the body of a man, likely to have died forty-eight hours earlier. As they were in Malta territory, the NGO contracted them; however, with no response, they were eventually permitted to deliver the body in Lampedusa, Southern Italy, twenty-four hours later, after a lot of back and forths, and bureaucracy, which meant they couldn’t help with other incoming rescues.

Next up, rowdy tourists better keep their behavior in check this season as Spain cracks down on anti-social conduct.

As of Monday, the 1st of May, until October, police in Palma, Mallorca, will be starting their yearly campaign to combat excessive tourism as the island tries to break with its infamous association of heavy drinking and partying, especially in Magaluf.

But, what are the rules? Well, as part of the Law on Exesses, which also includes some resorts in Ibiza, holidaymakers going all-inclusive are restricted to six alcoholic drinks per day, three drinks per meal. If tourists are caught breaking rules or arrested for drunken behavior, they could get fined, ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 euros. There are also restrictions on pub crawls, advertising, and alcohol serving times. Their message is clear, if you want to get overly drunk and be a nuisance, go somewhere else.

While tourists are still being welcomed in Mallorca, albeit within reason, a popular local hangout and historical space, Mirador del Turó de la Rovira, locally known as Bunkers in Barcelona, has been overrun by tourists.

On Monday, the 1st of May, the last sunset was seen from the top of Bunkers. As of Tuesday, the 2nd, the space will only be accessible from 9.00 am till 7.30 in the evening (summer time) and until 5.30 pm in winter. The influx of tourists and visitors looking to drink heavily and cause late-night disruption has become too much for the locals who live nearby- with various complaints over the years.

You can still visit the Bunkers during the day. There's the MUHBA Turó de la Rovira museum, where you can learn more about the anti-aircraft space built during the Spanish Civil War to defend the city. There's also some fascinating history about the local area Los Canons, which was an informal settlement during the 60s.

being has been underway since: 2017

The TACA program takes mistreated dogs and asks a small group of inmates to feed, walk, and take care of dogs for about five hours a day. Once the dogs are rehabilitated, they can be fostered or housed, and new dogs in need come in. Overall, the program is a success, and inmates have said it's a great way to process their emotions and pass the time. Similar programs can be found worldwide in various different settings.

Shifting gears to technology, specifically levering technology for sustainability.

Olive lovers might know this fruit holds a special place in mythology and religions. In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena is said to have created the olive tree as a gift to the people of Athens, and in the Quran, it's mentioned as a blessed tree.

Thus the olive tree and its produce must be protected, which is exactly what farmers across Spain are trying to do, by leveraging technology to use the tree to its full potential, but how?

Well, through drones to measure optimal harvest moments and temperature-controlled systems, as well as making full use of the water, pulp, stone, and skin which previously went to waste to make fuel, soaps, unrefined oils, and biofuels. It's pretty powerful stuff!. Want to know more? Link to the International Olive Council in show notes.

Aaaand that's it for this week! Remember We have a Mastodon account! Check out our instance rorshok.social. If you don't know what Mastodon is or want to know more about it, check out the link in the show notes to our Substack

¡Hasta la próxima!