Repercussions observed

Apart from preparing a sermon for tomorrow, and a brief grocery shopping visit to Mercadona, I spent much of today reading articles and comment in Britain about the repercussions of the referendum decision. Nothing like this has happened in my lifetime, and I get the impression that some who voted to leave the EU are already having second thoughts and regretting their action. The obsession with winning has overruled a proper evaluation of consequences based on the facts. Over the weekend, I imagine some politicians will be looking at whether there's any way back, while EU leaders are saying brisky, "OK, let's get on the process of negotiating UK severance as soon as possible." 

One news commentator remarked that the notion of taking a few months leisure to consider the best way forward for the UK was to forget that there are two parties in this divorce. A slight majority of UK voters has taken a self-centred option. How now should parliamentarians respond in giving a lead? They could legally refuse to endorse the referendum result, and even order another referendum. But how much courage will the have in the face of what has been a damaging divisive process from start to finish?

In the early evening, I finally made myself go out for a walk down to Playa Burriana, scrambling along the rocky foreshore to Playa Caribbayo, then climbing the steps and heading for the Parador to get some photographs I'd not taken when we dined there the other night. Then I took the footpath that goes past the hotel and back down to Burriana, then turning back up another steep street and heading back to the main road through the urbanizacion Andalusia. Walking this route in either direction offers good and varied exercise.

I paused outside a bar showing the Wales v Northern Ireland Euro cup football match on the return leg, just as the final tense minutes of the game were being played, and watched the climax, surrounded by Irish fans. Nobody was cheering by this stage. Nerja has many Irish visitors and has several Irish themes bars, but so far I haven't found a Welsh bar to speak of. I'm not sure exactly what that says about my compatriates when they're away from home.

Having had my fill of news and comment during the day, there wasn't a lot I was interested in watching on telly after supper, except a more recent episode of NCIS, which I think I've seen before. There aren't many episodes I haven't seen now. It's such a pity that apart from radio, free UK streaming services don't work on devices not bought or registered here.