A teacher friend tells me that when he took a group of bright English teens on a trip to France, some of them said the same thing- that French was used in public, like a performance, but that they spoke English when not in public.

Such good news. Congratulations to the Spanish authorities.

I like to spend time in Barcelona in December- cold, sunny weather. Suits me. Bad weather there kicks in in January according to locals. Quite a predictable climate.

Oh dear! This is going to upset the upper middle classes, addicted as they are to their cosy log burners. It's an issue that will separate those with real environmental concern from the smug.

J'aime bien cette photo pleine d'ambiance.

Plymouth is unusual for a city in having l lot of open space. It can lead to a feeling of emptyness. The dense housing suggested for the city centre is an excellent idea. I wonder if this is in addition to that proposed for the Civic Centre repurposing or part of it.

Cornish devolution is a question for economists. I therefore keep my mouth shut. I appreciate the efforts though to keep the heritage Celtic language ticking over. Welsh is thriving, Irish a bit floundering.

The architects' drawings are a genre of their own!

Black and white photos from this period render everything especially grim. I can't understand people on "nostalgia" social media sites seem to like them!

This reminds me of the places in England where I have seen Welsh on signs. Notably at Jesus College, Oxford, the so-called "Welsh college". Also on the signs of the couple of Welsh speaking chapels in and around Soho, in central London.

Great show with particularly diverse music this time. Surprised and pleased to hear a song in Catalan

Yes. It's about encouraging a different set of values. Attitudes to the weather too. Rain= bad is no longer appropriate. "We need the rain"- a cliché but so true.

Ah! A biological base for "just hanging out" ?

"We need the rain"

Strangely moving. The power of the symbol.

Please consider buying at a local bookshop rather than on line. Watermans have it in stock.

A "freakshow from the grave". But just go to any newsagent in Devon and see the Daily Mails, always the tallest pile, awaiting their loyal and avid consumers. It's mainstream (as opposed to freaky) in swathes of the UK. London bubble maybe?