129 - Julio Iglesias, Greenland, and EU weakness

Julio Iglesias is cancelled, the future of Greenland is up for grabs, and the EU doesn't want to do anything about it. In this "Random Thoughts" episode of the Spain to Go podcast, we talk about one of the most famous Spanish singers being accused of sexual assault, about geopolitics, and much more. Take a look at the article on the blog for links: https://expatmadrid.com/julio-iglesias/To support this podcast go to https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Or check out one of our sponsors: Walks Tours … https://expatmadrid.com/walks/ for walking tours around incredible places.And Devour Tours for food tours in Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, San Sebastian and elsewhere: https://expatmadrid.com/devour/Or book a cycling holiday with Bike Tour in Spain... tell Raúl I said hi! The tours are great: https://biketourinspain.com/

It's a strange time to be an American in Spain, with the Spanish media pushing an anti-American narrative almost constantly. In this episode I talk about Donald Trump, Nicolás Maduro, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and what it's like waking up to the hatred of a large part of your adopted country. Interesting times! Don't forget to donate to support the cause at https://expatmadrid.com/donate/ Thanks for listening!

It's been quite a year here in Spain, here's a bit of a recap of some of the top stories and things I've been thinking about. More on the blog: https://expatmadrid.com/spain-2025-review/As usual, you can donate to the cause over at https://expatmadrid.com/donate/I really appreciate it! And if you're coming to Spain (for tourism or to live here) check out some of my sponsors and supporters.For example, Isaac at Stellium Estates will help you buy luxury real estate in Madrid, Marbella, Menorca and elsewhere. Check out what he has to offer at https://stelliumestates.com/We also have long-time supporters: Raúl at Bike Tour in Spain (for self-guided bike tours through amazing landscapes), and everyone at Walks Tours and Devour Tours for food and experiences around Spain and Europe. Click on those links to know more... Thanks!

The population of wild boars in Catalonia has suddenly become newsworthy as a few cases of African swine fever outside Barcelona threaten the entire pork industry. Pork is big business in Spain, and if the virus isn't contained, we could have problems. Here's my report on the swine fever, more as usual on the web: https://expatmadrid.com/swine-fever/Support for this podcast comes from Walks Tours, with amazing walking tours of incredible locations, right here: ⁠https://expatmadrid.com/walks⁠Also Devour Tours, with food tours in Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian and more: ⁠https://expatmadrid.com/devour⁠And of course, my friend Raúl out at Bike Tour in Spain, who organizes cycling tours (everything booked for you, and he also provides the bicycle) in various Spanish regions, say hi if you talk to him: ⁠https://biketourinspain.com

A bit about 8 surprising holiday traditions here in Spain. Christmas is a bit different in Spain, so here's a bit about what to expect. You might also enjoy the article I did on Spanish Christmas vocabulary: https://expatmadrid.com/spanish-christmas-vocabulary/Support for this podcast comes from Walks Tours, with amazing walking tours of incredible locations, right here: https://expatmadrid.com/walksAlso Devour Tours, with food tours in Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian and more: https://expatmadrid.com/devourAnd of course, my friend Raúl out at Bike Tour in Spain, who organizes cycling tours (everything organized for you) in various Spanish regions, say hi if you talk to him: https://biketourinspain.com

In a few days I'll be 43 years old, and I had a bit of a disorienting experience the other day as I realized exactly how much time has passed. Here are a few thoughts on middle age and living the good life. More online: https://expatmadrid.com/middle-aged-wisdom/Donate to the podcast here, anything helps. Thanks: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Also, check out Devour Tours for food tours in various Spanish and European cities at https://expatmadrid.com/devour/And Walks Tours for incomparable experiences, also in various locations in Spain and Europe: https://expatmadrid.com/walks/For cycling tours in various Spanish regions (Valencia, Extremadura, La Rioja and more) check out my friend Raúl at https://biketourinspain.com/ Tell him I sent you... thanks!

A bit of a roundup of Spanish news stories from recent weeks. First up, a German pastor in Costa del Sol gets a big surprise about his family history. Then, the lost (and found) Picasso painting in Madrid. And finally, Carlos Mazón who was (probably) the most hated man in Spain, finally resigns as president of the Valencian Community... sort of. More on the web: https://expatmadrid.com/himmler-picasso-mazon/Donate to the cause here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Also, you can support this podcast by signing up for a walking tour at https://exaptmadrid.com/walks/Or a food tour in Spain or elsewhere in Europe with Devour: https://expatmadrid.com/devour/And don't forget Bike Tour in Spain for all your bike touring needs: https://biketourinspain.com/

I've gotten a lot of interesting questions and feedback from listeners and readers in the last few weeks. Here's a new format, then, where I answer everything together – let's call it Mr Chorizo's Mailbag. Donate to the cause at https://expatmadrid.com/donate/More on the web https://expatmadrid.com/mr-chorizos-mailbag/Thanks to everyone for listening, reading, donating and commenting!

Well, it finally happened! I'm now officially a passport-carrying Spaniard, whatever that means. In this episode I contemplate the concept of "home" and what being a Spanish citizen is really about. More on the web: https://expatmadrid.com/becoming-spanish-citizen/Check out my supporters Devour Tours at https://expatmadrid.com/devour/ for food tours in Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastian, etc) and around Europe.You can also go on a unique walking tour in many Spanish and European cities with Walks Tours: https://expatmadrid.com/walks/(Those are affiliate links, so be sure to use THOSE SPECIFIC LINKS if you want me to get paid.)Also, you could donate to the podcast, as many do, out at https://expatmadrid.com/donate/I'll give you a shoutout in a future episode if you do. Thanks listening, and for your support!

The recent Vuelta a España bicycle race ended in chaos as anti-Israel protestors made several stages impossible. Turns out, the government is on their side, and now wants a broader boycott of Israel and Israeli products... Will Spain leave Eurovision over the participation of Israeli artists? Will the national team skip the 2026 World Cup? It looks like every option is on the table. Donate to the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/