sent from: London, UK. destination: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

“Just wait till October,” said Jose, proprietor of a small speciality food and wine shop in the Castillian mountain town, “that’s when the wave will hit. Hold on tight, because if you’re not well anchored down..” He let the thought trail off. More than one person said the same thing; they’d just survived the winter, and the town was starting to swell for the summer holidays, but come autumn, it was going to be bad in debt-and-austerity riddled Spain. It’s sometimes hard to see the connection between the abstract economic transactions of banks and governments, the boom they provided for the better part of the last 20 years, and then the rug being taken out rudely from underneath ordinary citizen’s feet. Why should they have to pay? Is this really the only system we can come up with, this cycle of boom and bust? I can’t help but wish for some innovative thinking based on sustainability and creativity not just wealth growth. My musings are scant comfort to Jose and his many children, who may be looking at a few tough winters to come.