We interrupt this programme to bring you the weather

We learn on the BBC, that - shock horror - it has been hotter in the UK than on the Spanish costas over the last day or so. I can confirm that this is the case, having travelled to Southern Spain yesterday. Certainly, it is sunnier in Edinburgh today, or so people tell me, than it is in Ronda in Southern Spain (see left for the evidence). Believe me, that picture was taken this morning. Since then it has rained. Yes, rained. Both last year and this year, despite some rain earlier in the year, there have been severe drought conditions in Spain. I doubt if the relatively few drops which fell today will make much difference to the overall aridity, but they certainly made for humid conditions outside.

In the meantime, from what little I have seen so far, given work and the weather, I can categorically say that Ronda appears to be everything it is cracked up to be, so I hope that if things brighten up a little this afternoon, I might be able to take some pictures with blue sky to embellish them.

As this is a EU-related piece of academic tourism, I should also report that I heard some interesting background, from someone high up in the EPP, to the Conservative decision not to leave the EPP (at least until 2009). More on that, when I find the time to revitalise the blog, on BloggingaboutEULawandPolitics, which is currently on hiatus.