Re: The relationship between Spanish, Galician, and Portuguese

MIGUEL writes: I apologize my yesterday's warm position, but I
just came back from a trip to Madrid, and it usually shakes
me up the way they see the "Catalan question".

Gerry: Could you please tell more about how the folks in Madrid view
the Catalan question?

Also, what is the difference, if any, between Castilian and Catalan? Is
one more melodious? Is one considered more "vulgar" than the other?
How many dialects are there in Madrid? In Spain? What happens to
Espagnol as we approach the western boundary and what about the eastern
boundary with France? And what about Basque? Should they secede and
have their own territory?

I apologize ahead of time for my naïveté. BTW, the questions posed
above are for anyone to answer.

Gerry