Awake, for morning in the bowl of night has flung the stone that puts the stars to flight.
And, lo, the hunter of the east has caught the sultan’s turret in a noose of light!

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable – Christopher Howse: ‘A Pilgrim in Spain’

Cosas de España/Galiza

Ceuta: The police have tried to move asylum seekers from the beaches to reception centres. This was not a success, despite the police firing warning shots. Fotos in the media show that many of the alleged 13,000 remaining asylum seekers have made their way back to the (pretty devastated) beaches. As a headlines put it today: Chaotic eviction in Ceuta.

Returning to the question of why so many Galicians reject inheritances . . . The short Perplexity AI answer is: Galicians aren’t rejecting inheritances out of principle or tax fear; they’re making a rational economic decision when what’s inherited is more of a burden than a benefit. The long answer – fleshing out these bones – can be found at the end of this post.

An odd headline in the Diario de Pv . . . A poorly parked BMW triggers an investigation into seven missing women and gore films. But in Filadelfia, not Pv city.

The United States of Trump America

One of he first institutions to be attacked by tyrants – whether they’re dictators of the Left or the Right – is the press: Ronald Reagan, 1985. A previous Republican president, of course. Times have changed.

Madder than ever . . .

This is from the man who claims to be have been the top of the class in Wharton School of Business. Of which, surprisingly, there’s no evidence other than comments like 900% reduction in drug prices:-

You might have seen this satirical video by Larry David (of Curb Your Enthusiasm)and Jimmy Kimmel.

Endorsing the fear I expressed yesterday about the final 2 years of Trump’s would-be imperial reign, a distinguished psychiatrist and Nobel Peace Prize winner has suggested that he is “more dangerous than ever”. And added: If an airline pilot had half the symptoms Trump has, we would not let him on an aeroplane. We certainly wouldn’t want to fly with him. How on earth can (US) Americans trust a White House that insists that Trump remains in excellent health and fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.

For me, one of the more depressing aspects of the Trump era is the folk who laugh at and applaud his attempts at humour/humor. For which others would be shot.

Could the bankrolling oligarch Umar Kremlev look any more like a thug?

Relevant Books

• To be published in October. Can be pre-ordered now: Wtf America?!: The Way Out of This Hell and Back to Democracy. On Amazon or here.
• The final pages of Kurt Andersen’s fascinating run through the USA’s history – Fantasyland: How America went haywire. A 500 year history.
• Profiles in Cowardice, by Jacob Weisberg. Cited in this podcast.

The Way of the World

When I wake too early, I try to get back to sleep listening to a podcast of ‘boring histories’. Although the accent of the narrator is British, the pronunciation of some words is (US)American. This, plus mistakes in respect of homonyms and illogical pauses, indicates it’s an AI production. This has led me to the conclusion that, if AI really is going to wipe out humanity, it will more likely be by accident than via a deliberate decision. Not exactly reassuring, I agree.

Spanish

• Película gore: Horror film that shows graphic, explicit – but simulated – blood, guts, mutilation and violent death. So, not s snuff movie, as I first suspected.
• Echarse a andar: To head off
• Escayola: Plastering

You Have to Laugh

Said someone: The biggest negative of old age is that the future is not what it used to be.

As for me, I’m hoping to live long enough to disprove the validity of the adage that, in the, end, we all become a caricature of ourselves. Though it might be too late.

Finally . . .

In at attempt to lure back the robin to my garden, I put some seed where it had sat eyeing the insect on the inside of my salón window a couple of days ago. That didn’t succeed but this morning I had the pleasure – from only a metre away – of watching the greedy sparrows and greenfinches fight for it.

My thanks to those readers who take the trouble to Like my posts.

Why Galicians reject inheritances

Many Galicians are rejecting inheritances not because of high inheritance tax—Galicia actually has one of the most favourable regimes in Spain—but because the costs and risks of accepting often outweigh the value of what’s left behind.

The renouncing of inheritances in Galicia

The Scale of the phenomenon

Galicia recorded around 3,900–4,000 inheritance renunciations in recent years, part of a national trend exceeding 55,000 annually.

Reasons

1. Debts exceed assets (“herencias envenenadas”)

Under Spanish law, accepting an inheritance means accepting both assets and debts, potentially with unlimited personal liability unless you opt for the more complex “acceptance to the benefit of inventory” procedure. When the passive (debts) outweighs the active (assets), the rational choice is often to renounce. In Galicia, this is a major driver: many estates include:

• Mortgages, loans or guarantees larger than the property’s market value
• Unpaid taxes or social-security debts
• Business liabilities from failed ventures

2. Minifundio and low-value rural property

Galicia’s historic minifundismo (tiny, fragmented rural plots) means many inheritances consist of:

• Small, scattered parcels with little market demand
• Old houses in depopulated areas needing expensive renovation
• Properties shared among many heirs, complicating decisions

The notary, registry, valuation and maintenance costs can exceed the real value of these assets, turning them into a net loss.

3. Upfront costs and lack of liquidity

Even when inheritance tax is low or exempt (Galicia offers a €1 million exemption for direct-line heirs), heirs still face:

• Plusvalía municipal (local capital-gains tax)
• Notary and land-registry fees
• IBI (property tax), insurance, utilities

Many heirs—especially younger people—don’t have the cash on hand to pay these costs before they can sell or rent the property.

4. Family and administrative complications

Some renunciations are driven by:

• Desire to avoid disputes among distant relatives
• Lack of relationship with the deceased
• Anticipation of legal conflicts over ownership or debts

The Usual Links .

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For new readers: If you’ve landed here looking for info on Galicia or Pontevedra, try here. If you’re passing through Pontevedra on the Camino, you’ll find a guide to the city there.

If you´re thinking of moving to Spain, this link should be useful to you. And this, on the annual costs of owning property here.