Galicia through the verses of Yolanda Castaño
Since Shanghai to Mozambique , her poetry in Galician is savored with the same intensity. We talked to her at Cosmopoetics , the Córdoba International Poetry Festival , to follow in her footsteps through the most inspiring and lyrical corners of her land.
And although he is surprised that there are still people (in Spain) who have not visited Galicia, he acknowledges that "transport obstacles do not make it easy" and "although this has many handicaps, it also has some advantages: " We are still a little protected . It is not yet overcrowded nor is there so much exploitation.” And it is that if there is something that catches Galicia, in addition to its variety of landscapes, is its authenticity.
San Simon Island
Among the coordinates given to us by the poet who has visited more than 40 countries, there is, of course, San Simon Island . “This island is already mentioned in the Medieval Galician-Portuguese songbooks . Those wonderful songs of the troubadours. This island went through tremendous ups and downs. It was an island of confinement, of infectious diseases, it was an orphanage for sea orphans and our concentration camp during the Franco dictatorship”.
While she describes it, she blurts out some verses in Galician-Portuguese from the songbook and Castaño's voice gives her goosebumps. In fact, during these days in this small islet 250 meters wide and 84 long located in the Ría de Vigo takes place your International Poetic Translation Workshop with Barqueira e Remador , a kind of meeting in the Tower of Babel plan where translators and poets from various languages of the world lock themselves up for a week and when they rest they make short trips by boat.
Another place that she cites among her favorites is the wild cliffs of the Cape Ortegal or Cape Vilano “one of the capes that has a wonderful lighthouse on the Costa da Morte”. Is this “a perfect setting for a shelley declamation ”. Romantic to no avail.
Also the area of San Andres de Teixido which, in the words of the poet, is “a magical sanctuary that is always full of secrets and fascination”. The cliffs of this fishing village of Cedeira they give the town a unique atmosphere.
A literary hotel designed to read and enjoy literature
And if we are looking for a refuge facing the sea, your favorite place to rest is the ** Bela Fisterra hotel **. "It's a literary hotel , very special, with a magnificent study design CreuseCarrasco , who are the leading couple of architects of the young generation in Galicia.
"They have used a structure like the old salted meats that were in the area, giving it a touch of absolute modernity," explains Castaño. In addition, the sea also sneaks into this hotel, since it is inspired by the universal literature of all times dedicated to the sea. The essence of authors like Hemingway, Luis de Camoes or Stevenson lives within the walls of Bela Fisterra. Each room pays tribute to great writers who have dealt with the theme of the sea in their works. “There is only one room dedicated to a living author, who last year dedicated it to me. It was one of the honors of my life ”.
One of the best views in all of Finisterre
Nearby, the ** O' Fragón ** restaurant to which Castaño would “run back” has one of the best views of the entire Finisterre coast. But if we talk about avant-garde Galician cuisine “ there is a chef called **Carlos Pérez, from Taberna Hokuto (A Coruña)**, who blends Japanese and Galician gastronomy with mastery”.
And as for the traditional Galician cuisine the ** restaurant A Penela ** is among his favorites. “You have to try the omelette which is wonderful and roast veal Very tender with its roasted potatoes that seem caramelized”.
You also have to go through To Cunquina , a tavern in the Plaza del Humor, in A Coruña , where you can still drink wine in a white ceramic cup, as in the old days. A place that he frequents a lot because very close, in the water irrigation street , is found the Writers Residence 1863, which she herself founded so that “poets can feel like writers 24 hours a day, away from worries”, and where Galician writers exchange with other foreign authors.
To Cunquina, in A Coruña
But not all beauty resides on the Galician coast. Yolanda Castaño invites us to visit the interior, places like Allariz . “It is a true dream, a small city that was the court of the King Alfonso X the Wise . Noble, traversed by stone, with Roman bridges…” and that has in the spaces recovered from the arnoia river one of its great attractions. There she also lived Vincent Risco , one of the great Galician authors of the last century,
We also recommend Ribadavia , a town in Ourense also “made of stone, full of charm, anchored in the past, where there is the largest Jewish quarter in Galicia and where can you get them small Hebrew sweets made by Mrs. Herminia following the traditional recipe.
Even the ladies of Ribadavia will go to the Festa da Istoria
Her bakery is hidden in a small street where this lady makes sweets following the rules of the kosher food: Nut mamules and orange blossom water, hazelnut flour ghoryebah, walnut kamischbroit or almond kupferlin are some of her specialties.
And finally, do not miss to fervenza do Ezaro . "It still excites me." The force of the water, its spectacular drop directly into the sea, and the night lighting (only in the summer months) has made them an essential spot on the Costa da Morte.
Fervenza do Ezaro, A Coruna