Many villages of Spain are being left without inhabitants, because many people change the field for the city. But there are still those, who believe in a promising future in villages. This is the case of Torquemada.
Torquemada is 21 km from Palencia (the capital). If you want to go there, you have take the highway A-62 (old road N-620), popularly known as the “road of Portuguese”.
I would like to bring to your attention a video, where a group of young people, who are enthusiastic about promoting their village.
Simply click on link below to watch the video:
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/agrosfera/agrosfera-clave-rural-torquemada/2831562/
Translation of video:
Voice in off: “It is 10 am, in Torquemada, Palencia (a town in the region of the Cerrato, eastern Palencia, Castile-León, famous for their Inquisition, in the past –It is thought that, here or in Valladolid, was born Tomás de Torquemada, general inquisitor, in XV Century--).
……music………………………..
Voice in off: “Over the Winery Village district, a migratory flock……… music ..... .....The day starts between storm and Autumn storm………….Against all odds, this small town of Castile, of 1000 inhabitants, resists the ghost of rural depopulation”
Now, you can read: Torquemada, Palencia. No trace of the black legend.
Javier: “150 or 200 years ago, since wine was made here, until we came to make fight”
Voice in off: “Javier removes the branches of the grapes Merlot, at the door of his winery. Here, each family has one”
Javier: “In total, around Torquemada, there are about 580 wineries, according a currently taken a census --the last census that was done--, although, it has been calculated that there have been up to over 1000 wineries, in Torquemada”
Javier Esteban Araujo (Winery Esteban Araujo): “In the past, all these hills, that you see, all these hillocks, were vineyards absolutely everything. There, you can see a small vineyard, which is old; but, with the concentration, all the vineyards of Torquemada disappeared”.
Voice in off: “From that winemaking strength, come these underground wineries, of the fifteenth and sixteenth century, with a peculiar door opening, from the inside to outside”
Javier: “You look for the lock or the old key ....., you open ... and, then, you walk to inside the winery and, thus, some possible problems of forced are avoided…..”
Voice in off: “And we begin the descent into a winery, ten feet deep, fully excavated in argillaceous rock”
Javier: “This was a winery, that always belonged to my family –to my great great grandfather-- and here it was where they started, with much effort, in the old press, the press spindle, the stone; a very rudimentary way, compared to what we have now: completely new barrels of American and French oak ....; fermentation in stainless steel; aged in bottle on wine racks .... “
Voice In off: “Between all, the Javier´s winery is the only one, where makes and sells the wine with certificate of origin Arlanza is made and sold”
Javier: “Everything we produce we sell….., in fact, people are already waiting for the release of the new rosé and oak 2012”
Voice in off: “Javier is 28 years old and his project, which includes a future distilling pomace, encourages him to put down roots in the village ... "
………music…………………………
Jorge Martínez Antonio (Mayor of Torquemada): “There has been movement, entrepreneurship ... mainly aimed at the food industry, our area is mainly agricultural and great importance to this transformation, to the food industry ...; well, but we are keeping the type, as they say ... "
Voice in off: “That is no small….”
………music………………….
Voice in off: “In one of the 11 bars of Torquemada, we find bustle of morning and a craft beer, made in a mini-factory, behind the bar, they are another two of the young people, who make and bottle the beer Torquemada, 100 per 100 home-loving”
Alvaro Fernandez (Maker of beer): “We elaborate it with malt, hops and water ....., we do not add anything more ...: no additives or coloring, or anything ....”
Voice in off: “He is preparing a shipment for the Fair Beer Vitoria. Craft beers have power of persuasion”
Alvaro Fernandez: “Each beer is for anything…., These beers also worth to go to eat tapas ... or anything ...; it is to sit down, enjoy ... take a good beer and taste the beer”
Marisa de los Mozos (Restaurant “Catalina from Austria”): “Why to go somewhere else, if we have all here? ... And they make wonderful breads ... sweets .....”
Voice in off: “Marisa has made a hearty still life, only with local food. She shows us her star dessert, layered, with jam green peppers, red peppers and goat cheese cream. Her contribution, to the gastronomic history of Torquemada, is a Medieval dessert”
Marisa: “It is made with almond milk and….with rice, spices, honey .... It takes more than 4 hours to make; but it is exquisite”
Voice in off: “Cinnamon, as a final touch .... The dessert is elaborated by Marisa, each January 14th, the Birthday of Catherine of Austria (Queen of Portugal), daughter of "Juana la loca", who was born, in Torquemada, and was baptized in this church, in 1507 ........... The music from the Renaissance, by the Composer from Burgos, Antonio de Cabezón ....; Federico Acítores plays it; he is a master organ maker, in one of the portable organ, manufactured in his workshop Torquemada”.
Federico: “I was born here, I am from here…it is my village, right?”
Voice in off: “This is what explains the installation of this factory, as specialized as craft, in a little village of Palencia”
Federico: “Germany has a long tradition of organ builders and sometimes some colleagues come visiting and, when they see it, they says: "In Germany, I do not know any workshop so" but it is true”
Voice in off: “Here, 13 people work, in the restoration of old organs, and in the manufacture of new”
Federico: “…. In Catalonia; In Asturias, we have made a few; in Castilla-Leon --here mostly restorations; but there are also new (for example Conservatory of Salamanca, Palencia Conservatory”
Voice in off: “The portable organ, that Frederick opens and plays for us, is of wood of oak, with tubes of tin and lead; he just built it, in his workshop, at the foot of the Pisuerga (river), on the left bank of the river; on the right bank, is the mill”
Marta Gordo: (Cottage “Mill of Torquemada”): “It was an important mill .... In Torquemada, there are several mills; but, well, this is preserved and it is also preserved as the original: gates, regulating the flow, and stones to grind wheat. The cellar from the thirteenth century .., XVI reformed, and this is the historic part and what it takes 600 years here, without moving”
Voice in off: “Since 5 years ago, the mill of Torquemada is a Cottage, with capacity for 10 people”
Marta: “As a mill, the river passes under, and then all rooms are facing outside and well….but, of course, you have the opportunity to fish even from the bed ...”
Voice in off: “ or take a hot bath, skim the river ... from a corner, which has marked the life of the village”
Marga Gallego: “And the question, that many of us do, when we know the village of Torquemada, is if it has something to do with the famous general Inquisitor, Tomás from Torque, and the truth, the answer is yes, it has something to do; but, what happens is that it is difficult a lot to find his trail in the village”
Eva María Enriquez (In charge of the Museum of Torquemada): “Throughout the village, it is the only place, in which the name of the famous Inquisitor, Tomas from Torquemada, is mentioned”
Voice in off: “It is the Museum of the town”
Eva María: “It is a historical figure, practically known, both in Spain and beyond its borders; but it has been tried to cover his story under the rug ...”
Voice in off: “The museum recreates a wealthy cottage, of the 60s, full of utensils, recognizing anyone, over 50 years old.......... However, to the Inquisitor Torquemada is only dedicated a portrait”.
Eva María: “It is known that his family came from here ...; it is certain, in some letters, that Thomas wrote to people from here, the village --most notably, with the bridge—“
Voice in off: “The majesty of the bridge, with 25 eyes over the Pisuerga, is due to the favor of Tomas de Torquemada. Also, the imposing church of Santa Eulalia ...... However, residents condemn the Inquisitor to forget the damn characters”
Jorge Martínez Antonio (the Mayor): “But, defining a particular site, a place in which he lived .... but I do not know, either know people who know where his family were living ... Of course, with all that was happening of the Inquisition, logically it gives the creeps”
Voice in off: “The most famous of Torquemada, which gives pride to its inhabitants, is a humble fruit and vegetable product: peppers”
José García (A farmer): “Autochthonous, because this seed comes from when my father put it, we are still holding it and .... well, planting it”
Voice in off: “José and his family spend their allotment. We are at the end of the season, this year poorer than usual, but the pepper retains its qualities”
José García: “Pepper from Torquemada ...... its 4 noses ... What do I know? .... the thickness that it has: an inch, inch and a half and, above all, the flavour, a so good flavor, that it has ... .... sweet”
Piedad Villasur (Producer Piedad peppers): “You can roast peppers, jam .... so many things you can do with them ...”
Voice in off: “Each Autumn, the village dedicates a festival to the local pepper ....; It is an honor received from land and it provides its grateful name: “Pepper from Torquemada”........ About the Inquisitor Cardinal Torquemada, nobody wants to remember here…….”
After watching this video, I think it is very unfair for Spain, in general, to have an image of "a corrupt country"abroad because the corrupt people are few and far between. Although they have caused much damage,fortunately, many millions of Spaniards are simply honest hard workers who want to get Spain out of this crisis and they are trying with great effort as depicted by the people featured in this video that I have brought to your attention today.
I hope that corruption ends soon and tax havens disappear in the world.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis,
Sponsored by Costaluz Lawyers.
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