RTVE interview translation
Can't really add much more to what's been said above. I can however add a translation of the TV interview which was done in 2011 after he'd spent 5 years in the village.
Some family members have come to see and they always come in like this [mouth open] because it's a shock. I'm a Londoner, it's a radical change. Let's go in and see where I work.
My luxurious office. I work here every day using the Internet. I'm a journalist. Six months ago we launched a paper plane from 30,000 metres. It was a success. We appeared all over the world, in the press. It’s the beer’s fault, as usual. Here’s the famous plane, and here’s the famous Playmonaut.
[Subtitles: The plane was lifted up with a helium balloon, 30km above the surface, and the flight lasted 90 minutes.]
I live here with my family and I’ve got five dogs and five donkeys. Well, I’ve changed clothes and let’s go and see the donkeys.
This is the best place there is. Here, in the afternoon, with a beer and a view of the Sierra.
This one is called Ruperta[?] and the foal is called Bella.
The people in the village showed me how to care for donkeys. The most difficult thing is to go out in winter to feed the donkeys hay. If we don’t sell the male donkey we’re going to have more donkeys. Donkeys are an extravagance these days. Before coming to Spain I didn’t have a dog, a donkey, or anything. I’m not going to give this up for anything. I’m going to get changed again and we’re going to see a little of the village.
They received us quite well here in the village. It was a little bit strange for them… a family from England arriving in a big lorry full of things.
L: Hey, Venancio, how’s it going?
V: How are you doing?
L: Well… bad weather at the moment.
V: Yes, it’s really bad.
L: How are you?
V: Well, good.
L: Venancio.
V: Well, what do we do here… Work a bit when it’s good weather. On the fields, with the livestock.
TV: How many people live here?
L: 10.
V: We don’t get bored.
L: Six years.
V: Six years, he’s one of us now.
L: The same… more or less. Thanks Venancio.
V: Thank you.
L: See you later.
As an Englishman it’s impossible to live in a village without a bar, so the solution is set up a bar. This is my son Rui, he’s come over from England to work on the bar project.
L: What do you like most about Spain?
R: The weather…
R: I’m going to move some tiles.
L: Go ahead lad, get working.
There’s been no bar in this village for at least 40 years. We need something now.
TV: Do you think it’ll be profitable?
L: Well there are many people in the area, it’s not just the village, yes it’ll be profitable.
I’ve got time to play the guitar a bit. These days I only play it a little, for my daughter, she likes Paulina Rubio a lot. I bought this guitar 20 years ago or more, 25 years ago, yes. It’s a Japanese guitar but it’s very good.
[Plays “Paulina Rubio - Ni una sola palabra”]
Thank you Los Narros and good night.
I came to Spain because I’m quieter now. I’m a quieter person. I wanted to leave England because there are a lot of people there.
L: Are you there Katarina, let’s go to the mountains. This is my daughter Katarina.
K: Hello.
TV: How old are you Katarina?
K: Nine.
TV: What do you like most about living in this village?
K: Playing with my dogs.
L: Let’s go in the car, then.
L: We’re going to El Barco de Ávila, but we’re going to go through the mountains a bit.
L: I had friends in Salamanca and I came here a lot, I came to Castilla y Leon for 20 years, I like it. We came here, we looked at houses, we bought one in five minutes, and that was that.
Here we are in La Sierra de Gredos. In the north of England there are places like this, but not so harsh. This is a harsh area.
We’re passing over the river Aravalle very close to El Barco de Ávila. In the distance you can see the old bridge above the river Tormes and Valdecorneja castle.
When I’m in the country side I’m rustic, authentic. When I’m in the city I’m urban. You can change, can’t you?
This is Valdecorneja castle. We have a lot, Spain does as well, I like castles. I’ve learnt a lot of vocabulary living here, watering can, scythe, road, alpaca, things like that, country things. I’ll never forget my homeland, I don’t miss England but I still like it.
L: Afternoon.
Person in bar: Wow, Lester, how’s it going?
L: How’s it going?
P: I got to know him almost as soon as he arrived here. He’s still very English. He’s got a feel for the area, it’s like his mother. When he arrived he drank pints, now he drinks bottles…
All: Cheers.
If I were to leave here I’d really miss it. It’s a beautiful place, here for example we’ve got the fountain where people washed their clothes before. There aren’t any places like this in England any more.
L: How’s it going?
L: This is Danilo, another neighbour. We’re going to say hello to aunt Maria who had her 103rd birthday last week.
TV: The oldest person in the village?
D: Of course.
L: Of course.
TV: Let’s go to meet her.
L: Yes, let’s.
L: I think that the clean air and water has got something to do with it, without a doubt.
M: I was born here. I was baptised in Santiago, in Aravalle. Old people have always been renowned. Now there is nobody, we’re alone. They all left, the lords aren’t there anymore. Good. [At least I think, I might have missed something.]
L: It’s always interesting to talk about the past with older people.
M: Before people lived very well here. [People had] respect.
L: Aunt Maria… how was your birthday last week.
M: Good.
L: Did you dance a bit?
M: No.
M: [Something to do with Lester taking her photo outside]
L: That’s it, there you are, aunt Maria.
M: But I was younger.
L: Yes, 100 years old. Just 100.
M: Yes.
L: Goodbye from me and the the residents of Los Narros. See you later.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
