the return to the town of a salmantino in search of tranquility
After three decades working far from Candelario, Antonio Martín returns to his land with more experience and a desire for peace of mind but with many projects on his mind.
Why did you want to return to your hometown, Candelario?
—I had been thinking about it since before the coronavirus pandemic because my parents are older and I wanted to be closer to the family. The pandemic has been tough. My family lost my sister’s husband, who had a covid and that fact pushed me a little more to find something to come here. I was already at it because, before, I had already looked at several places and some businesses, but it was a little faster. The opportunity to access the Casino Obrero de Candelario arose by speaking with the mayor, Pablo Hernández, and the councilwoman, Marisa Macías, and they convinced me, although I was already quite convinced.
How old were you when you left Candelario?
—I left when I was 21 and 29 have passed. I went to Andorra because I like the mountains and I wanted to know that. I had a contact there and I went to work in a restaurant. In Candelario I had already worked in different restaurants in the town and I left to see the world. I spent ten years in Andorra and there I also had a wood workshop because I like wood carving as a hobby. Later, I moved to Tarragona and there, back to Candelario. The last stage has been in Tarragona, where he spent 19 years. In March I returned to Candelario. I am the same person but with more experience.
Has it been difficult for you to adapt?
—No, it was not difficult for me because I am from here and I already knew what was coming. I know what winter is like in Candelario, I love the tranquility and I have been fleeing from trouble because I have always worked on the coast and in places where I have worked for six months without resting a single day. Candelario is a quieter town but it’s not a downturn in activity because I have a list of projects that I don’t have time to do them all. If all goes well, I’ll stay in Candelario.
What differences do you find between Candelario from when you left and the current one?
—Throughout these years, I have been coming here and I have seen the town change gradually. Before it was a tourist town with another level since it was a town of vacationers and people who spent the day without spending the night. Now it has a significant offer of accommodation but I think that, in Candelario, there is a lack of restaurants and that is one of the reasons why he decided to return.
After living in high mountain areas, what do you think Candelario needs to take off?
—I think that almost everything remains to be done. Compared to what I have known in Andorra, Candelario lacks an important tourist promotion, which he begins to have thanks to television programs. And, also, it is necessary to generate activity and organize events because people, nowadays, do not go to places because of how beautiful a town is. He wants to do something there and be active.