A hermit at the end of the world
At the end of a path whose only exit is the sea, at the western tip of the island, lives an astonishing character. I met Rente by chance while wanting to explore the ruins, which I thought were uninhabited, of a house lost in the seaside rocks.
He appeared and invited me into his humble yet astonishing abode.
For 30 years, he has lived there, like a troglodyte, and lives by barter: fish and shellfish for rice and pasta, and a few beers, or even more.
Seeing the bottles lined up, I first thought of a seaside bar, but no, it was his house. However, I suspect he is inclined to drink.
Remarkable hospitality
What I like about Rente is his free hospitality, his enthusiasm: he invites passers-by to come and talk to him, he even has notebooks where travelers write down their comments.
By chance of life, I met a few days later a Belgian couple who had also stopped by Rente and had eaten a dish of shellfish pasta (lapas in Spanish).
They confirmed to me that there was no money transaction, just the pleasure of being together, of sharing.
Rente could be a misanthropic hermit, embittered by the society from which he has strayed.
Well no, despite his isolation (or perhaps thanks to it), he seeks human company.
He even prepared some fishing rods for the children who will come and join him for a fishing trip.