Sanmao’s Corner. ( Joy ) 欢乐
On the same street where the former house of Sanmao stands, and walking down towards the ocean, visitors can enjoy the peacefulness of the place where a little corner was set up in tribute of the writer.
To get there visitors need only walk through some winding streets, all criss-crossing eachother, and carrying the names of Spanish writers and painters from different periods. The streets lead to new pathways that will take them down towards the sea.
At the end of the street we reach the so-called Sanmao’s Corner featuring a plaque which reads ‘Joy’ 欢乐 in both languages.
It is a little children’s play area which reflects the familiarity and fondness Sanmao had for children, with whom she spent many a long hour painting pebbles and telling them stories and tales. From this point we can appreciate the beach and the sea, where she headed to countless times because she confessed she felt so safe there.
A large ceramic wall greets us here. On it there is a picture of Sanmao holding an olive tree twig in her hands over a background depicting Playa del Hombre. Next to her a playful Sanmao-Three hairs is running around impatiently, together with several other children who are playing around among the “boulders”.
A brief text in Spanish and Chinese provide a short description of the life of the writer and her links to the island of Gran Canaria.
Nearby on another wall, “A walk around the world”, combines various different pieces that pay tribute to the voyaging spirit of the writer. This is the ideal spot for travellers to round off their Sanmao visit with a photo, following the compositions of children’s feet mixed with verses of her poem “The olive tree of my dreams”, in keeping with the inspirational theme of the tour.
Any traveller who comes here and completes the Sanmao Tour will feel compelled to take a ramble along the avenue that joins up several beaches all around. With views over the sea, the very ones Sanmao herself used to contemplate, the memories of her beloved husband drift gently among the white foamy waters.
What Sanmao says about Joy:
Sanmao wrote that she didn’t usually go for walks in the mornings, except for the days she spent in the desert:
“The days start in the morning and as we awake we are weighed down by the thought of everything that hangs over us during the day…
Nightfall is different, it is the prelude to a warm night; it is a liberating and comforting moment, which teaches us how to indulge in a sweeter life”.
What Sanmao says about Joy:
Sanmao wrote that she didn’t usually go for walks in the mornings, except for the days she spent in the desert:
“The days start in the morning and as we awake we are weighed down by the thought of everything that hangs over us during the day…
Nightfall is different, it is the prelude to a warm night; it is a liberating and comforting moment, which teaches us how to indulge in a sweeter life”.