At the beginning people seemed also to convey that uncomfortable impression of confined spaces, accustomed to live somehow restricted by the narrow, though picturesque landscape, always invaded by strangers, for Heidelberg has been and remains one
of the most visited tourist attractions in southern Germany.
And mentally I was already preparing to leave the Neckar Valley in search of other possible places when …
That’s it! It happened exactly what the first verse of Raymond’s song says.
And the funniest thing is that a few months later, during the Carnival celebrations held in conjunction with the Theater and
the Perkeo Club, a musical in the Auditorium of the Palace of Congresses, which we had to participate on as holders of the cast,
also had mandatory participation a newly hired Spanish soprano, young, charming, very much talented, beautiful voice, singing exactly that famous song … which so well described what had just happened to her … and to me. Ah, la Spagnola!
Within six months we were married. And there, as any German child, with the only difference that his parents came from two different countries, two different languages, he was born and raised, learning early to live with three languages: Portuguese,
Spanish and German. Our son! Today, besides these languages, he also dominates English very well.
More than in any other place I’ve spent in Heidelberg most of my life. And there is still beating my heart, or rather ours, because,
beyond all the memories and frequent visits, that’s where the boy is still living.
Photo: Schlossweg