Good heavens, it has to end sometime. Okay, let's take one last look around at everything that's happened in these 60 years I've been here in the Rhineland, 47 of them on stage.

To breathe life into the Cologne constitution one last time, for your amusement. To provide examples, justifications, stories, and perhaps a song or two for each paragraph and preamble, so that even non-Rhinelanders have the chance to understand what a special universe the Rhineland is.

That's the least I owe the Rhineland. But then it has to stop. I have other things to do besides making you laugh: there are (currently) four grandchildren, who knows what else might come along (I'm still hopeful!), then I have to take care of my health – in between, because I'm a 'premium patient' at the University Hospital in Bonn (that's what it says on my medical file!), and I've experienced one or two things there. Besides, I'm no Johannes Heesters, I'm just a regular commuter between Italy, South Tyrol, and the Rhineland universe.

And because in the Rhineland they say, "You never really leave," we'll surely bump into each other again here and there, who knows? Until then, I'm really looking forward to seeing you and having one last round of Beikircher. And then? Come on, let's go!

fitness