The Carambola family spans 4 generations

The fourth generation has just been born, but one could debate whether their roots are more Portuguese or Swabian.

During the ”great” century of Portuguese navigation, wood for shipbuilding and sardines for the voyages came from Sesimbra – Lisbon at the mouth of the Tagus River and Setúbal at the mouth of the Sado Estuary were important ports. It’s a completely unproven theory that a young man from the village might want to discover something new and brings back a star fruit from Southeast Asia – called ”Carambola” in Portuguese. Perhaps he also brings along a wife because a harmless hereditary disease with Indonesian origins has been in our family for ages.

All speculation. What is certain is that the family has been present in Sesimbra for a long time, enough to be related to or acquainted with everyone. Remember: never bring Grandpa along if you want to arrive somewhere. Why are the parents away with so much family idyll? Well, Sesimbra was an upscale place for party bosses under the Salazar government – and because Carlos, as head waiter, gets pretty close to these bosses, he becomes more aware of the growing problems in the country than many other concerned Portuguese.

Waiter Carlos. Dealing with party secretaries who celebrate themselves. You can’t say anything, but you have ears, after all.

So, with the help of a random acquaintance, Grandpa looks into what one could do in Germany. This is certainly better than fearing chaos and secret police at home, so wife Eugenia and first daughter Regina arrive shortly before the thankfully peaceful revolution.

As was customary at the time, Carlos initially starts as a guest worker in the factory. He lasts a proud two days. Both he and his wife then work their way up in the upscale hotel industry until they open their highly decorated fish restaurant in the pampered Taunus. In the meantime, their second daughter Natacha is born. And because bank advisers are unimaginative worldwide, even in Kronberg, they recommend investing their economic success in real estate. Thus, Papa Carambola is touted in the local newspaper as the most successful restaurateur from Sesimbra in Germany (and presumably in the world), while Mama Carambola reaches the brink of madness in search of craftsmen who can build according to German standards, install central heating, come moderately punctually, and settle bills as agreed.

Glory days at the Kronberg fish restaurant.

At least the first two points can be considered accomplished. Twenty years ago, foreign tourism was limited, and we were a tiny bit proud, and indeed, everyone in the village knows the house. For about a year now, we have been renting out not only the beach property but also the small farm of the other great-grandmother – completely renovated and with plenty of tranquility in the countryside.