I was very excited to be in Salamanca again. The first thing I really wanted to do was to go and see the Roman bridge which I knew was just round the corner from our hotel.

In the whole year I’d been in Salamanca when I was there as a student, I had only ever been to that area once, and it was indeed memorable but for all the wrong reasons. So I was determined to eject those memories and have a proper look. I remembered it differently of course. Then ithe bridge was smaller. More dilapidated. More rustic. More Roman somehow.

But we were there. It was a very hot day. And we came across this statue of Lazarillo de Tormes.

Apparently it had been erected in September 1974. Just before I arrived. I can’t say I remember it. Lazarillo was the eponymous character – a rogue and a thief – but very lovable nonetheless, of a book I had to study at A Level Spanish. I remember enjoying it very much – you could compare it a bit with Oliver Twist but much more fun.

But by the time I was actually teaching Spanish A level myself it was off the menu. I wonder if it has returned to any syllabus now?

But Lazarillo is the most famous Salamantine of all time still, so deserves his beautiful view by the river