This is Alex van der Horst, better known as the luthier Alejandro. Alex was born in Amsterdam but lived in Spain from the age of 17. He had a small workshop in Torremolinos, near Malaga.
Alex was a great guitar maker and very musical player. He knew every classical guitarist and every classical luthier and could imitate each one of them perfectly. He introduced me to Esther who became my wife. He became a member of our family. He was cheerful, lively and above all, very funny. There is so much to tell about Alex.
Alex and I spent a lot of time together. Sometimes on a trip, abroad, but mainly in the workshop or at home, in Amsterdam. The city where he was born, where he visited his mother, where he made a stopover traveling back and forth between Spain and Sweden, where his Birgitta lived. Amsterdam increasingly became the place where he had to be for his medical treatment and eventually it became the place where he died. Exactly twelve years ago today.