EL SALVADOR , HONDURAS AND GUATEMALA IN NOVEMBER 2016

On 10th day of our trip we went by a boat to La Union in El Salvador. First from Leon to Potosi along beautiful Nicaragua- lake seeing the magnificent San Cristobal vulcan. Next day brings us to the ruins of old Maya city Jaya de Ceren, which was destroyed in year 590 by vulcan Lama Calderan. Luckily all inhabitants could escape then. We later arrive to capital San Salvador, where we spend the night after a roundtrip in the city. On the way to Honduras we pass an ancient Maya city Copan which was found in the jungle in 1839 by Juan Galido.
 Our route brought us to Guatemala,where we visited another Maya city Quirigua with great stone statues, the weight over 65 tons. There was also at Rio Dulce a fortress build by spaniards against pirates in 16th century, Le Castillo de San Felipe.  After overnighting in Flores we arrived to Tikal, the pearl of the Mayas! Tikal was found in1848, but it was opened for tourists around 20 years ago.
I remember my first visit there in 2006, and a lot has been done there since. The oldest temples there are from 600 B.C. but the classic Maya culture florished  there around anno domini 300-800.
The highest pyramids are about 70 meters. The jungle around is rich of all kind of animals, and after darkness forbidden for people. After Tikal we drove to Mundo Maya Airport to continue by flight to Antigua, the former Guatemalan capital. Having been in this beautiful colonial city before I spent my day alone with some glasses of very good red wine in this Unesco's World Heritage site. The city was badly destroyed by an earthquake in 17th century, and still 10 years ago practically nothing was done.
Now anyhow they were re-building the cathedral and some other medieval buildings.
The last two nights we spent on Atitlan-lake in a very good 5*-hotel. I relaxed the last day at the pool enjoying the view to the vulcans on the other side of the lake on a perfect day.
By the way one of those vulcans had erupted some days earlier, but without no considerable harm.
In all, our trip was very lucky, two days after we left Costa Rica, there were heavy tropical rains and big flooding, in Nicaragua was an earthquake but we had just sunshine except one day in Costa Rica.

NICARAGUA

On the day 8. we arrived along Lake Nicaragua to a beautiful city of Granada from the year 1524. After a roundtrip and a cruise on the lake we visited Masaya known of all kind of artistic hand krafts before we continued to Managua, which was grounded in 1819 and named as new capital city of the country after the pirates had burned Granada down.  Managua also has suffered in several earthquakes especially 1931 and 1972. Late afternoon we were in Leon to overnight there. I decided to spend my evening by my own. I was looking for a shop which could repair my iPhone, which had stopped to co-operate with me. Luckily, thanks my Spanish I soon found a place, where they managed to fix it for 36 dollars including new battery. I was in very good mood and needed a drink or two.  After asking I soon found myself in a Irish type bar. Next to me sat 3 pretty young ladies.
And of course I had to check if my camera was working, and I asked for a permission to take a photo of them. They laughed, agreed and asked me to join them, what I quickly did without hesitation...
We sat there several hours and had fun together. After 11pm they said that they have working day tomorrow and it's time to go to sleep. But before that they wanted to show Leon by night to me, having a car outside. I had missed the sight seeing trip with group but now I got it with special transportation, and finally they drove me back to my hotel.  Afterwards I have got messages from two of them asking when I would return to Leon.
  

Crossing Central America in six states Nov. 9 - 26. 2016

1. Panama It took more than 15 hours to reach Panama City via Amsterdam from Helsinki. Our group of 12 people was understandable quite tired when arriving to the hotel. I was one of the few ones who still enjoyed a drink or two after dinner. Next day we had a round tour in Panama City. There was mostly nothing new for me as I had spent some days there already some years ago. Panama City consists actually from two different parts the Old and New parts. The old one was destroyed by pirate captein Henry Morgan in 1671.It was rebuilt later some kilometers away from the original site, which today is almost inside of the new city. Anyhow a pleasant hot day with about +32C. I bought an "Original Panama - Hat" made in Ecuador.
 2. Costa Rica Very early in the morning we flew to San Jose in Costa Rica. From the airport we were transported directly to a famous coffee plantague, where we learnt everything "how-to-make-a-good-cup-of- coffee" or cocoa. We drove many hours trough hills and valleys and saw a lot of Costa Rican landscape before coming to our Hotel Palma Real in San Jose. Again an early wake-up call but due the big time difference everybody easily jump up at 5.30am. We then drove trough Braulio Carrillo National park towards Caribbean Sea trough rainforests consisting more than 6000 different plants. We then arrive to tiny La Pavona harbor, where a boat waits for us to take us in heavy tropical rain trough a adventurous jungle river to our next hotel Evergreen Lodge in Tortuguero. Actually the experience to be in heavy tropical rain was like to be cloths on in a warm shower! Next day on an interesting river cruise we saw sloths, frogs, monkeys, turtles and o lot of different even strange looking tropical birds. That evening we arrive to Tilajari Resort to overnight after good dinner and some nice drinks. Well, then on the 7th day of our excursion in Central America is our most exciting and frightening event, crossing the rainforest in Arenal in Arenal Hanging Bridges Park not too far away from the vulcan Arenal. The slippery paht or trail trough and over the forest did consist of 16 hanging bridges, the longest 97 meters, 24m high and another 92m long, 45m high over forest rivers and slopes. Total route was over 3,1 km, and we all made it successfully. To be continued..

Short trip to Budapest on Oct.25 - 27.2016

After many years I once again visited Budapest. Together with Mr. Seppo Panhelainen we strolled on the streets of Pest visiting various bars and restaurants. We also had a date with charming Miss Hajni Kiss, whom I had met in Croatia a year earlier. Unusual for me I did go shopping, some beautiful porcelain figurines of nude ladies from the beginning of last century. We had fun there, and 48 hours there was absolutely too short.

Round trip in Romania and Moldova Aug.30. -Sept.9. 2016

A group of 20 Finnish traveller flew via Istanbul to Bucharest to stay for two first nights at The Sheraton Hotel. On the second day we visited the huge Parliament House and the home museum of the former president Ceausescu. Even Buchrest is called the Paris of Balkan with it's parks and boulevards, I did not find the city as that interesting. On third day we continued by bus 200 kilometers to Brasov known also with the German name Kronstadt. This medieval city of 275.000 inhabitants charmed me totally. But before arriving to this partly or mostly German speaking city we overnighted 2 nights in beautiful surroundings of magnificent Carpathian mountains,in 4star Teleferic Grand Hotel. During the day we did stop at Peles Castle (one of the most beautiful ones in the world), in Sinaia a romantic resort. The castle belongs to King Michael of Romania, and it's treasures are fantastic. We then visited in Azuga the famous winery Rhein&Cie with different wine tastings. It still supplies the king. Transilvania, where Brasov lies, became a new home of North German Saxons in 13 century, and you can see the German influence in buildings and architecture. I just wondered, why this beautiful country and this city is not better known by tourists. Nearby lies also The Castle of Bran, "Draculas" home. We then visited Sighisoara town, where Vlad III (Dracula) was born and still suppose to be around. On the 7th day we did round driving in Bukovina country side studying some medieval monasteries which are on Unesco list. Next day we visit Iasi town before continuing to Moldova. The border between Romania and Moldova is River Prut. In Moldova we will see an antic site Orheiul Vechi, partly over 2000 years old and Cricova's Winery with cellars over 165 km. It's told that cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin lost his way in these tunnels for two days. At liest he had something to drink. We were offered a nice tasting with good food and entertainment. Next day we walked round the capital of Moldova Chisinau, but my main target was the terrace bar of our 5star hotel Radisson Blu. This hotel was elected by customers as the best Radisson Blu in Europe.And I was taken very good care by the pretty waitresses of the terrace bar. My favorit experience of this trip. Next day we still visited the last communist country in Europe, Transnistria, with 15000 Russian peacekeepers. Huge statue of Lenin to see with some government buildings and a Sheriff-department store. Then back to Moldova and next day via Istanbul to Helsinki.

Short visit in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 26.-29.2016

I left Helsinki one evening by a ship "Baltic Queen" with an old friend Mr.Seppo Panhelainen to Tallinn in Estonia. Next morning we left the vessel and took a bus, which took us via Latvia to Vilnius. This capital of Lithuania is a beautiful and very pleasant city of some 540,000 habitants. The weather was perfect and we mostly did enjoy the street life in many different bars at the walking zone. Wine and beer were cheap and the food was really very good. Three days were soon over, and we returned to Helsinki.

Luxury life in Seminyak, Bali

Since coming to Australia and further to Bali, Indonesia, the standard level of my days have been upgraded pleasantly. Here in Seminyak my Hotel TS Suites has last year been elected by some professionals as one of the best hotels of the world.  I have during my life stayed in many top hotels around the world, and this is absolutely one of them. In courtesy and friendliness maybe No.1.
The breakfast included is very rich and variable. I have not eaten lunch or dinner here yet, because just 50 meters away is a very good Swiss restaurant Malo's, where I have with great enthusiasm consumed some best beef ever ( Indonesian ) among other delicious food since my arrival here.
The quality / price is excellent, and some 30-40 percent cheaper than in this hotel.
It's been around 35C outside, so I have spent a lot of time in my very nice room with a TV of 62 channels, including DW, CNN, Aljazeera, Euronews, plus many sport-, movie channels. Today and yesterday I saw Formula One directly from Melbourne on Foxsport.