Lazy sunny day at the swimming pool

I was happy when sun was brigthly shining this morning. Soon after the breakfast I was finding myself at the pool. There was no way to consider a swimming pants outfit due the icy north wind. However I soon got company ,a Greek emigrant from Melbourne,
George ( nowadays ) needed somebody to chat this and that. This funny fellow was maybe a few years older than me, and had arrived to Greece because of some important
business. His origin was in a small village in Saloniki, in bushes how he himself it described. I soon got out that this business was to look a burial place in his home
village. His big problem was that his Australian born wife from Greek parents did not at all agree. He was anyhow very confident that he will later get his wifes
acceptance, when she would arrive in a month's time.
It started to get a bit warmer with less wind, and I really decided to put swimming pants on and jump in the cool water in the pool. My friend was terrified because he was sure I'll get a heart attack. Well. the water was not more than 16 or 17 degrees in centigrades. Also the hotel personal followed interrested how long I can stay there. But as many of you know, it after a while is quite pleasant. And especially afterwards. I also have found an other new friend Eduard, the head waiter in my favorit taverna Santo Mythos. He is a very goodlooking 32 years old Albanian, who has
a very good humor sence , and he can charm almost every lady passing by. And very many of them drop in for a drink or a meal. This Taverna really has good Greek food
with prices under 8 euros. After knowing him now for 3 days ,Eduard tells everyone
that I am one of his best friends. Do not worry, he is married with two kids. And
I now love women more than ever, especially one young lady.

Fira in Santorini

I yesterday arrived by speedboat from Heraklion in little over two ours to Santorini.
The day before I just spent in Heraklion strolling lazyly in quite bad mood around. I had during the day just three little beers and something little to eat, and went very early into the bed.
After arriving here my mood rised , even I have a lot to walk up and down the hills to reach the center of Fira from my very nice hotel outside the tiny city.
I still like to compare those three Cretan cities, I did stay.
Chania's Venetian port is absolutely magnificent with it's surroundings. There are
elegant shops, bazaars and all kind of tavernas, cafes, bars and ristorantes.
I did not need more. The rest of city was boring.
Rethimnon with also an Venetian port but by far not so beautiful than in Chania.
The bars and restaurants were maybe funnier and more lively. Of course this city had a lot to offer for those who are in history interrested, back to 5000 years.
The surrounding country side was of great beauty with snowy mountains, rivers, forests and flowers with tiny tavernas in shadow places.
Heraklion serves also those people interrested to study the past but somehow it did
not very much interest me with lots of street and building workers, all kind of loose dogs around and motorcycle folk could drive anywhere. even trough park cafes and street bars.
Santorini is a small place, mainly 300 meters high from sea level, and with only 12000 inhabitants in different parts of this extraordinary but beautiful island.
Well, I shall stay here until monday. Tonight I will study a bit Fira's night life, this is anyhow the capital.
I today booked the rest of my greek destinations, and decided for following islands
Naxos,Paros, Syros and Mykonos in this order. I reserved for each stay 3-5 days to arrive Piraeus on May 15.

Last day in Rethymnion

These beautiful ladies are Magda and Katarina. Mostly my pictures are not so very good . I should have the pretty press phtografer Tanja with me, but it would create some other problems. And the new lady of my heart is most important!I have decided to leave back to Heraklion tomorrow, and then to Santorini.

Still in Rethymnon

The day is most beautiful again, I do not have any hangover anymore, even not exactly on the wagon either. Of course I am back in my favorit bar, where else. Mariana seems to be on a bad mood today, so I will wait when Katarina and Magda will arrive to keep me company. My love back in Finland told me today to keep on going with pretty waitressies until certain limit. I promissed. Luc a new Belgian friend promissed that tomorrow we might be able to publish some photos of my trip.
Let's see.

Still in Rethymnon

I must admit that these cities on Crete are just places, where you can live without any worries.I do not know which city is my my favorit, they all are absolutely worth to visit. ( Heraklion,Chania and Rethymnon }. My new local friends Kate and Luc do publish monthly a very beautifully edited magazine Coffee Morning Bugle. There you will get all necessary informations from Rethymnon at least. You'll very possible find the management in GALERO BAR ,which seems to be the PLACE here to visit.For me is this bar is a must. Maybe they might tell something about my adventures in their next months issue. Who knows. Anyhow all these beautiful waitressies wait for me and I shall close this for today.

Something more about yesterdays dilemma

I then enjoyed my evening further with a new waitress, well portioned lady from Sweden, who very soon wanted to introduce me to the bars international local clientele. They were from UK, N.Y. and Holland. But espially a young lady her collegue, great beauty from Georgia with midnight black eyes charmed me. However she did not talk any of my languages, and my knowledge in Georgian, Russian or Greek is absolutely limited.Anyhow it did not matter, because I do have my great love there back in Finland.

About flirting

I got a nice room with balcony view to the city park with only 30 euros a night , before I always did pay 45.
Anyhow my thema supposed to be Flirting. As long I can remember I just liked to talk in my former life with women, I could easily meet in my daily programs like bartenders, waitressies , jazz club singers etc. Always quite politely but at the same time a little nosy about them and the city I happened to be.
Normally the answers started to be on yes and no level. But so what, I might have mentioned that she happens to have the most beautiful eyes I've seen for a long time. And then , would you pls.like to get another drink for me. Further - you must be married, and do you have children, they must be very pretty.
The gates are open, they will tell me all about their lives, and asking how much longer I would
stay , and if we could meet one day.
This idea came into my mind, when today here in the ancient part of city of ... I can't remember it again - ah Rethymnon of course - I was following with my eyes a pretty waitress, when having my first beer, after a long walk with my backpack from bus station to book my new hotel room.
I was sure she came from some slavian country, maybe russian maybe polish. I asked her , she
was Mariana from Bulgaria. No wonder I didn't guess, she is the first bulgarian I ever met in my life.
Now, because I am deeply in love this story does not continue, but if it had happened some times ago .... who knows.
My love ,who is reading these same rows is absolutely not yellow, especially if I can develope my flirting art for her .

To Rethymnon

It's a cloudy day, very good for a bus ride of about one hour to Rethymnon. What a name! I really have dificulties to remember it correctly , if at all. I guess I will stay there for 2 or 3 days before returning to Herakleon for one more jazz night, and getting the early 9.45 speedboat next morning to Santorini.
They say that Crete is an island of very friendly people. After one week's experience I would agree even that's a very short time. But I anyhow would recommend this very historical place
to anybody, who is interrested to do more than just lay on the beach.

About my blog

Dear friends, I most honestly ask you to forgive me my unpatiancy.
I today was walking maybe 5 or more miles along the very uninterresting shore line of Chania. If I did see in 2 hours time 10 people and nothing more than rubbish what people had left and the sea had brought. But the day was absolutely gorgeous , blue sky , slight wind, cool water. The best conditions for your brains to rest. Of course, how it happens, these started to work.
First of all I did realize I do not have any trouble to worry about. First time in my life! And I am crazyly in love! What a feeling! My biggest trouble was, if anybody is reading what I happen to write. Ridiculous!
Seems to be that a man needs troubles to survive, to keep on going. Very strange .
My new girlfriend worried about my selfness, and answered nicely that she does read. My sons,too. My good friend Mr. Jussi Mattila told me that there were over 200 readers now.
And I have to thank another friend Mr. Keijo.K.Kulha, who during our Finnish Club intervention to Cuba in early March this year did convince me to start to do this blog.
After my long walk I enjoyed an excellent lunch , greek salad and lamb chops with some local wine and fresh water. I then moved to to my normal ( s)table in Venician harbour to get my daily ouzos, and to teach my friend Sakis some more important Finnish words or sentencies.
Tomorrow I shall leave for Rethimnon.

Still in Chania

This is really lovely and charming place to stay for a while.
on I am proud about myself, because I did visit an orthodox cathedral, an art exhibition and maritime museum, which was mainly concentraiting in the battle of Crete during the WW2. I do not comment these terrible years of war, then these people of Crete had no more choices than we in Finland 1939.
But there is an other thing what bothers me. I do not know if anybody is reading my text. Maybe I am writing on a silent wall without any answer to wait for. You can of course put your comments here in my blog, but pls. let me know in my email address matti@marektoy.fi that you time to time follow my stories. That would keep me writing. There are very good internet cafes all over to continue to tell to you what I happen to have in my mind.
If you are interested the sunny day was beatiful, the food,the wine and the ouzos as well.
And I sent hudreds of kisses to my new but next lifetime girl friend in Finland, and got more kisses back.

Heraklion and Chania

I spent my last 3 days in kind of happy sadness . I really could not be strong with myself because missing her so much. I am partly recovering because meeting so nice people to talk with. Especially I like to mention Ivana, a Serbian waitress in a beautiful jazz cafe in Heraklion
and a new friend Sakis , the headwaiter in a Venician harbour bar here in Chania. Just talking
did help . Thanks for you both, because I know you are reading these words.
I love this place, Chania. It is very romantic even alone, but I shall return here with her.
We are in contact ( sms) several times a day but somehow it is not enough.
I shall stay here for a few days before continuing my trip via Heraklion to
Santorini.

Kusadasi and Efessus

We past some Greek places almost without noticing them. We absolutely were two people alone now.
Efessus was a wonderful Roman experience but somehow we did concentrate in ourselves that moment just outside our tour guides and the group. We did mainly our own way trough history.
Later if necessary we'll be studying more.
Kusadasi was very interesting because of beautiful shoes hops. We made good deals, because I did make almost hundred % the selection of products with price negotations, and she did pay her bills. That was first time in my life I really did enjoy shueshopping.
I am now in Irakhlion in Crete and might move on to Hania tomorrow or so, being in very tight control with her all the time,

From Messina with love

That was aboring day at Messina ,the second Easter day ,all shops and almost all bars closed, people mainly at home. I came early back to the ship without knowing that this evening might be the most important of my future life.
I met in the bar a most atractive young lady, 30 years old and a classic music pedagog from my own home town Helsinki.
Since then we did stay together all days and nights for five days until I just an hour ago brought her to the airport bus . I know that we already miss each other so strange it might sound. She today bought to me a greek bad eye to protect me from every possible evil in the world during my trip. We also decided to meet next time in mid July in Vancouver to drive down to L.A. in three weeks by car. How fantastic a life can be! Many people said before my trip that I might meet somebody during this voyage who could change my life. But if one would have said to me that it will happen on the second week on Kristina Regina I would had a big laugh.

Libya and Malta

Last Thursday our ship Kristina Regina arrived to Tripoli harbour some 2 miles away from city center. Soon I was lucky again then a friendly PR-chef of the harbour , Fathi, offered me a free ride to the city plus an extra sight seeing tour with good advises. The strange news were that in Tripoli it is principally very easy to learn to know a nice lady, if you would live there , and get involved romantically, as in no other arab country,even the women mostly still dress traditionally on the streets. Tripoli is an interesting modern city but all signs in arabic letters and most people speaking only very little english, if at all.
Next day we had a tour to Leptis Magna, probably the best survived ruins of Roman empire in the world. This city was built just 2000 years ago on a much older Fenician trading port.
Absolutely magnificient!
Saturday morning we sailed into La Vallettan quay in the heart of the old town. The best of it was that the most elegant bars and restaurangs very just outside 20 meters from our dear boat
but a couple of hundred meters to walk trough the harbour gate and unformal security control.
On Sunday morning I managed to get opened at 9.00 a big TV screen in Hard Rock's Cafe to see the Formula I race ,even the bar serving hours started just at 10 am.
After the race I met a nice German gentleman with a bit Telly Savalas look and smile.
We onboard had been looking with great interest some days earlier in the high sea some miles away from us a tug boat towing an oil rigg. This man was the capitano of the tug, Peter Deinhardt from Bavaria. He insisted to be my host, and after some beers we had lots and lots of double Cuba libres and laughs before we decided for retirement.
Thank you Peter, when you'll read this, do remember, dass nächstes Mal ich derBoss bin, und Du der Gast.
This morning we found ourselves in Sicily, at Messina harbour. I had one hour walk, one beer
and came back here . Second Easter day , and this city was dead and quite uninteresting.

Sousse

The day before yesterday was a very boring one even sunshine but very cold wind. It's been until now everywhere some five degrees cooler than normally this time of the year. Main thing for me was anyhow my not quite reasonable hangover which absolutely did not allow me to concentrate in anything.
Yesterday in Sousse I could enjoy my life again. That city and also Monastir were more European style than you could expect. The very beautiful and clean M arinas with luxory yachts and cruisers from all over the world reminded me of Puerto Banus in Marbella.

In old Medina most of salesmen spoke more or less Finnish, one even sung Finnish folksongs.
They were very friendly and not too pushy like treir colleagues in many other Arab country.

Now in very few minutes we are arriwing to Tripoli in Libya, where we stay for two days.
I'll wait this visit with great interrest.

Towards to Tunisia

I today spent alone my day in Palma in couple of bars and walking a lot. Due the the rain I escaped to nearest ristorante with local people and local very strange 3 course menu. I still do not know if I liked it or not. After this lunch I asked for a taxi back to my ship but got an response of more than half an hour to get one. I marched out and saw a young lady ( a pretty o ne of course ) stepping out from a car, I did go to her smiled friendly and asked if she could bring
me to the boat some two miles away. She first denied and we politely said goodbyes, but then she shouted after me and told that her filming crew actually including herself would bring me to the boat and of course free of charge.
So, Yolanda Alemany when you read these words you can be
sure that we will meet eachother one day.

Cartagena

I met 3 old friends at the airports of Helsinki and Malaga yesterday. Here on board I believe
that most people are even older than me but nice anyway.
Did I have luck or charishma or whatever, the only alone travelling very pretty young lady ,a freelance press photografer, exactly half of my age decided to have a romantic cruise with me . We were the only ones who kept the orchestra playing and bar open until .....