In a couple of hours I´ll be flying to Panama City for one night before leaving South America tomorrow morning via Newark and Copenhagen back home to Helsinki.
I always was very interested in Caribean pirates,privateers and buccaneers in 16th - 18th centuries.
Already in school at 16, I got the best number of the class, when translating a pirate story from English into Finnish. Normally I was not at all among the best.
I have by now visited all those important harbours from where the cargo of gold, silver and emeralds was transported by Spanish ships to Europe. Cartagena, Portobelo, Panama Viejo, Havanna and Nassau were those ports, only Port Royal, the real nest of the pirates in Jamaica, a Sodoma and Gomorra, I did not visit. The reason is, that it was totally destroyed by a strong earthquake in early 18th century, and was mostly sunken in the sea.
Yesterday I once more went to the historical part of the city, and at corner of a park an old nearly teethless man wanted to know my origin. After hearing Finlandia,
he happily said Suomi ( Finland in Finnish )and continued with Kotka, Turku and Helsinki, ports he had visited many times. He also added that he did work at famous Finnish passenger ship, the late Finnjet, which did sail between Finland and Germany. He only wanted to warn me of those Cuban Cohiba cigars, sold on the streets, that these are fake.
I then visited Hard Rock Cafe to say goodbye to my sweet little friend Lisseth.
She had bought a present for me, a nice souvenier to remember, her and Cartagena.
We were talking a lot again, I ate and had some drinks. When I was leaving I got a big warm hug from her.
I then decided to go to Cafe del Mar, which is a nice place on the city wall. There was a soft breeze, and in the darkness of the evening I enjoyed the sea on the other side and the Christmas lights of the city on the other. A young handsome couple wanted to take some photos, and I offered to take pictures of them together. They then asked me to join their company. He was Columbiano, Gerrardo 28, and she was French, Lucie 23. They did live in Paris together, but visiting his home country.
We had a good time together, more than two hours, before they got hungry. I adviced them to go to Hard Rocks Cafe, which they did not know. We departed, I then had a night cap at the terrace of my hotel before retireing.
So. this is my last message from South America at least this time. next time Ill be at home again.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Robinson Crusoe and seven Fridays on Isla del Encanto
Last Friday, early in the morning I left by speed boat with some 40 other passengers to a paradise island, Isla del Encanto, a bit more than a one hours ride by the boat
from Cartagena. It was a beautiful day, and the sea water was very warm. It really did not disturb me at all, that I became totally wet during the trip, because time to time the waves hit over the boat exactly there, where I was sitting.
We then came to an absolute paradise. There was really nothing else to do, than enjoy the sun and the sea or to sit in a beach bar in shade. Of course I did do all this. My accommondation did include three meals a day whenever I wanted.
In the afternoon all other 40 visitors did leave the island at 3.30pm, and suddenly
I was the only one left. There were naturally several people to serve me, maybe 7 or more but I had the whole long beach, all those fishing birds and later the beatiful sun set at excatly 6pm just for myself. Later at night the incredible tranquility and silence made a great impression to me. However I could not sleep, before I found probably a Cuban radio station, which played salsa 24 hours a day.
Next morning at 10.30am came a bigger group of day visitors about 80 people with two speed boats to leave the island at 3.30pm again. Later I noticed that one local couple had been left behind, but except at the dinner time and breakfast next morning I did not see them. So I could continue my life as Robinson Crusoe.
On Sunday afternoon I was back in Cartagena at 5pm, and decided to walk from harbour next from La Frigata Gloria to enjoy a Happy Hour at Hard Rock´s Cafe. My sweet friend Lisseth was there, and she was hugging me overwhelmingly happy , because she had been thinking that I left the town without saying goodbye to her. After long talks she had to work and then leave to University to study, but I promissed to come again on Tuesday on my last evening here.
from Cartagena. It was a beautiful day, and the sea water was very warm. It really did not disturb me at all, that I became totally wet during the trip, because time to time the waves hit over the boat exactly there, where I was sitting.
We then came to an absolute paradise. There was really nothing else to do, than enjoy the sun and the sea or to sit in a beach bar in shade. Of course I did do all this. My accommondation did include three meals a day whenever I wanted.
In the afternoon all other 40 visitors did leave the island at 3.30pm, and suddenly
I was the only one left. There were naturally several people to serve me, maybe 7 or more but I had the whole long beach, all those fishing birds and later the beatiful sun set at excatly 6pm just for myself. Later at night the incredible tranquility and silence made a great impression to me. However I could not sleep, before I found probably a Cuban radio station, which played salsa 24 hours a day.
Next morning at 10.30am came a bigger group of day visitors about 80 people with two speed boats to leave the island at 3.30pm again. Later I noticed that one local couple had been left behind, but except at the dinner time and breakfast next morning I did not see them. So I could continue my life as Robinson Crusoe.
On Sunday afternoon I was back in Cartagena at 5pm, and decided to walk from harbour next from La Frigata Gloria to enjoy a Happy Hour at Hard Rock´s Cafe. My sweet friend Lisseth was there, and she was hugging me overwhelmingly happy , because she had been thinking that I left the town without saying goodbye to her. After long talks she had to work and then leave to University to study, but I promissed to come again on Tuesday on my last evening here.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
La Frigata Gloria, Cartagena etc.
I always like to visit big windjammers when possible, and I have seen many of famous still existing great sailing ships in different parts of the world. When I arrived in Cartagena I could see that in its naval base was school ship Gloria, but you could not get even near to it on closed area. However yesterday the ship had been removed to my big surprise in the city center, and was open to public. It did not take long before I did step on the deck of Gloria.
Before that I had been visiting the Naval Museo, where I could learn the whole bloody history of Cartagena. The city was attacked during centuries firstly by the pirate Sir Francis Drake year 1568, then by English and later by French navies in 17th and 18th century. Maybe I earlier gave wrong information about Henry Morgan, because his name was not mentioned there. The first defense walls were built in 1566, and San Felipe fortaleza in 1656.
The reason of those attacks was gold in the first hand. Cartagena was the main port in Americas from where Spanish ships collected gold from Peru, Bolivia and Colombia to ship to Europe. I also did visit the interesting Museo del Oro, the gold museum
some days ago.
After naval museum and before Gloria I stopped for a couple of cold beers at Bar de la Plaza, and got a warm hug from my young friend Vanessa.
I am very often during my trips looking DW-TV (Deutsche Welle), because it has a good program world wide and often some interesting reports from Finland too, and mainly positive ones. So yesterday there was a life story of 30 minutes about Mr.Martti Ahtisaari, year 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Finland. I was wondering during the program that how can Germans feel exactly same way about this man than we Finns are doing. At the end of that program the secret came out. The whole story was made by a Finnish team, and the writers were his good friends Jussi Lahde and Lasse Lehtinen.
Anyhow this was sent in three different times in German, in English and in Spanish
accordingly.
Before that I had been visiting the Naval Museo, where I could learn the whole bloody history of Cartagena. The city was attacked during centuries firstly by the pirate Sir Francis Drake year 1568, then by English and later by French navies in 17th and 18th century. Maybe I earlier gave wrong information about Henry Morgan, because his name was not mentioned there. The first defense walls were built in 1566, and San Felipe fortaleza in 1656.
The reason of those attacks was gold in the first hand. Cartagena was the main port in Americas from where Spanish ships collected gold from Peru, Bolivia and Colombia to ship to Europe. I also did visit the interesting Museo del Oro, the gold museum
some days ago.
After naval museum and before Gloria I stopped for a couple of cold beers at Bar de la Plaza, and got a warm hug from my young friend Vanessa.
I am very often during my trips looking DW-TV (Deutsche Welle), because it has a good program world wide and often some interesting reports from Finland too, and mainly positive ones. So yesterday there was a life story of 30 minutes about Mr.Martti Ahtisaari, year 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Finland. I was wondering during the program that how can Germans feel exactly same way about this man than we Finns are doing. At the end of that program the secret came out. The whole story was made by a Finnish team, and the writers were his good friends Jussi Lahde and Lasse Lehtinen.
Anyhow this was sent in three different times in German, in English and in Spanish
accordingly.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Santa Marta, Colombia and some other things
When I was visiting San Felipe fortress, and after all climbing on the walls and in the tunnels , I was resting on a stone in nice breeze, not really exhausted but wet cause sweating heavily. It was 35C anyway. Suddenly a man came to me and wanted to talk, if possible. He was very sorry that his English was not very good, but he anyhow liked to proove to me or to his family that he can communicate in English. He had a wife and three children with him, and he introduced them all to me politely. The girl, maybe 11 years old could probably speak better English than her father. Anyhow they all seemed to be very happy, because I gave them my valuable time to talk with and allowed them to take photos together with me, them behind me around the stone.
At the same time a school class arrived, 20 -30 girls and boys, majority girls however. The teacher introduced himself, and told me that they all are his children.
I said to him that he must have been a very busy man. He could not stop laughing.
Meanwhile the girls, maybe 14-15 years old started to be around me and the other ones took photos asking first my permission of couse. The guys were not interested in whole performance. At last the teacher commanded them to enter their bus, and they left but one girl came to me and gave an orange. It was very tasty and sweet.
Later I found a Spanish restaurant El Burlador de Sevilla, where I did eat well before retairing.
Early yesterday morning I was on my way to Santa Marta, a famous city, where Simon Bolivar did die year 1830, towards to Venezuelan border, proximately 240 km away from Cartagena. I did visit the old cathedral during a mess, a beach restaurant and the house where General Bolivar spent his last days, before dying due tuberchulosis, malaria and other deseases with the age of 47.This place is in a huge beautiful garden and seems to be a sacred place for people from Colombia, Venezuela. Bolivia, Panama, Costa Rica and Peru at least, maybe I forgot somebody . For lizards too, because I saw a beutiful one of maybe 60cm long in the park.
On the way back in the mini bus next to the driver, I was thinking of that partly crazy traffic, when a few minutes later we passed a dead man on the street, his motorcycle further away.
Those things which bother me mostly here in Catagena are hundreds of street merchants
and beggars, who are almost cueing to get to you to make their very special promotion offers of watches, sun glasses, T-shirts etc. There really are not very many foreigners around, if not from neighborhood countries. Other tourists are from Bogota , Medellin or Cali. I saw one guy from Sweden and some Americans, thats all.
At the same time a school class arrived, 20 -30 girls and boys, majority girls however. The teacher introduced himself, and told me that they all are his children.
I said to him that he must have been a very busy man. He could not stop laughing.
Meanwhile the girls, maybe 14-15 years old started to be around me and the other ones took photos asking first my permission of couse. The guys were not interested in whole performance. At last the teacher commanded them to enter their bus, and they left but one girl came to me and gave an orange. It was very tasty and sweet.
Later I found a Spanish restaurant El Burlador de Sevilla, where I did eat well before retairing.
Early yesterday morning I was on my way to Santa Marta, a famous city, where Simon Bolivar did die year 1830, towards to Venezuelan border, proximately 240 km away from Cartagena. I did visit the old cathedral during a mess, a beach restaurant and the house where General Bolivar spent his last days, before dying due tuberchulosis, malaria and other deseases with the age of 47.This place is in a huge beautiful garden and seems to be a sacred place for people from Colombia, Venezuela. Bolivia, Panama, Costa Rica and Peru at least, maybe I forgot somebody . For lizards too, because I saw a beutiful one of maybe 60cm long in the park.
On the way back in the mini bus next to the driver, I was thinking of that partly crazy traffic, when a few minutes later we passed a dead man on the street, his motorcycle further away.
Those things which bother me mostly here in Catagena are hundreds of street merchants
and beggars, who are almost cueing to get to you to make their very special promotion offers of watches, sun glasses, T-shirts etc. There really are not very many foreigners around, if not from neighborhood countries. Other tourists are from Bogota , Medellin or Cali. I saw one guy from Sweden and some Americans, thats all.
San Felipe fortress, Cartagena
Two days ago I visited this old Spanish fortress,San Felipe. It was the most magnificent one I remember to have seen anywhere in Central and South America. Probably the biggest the Spaniards ever did build. I have to study its history later.
There I met a nice couple, married just for one year, from Bogota. She, Angela 24, after hearing me to talk Spanish, came to me to say hello. She was gorgeous, absolutely beutifully voluptuos, but not like the sculpture made by Botero on Plaza Santo Domingo. I also mentioned this fact to her husband Franklin 26, if he maybe did not have noticed it earlier. They both did work in IT business, and did like to enjoy some beers with me too.
There I met a nice couple, married just for one year, from Bogota. She, Angela 24, after hearing me to talk Spanish, came to me to say hello. She was gorgeous, absolutely beutifully voluptuos, but not like the sculpture made by Botero on Plaza Santo Domingo. I also mentioned this fact to her husband Franklin 26, if he maybe did not have noticed it earlier. They both did work in IT business, and did like to enjoy some beers with me too.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Carrtagena days
The life is really going smoothly. Cartagena is a friendly and pleasant place, even not very much happening around. Yesterday I just jumped into a city bus and drove around one hour before entering to the historical part of the city. There I soon found a nice street cafe at Plaza Santo Domingo, where the super sweet 19 years old camareras Liseth and Vanessa took very good care of me with good drinks and eexcellent pasta. I really enjoyed their company. We were talking mostly in Spanish, even their English was probably better they wanted to admit. They both were students, Liseth studying to be a heart surgeon and Vanessa studied hotel administration. Next week Liseth is moving to work at Hard Rock Cafe of Cartagena in the old part of the city too, and she insisted that I must visit her there. I promised to do it, and told her that if I had been 40 years younger I had proposed her, and she could have been my very private heart medico.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
La cucaracha, Cartagena, Colombia
After a hot night with Patricia our feelings did cool down, as we did found out on a sober day today, that her expectations with me were not realistic. On the other hand it was a hot day of 36 C. So, it was more than natural, that I was sitting in the street garden bar of my hotel with cold drinks, when I decided, its not not a fly who is walking along my leg upwards. Well, it was a mighty big cockroach, who wanted to get into my pants. We did disagree with that, and he had to look for somebody else.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Cali and Cartagena, Colombia
I stayed a couple of nights in Cali, probably the most dangerous and criminal city of Colombia. I found the place boring and quite ugly too, and was ready to leave after some 40 hours. The only interesting thing what happened to me in those two partly rainy days, was the body control of a heavily armed guardian or security, when entering a disco, which I did leave after a couple of cuba libres. Next morning Iflew to Cartagena.
Cartagena is something else. First the old part, the colonnial one is for sure the most beautiful old city I have seen in whole South or Central America. It has been finely restored, even once destroyed by Henry Morgan´s pirates. The new part of it is the touristic area, with its skyscraper hotels and beach. Here I found a small frienly hotel, Bocagrande, at a reasonable price of about USD 42, exatly 75,000.pesos including breakfast. The two first nights I had spent in a horrible tower but with nice views to the see, Hotel Costa del Sol, including all lousy three buffet meals for pesos 150,000.
The most fantastic thing what happened to me on this trip, was meetimg two
Colombian ladies in a cafe in the morning of my second day here. After some smiles they invaited me to their table, and it all begun. The other one had soon to go to work in the hotel opposite side of the street, while her beautiful friend Patricia 35, from Medellin as a tourist visiting her friend, had nothing special to do. We decided to go together to the old part of the city and, also to find a photo shop to buy a new camera for me. We bougbt the camera in a department store, and started to stroll on the busy streets of the old town like two lovers, stopping for could beers or drinks even now and then, and visiting also the nearby cathedral, no time for museums anyhow. After the dinner we retaired into my hotel room, and had a most wonderful night together before departing yesterday morning. In the evening I tried to call her but for some reason I could not get contact with her, and was practically very satisfied to relax well. But today is a new day, let´s see what happens.
Cartagena is something else. First the old part, the colonnial one is for sure the most beautiful old city I have seen in whole South or Central America. It has been finely restored, even once destroyed by Henry Morgan´s pirates. The new part of it is the touristic area, with its skyscraper hotels and beach. Here I found a small frienly hotel, Bocagrande, at a reasonable price of about USD 42, exatly 75,000.pesos including breakfast. The two first nights I had spent in a horrible tower but with nice views to the see, Hotel Costa del Sol, including all lousy three buffet meals for pesos 150,000.
The most fantastic thing what happened to me on this trip, was meetimg two
Colombian ladies in a cafe in the morning of my second day here. After some smiles they invaited me to their table, and it all begun. The other one had soon to go to work in the hotel opposite side of the street, while her beautiful friend Patricia 35, from Medellin as a tourist visiting her friend, had nothing special to do. We decided to go together to the old part of the city and, also to find a photo shop to buy a new camera for me. We bougbt the camera in a department store, and started to stroll on the busy streets of the old town like two lovers, stopping for could beers or drinks even now and then, and visiting also the nearby cathedral, no time for museums anyhow. After the dinner we retaired into my hotel room, and had a most wonderful night together before departing yesterday morning. In the evening I tried to call her but for some reason I could not get contact with her, and was practically very satisfied to relax well. But today is a new day, let´s see what happens.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Galapagos Islands 22.- 25.11
The day before I flew to Galapagos I booked my flight and the schooner " Free Enterprice" . I really was lucky to get the seat for the flight and a cabin onboard,
happily alone due some cancellation. I soon found out that the company of 16 other passengers were extremely nice and pleasant people. I knew from beginning that the cruise will be most enjoyable. As it did! Our group consisted of Louis 69 and his goodlooking daughter Sarah 29, Australians from Melborne of Polish origin, Andy and Kelly 26 from Australia too, charming Susie 39 from Madrid, Spain with her friend Yves
from Geneva, Switzerland, very pretty Sandra 22 from Cork,Ireland, always happy Steffi 26, Martin and Reinhard from Cologne, Germany, Chris from Oregon, an English Canadian family of four from Houston, Texas USA and a french guy , whose names I just cannot remember. All very nice people. So Louis and I were the seniors, all others very young ones. During our cruise, which was partly sunny and partly cloudy we visited five islands like Santiago, Bartholomeo etc. were we saw those most strange land and sea iguanas with a maximum length of 1,20 meters, land and sea turtles some of age up to 160 years, snakes, lizards, birds, crabs and fishes like nowhere else. But maybe the most fantastic ones were the sea lions who did not mind, if we were sitting next to them on land and making pictures or who were most playful in the waters around and with us. We walked quite a lot, we did snorkel several times, and on my 68th birtday on last Monday we climbed a volcano of 114 m with 372 partly steep steps. I was very proud to manage it, just to stop a couple of times to take a deep breath. On the top we could then enjoy a beautiful view. On that evening the ship cook had baked for my honour a big birthday cake ( diameter about 40 cm and height 20 cm )with congratulations from the crew. We all ate with great passion, but we could finish only a half of it. The evening was a success with drinks, music and dance.
Earlier that day I tried to climb to dinghy , when a bigger wave casted me into water
my backbag became wet, and my camera which was inside did not work anymore.
I was very afraid that the memory card was damaged, but only two pictures were lost, like a camera shop in Quito could find out next day. However those sweet ladies Sandra, Sarah and Susie promised to send me later the copies of their videos or photos. In all , it was a very happy cruise with nice fellow passengers and friendly staff and partly excellent food.
happily alone due some cancellation. I soon found out that the company of 16 other passengers were extremely nice and pleasant people. I knew from beginning that the cruise will be most enjoyable. As it did! Our group consisted of Louis 69 and his goodlooking daughter Sarah 29, Australians from Melborne of Polish origin, Andy and Kelly 26 from Australia too, charming Susie 39 from Madrid, Spain with her friend Yves
from Geneva, Switzerland, very pretty Sandra 22 from Cork,Ireland, always happy Steffi 26, Martin and Reinhard from Cologne, Germany, Chris from Oregon, an English Canadian family of four from Houston, Texas USA and a french guy , whose names I just cannot remember. All very nice people. So Louis and I were the seniors, all others very young ones. During our cruise, which was partly sunny and partly cloudy we visited five islands like Santiago, Bartholomeo etc. were we saw those most strange land and sea iguanas with a maximum length of 1,20 meters, land and sea turtles some of age up to 160 years, snakes, lizards, birds, crabs and fishes like nowhere else. But maybe the most fantastic ones were the sea lions who did not mind, if we were sitting next to them on land and making pictures or who were most playful in the waters around and with us. We walked quite a lot, we did snorkel several times, and on my 68th birtday on last Monday we climbed a volcano of 114 m with 372 partly steep steps. I was very proud to manage it, just to stop a couple of times to take a deep breath. On the top we could then enjoy a beautiful view. On that evening the ship cook had baked for my honour a big birthday cake ( diameter about 40 cm and height 20 cm )with congratulations from the crew. We all ate with great passion, but we could finish only a half of it. The evening was a success with drinks, music and dance.
Earlier that day I tried to climb to dinghy , when a bigger wave casted me into water
my backbag became wet, and my camera which was inside did not work anymore.
I was very afraid that the memory card was damaged, but only two pictures were lost, like a camera shop in Quito could find out next day. However those sweet ladies Sandra, Sarah and Susie promised to send me later the copies of their videos or photos. In all , it was a very happy cruise with nice fellow passengers and friendly staff and partly excellent food.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Quito, Ecuador
Last week I stayed in Quito just two nights, but was very active strolling a lot in the city. It was much bigger than I had thought but quite interesting too. In the second evening I found an unexpensive bar, which promissed jazz for the evening. I was surprised when young people started to flow in, but when the first sounds I could understand, the band was a local copy of Santana, a pretty good one. Next day I left for Galapagos for four days, and came back to Quito yesterday afternoon. Later in the evening I decided to go to new directions, and found new excellent bars. Inthe last one
they had Colombian band, which mostly played cumbia and salsa. The music was fine, but most interesting there was Paulina 23, a local beauty, whose work was to bring customers to their table. However she had a lot of time for me to chat about everything. She just happily laughed when I said compliments to her about her looks.
Today I flew to Cali, Colombia. I shall tell you later about Galapagos.
they had Colombian band, which mostly played cumbia and salsa. The music was fine, but most interesting there was Paulina 23, a local beauty, whose work was to bring customers to their table. However she had a lot of time for me to chat about everything. She just happily laughed when I said compliments to her about her looks.
Today I flew to Cali, Colombia. I shall tell you later about Galapagos.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Portobelo, Panama
Day before yesterday I made a trip trough Panama from Pacific to Caribic to visit the old ruins of Portobelo fortress, which was distroyed by famous pirate Henry Morgan some 300 years ago.I drove to there with Ismael 31,a taxi driver, whom I had met a day before. I found his price USD 100. reasonable. The journey was over 200 km
and took some six hours. Yesterday we first did visit Panama Canal at Miraflores locks and then beautiful Causeway Marina including lunch before having drinks in San Felipe, the old capital of Panama. It was then time to get to Tucaman airport via ancient ruins of Panama Vieja. The flight was in time and for some reason Copa Air put me in business class to honour my first succeeded visit in Panama and first flight with local Copa Air. At 10PM I arrived to my hotel in Quito, Ecuador.
and took some six hours. Yesterday we first did visit Panama Canal at Miraflores locks and then beautiful Causeway Marina including lunch before having drinks in San Felipe, the old capital of Panama. It was then time to get to Tucaman airport via ancient ruins of Panama Vieja. The flight was in time and for some reason Copa Air put me in business class to honour my first succeeded visit in Panama and first flight with local Copa Air. At 10PM I arrived to my hotel in Quito, Ecuador.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Panama City , Panama
My first day here has been very pleasant, especially after 26 hours travelling from home to my hotel here. It is quite far away from city center,right in the middle of former rain forest, USD 20 by taxi to drive. Weather is beautiful, even rainy season and 27C.Most impressive anyhow are the friendly and gorgeous young ladies, with very pretty faces of beautiful darker skin. I´ll wonder, if the great beauties of Columbia are even more exiting. The next good thing is beer, only two dollars.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Very rainy days
It has been recently very typical November days. A lot of chilly, wet days. That's been a bit uncomfortable to walk with the dog around. Hopefully there will be a big change,
when flying very early Monday morning via Copenhagen and Newark to Panama City in Panama.I'll stay there for three days before continueing to Quito in Ecuador.Everything after that is still open, except my return to Finland from Panama on December 19.
when flying very early Monday morning via Copenhagen and Newark to Panama City in Panama.I'll stay there for three days before continueing to Quito in Ecuador.Everything after that is still open, except my return to Finland from Panama on December 19.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
A visit to Germany
One week ago I came back from Germany, a four days combined trip both business and pleasure with my son Tomas, to Duesseldorf and Essen. Duesseldorf ranks in my personal opinion on third position of pleasant stay in category of bigger German cities. Munich and Hamburg lay ahead, maybe partly due my romantic memories in both places long ago.
The old part of Duesseldorf, just at the banks of Rhine is very pretty and amusant with its many excellent restaurants and taverns. There we met Mr. Peter Gloystein, who is my very old friend since 1968, and Tomas's godfather. Peter is a most entertaining person
with a huge knowledge of German history, economy, music, theater and art, a board member of Bayreuth Music Festival etc. We always have very interesting discussions and
a lot of fun with some quantities of beer. He and his British wife Jean are currently living in Bremen but moving soon back to Duesseldorf, to the other side of Rhine when their new home will be finished, probably in February next year. From there I shall be only a walking distance away, just over the bridge, to the Old Town during my next visit.
Essen was purely business. Exept to Tomas, who every evening, after I retired around 11pm, did dive into the night life of Essen. I admired his little sleepings 3-4 hours
a night, and then very sharp at the fair next morning. But so was I 40 years ago.
We went to Essen for International Board Games Fair, where we were looking products for coming seasons. This business of our company Marektoy is very interesting and also rewarding, when introducing new games every year to young and old. Due it's social and many other aspects concisting character, this business is a constantly growing one all over the world. We'll see if the possible recession will hit there too.
The old part of Duesseldorf, just at the banks of Rhine is very pretty and amusant with its many excellent restaurants and taverns. There we met Mr. Peter Gloystein, who is my very old friend since 1968, and Tomas's godfather. Peter is a most entertaining person
with a huge knowledge of German history, economy, music, theater and art, a board member of Bayreuth Music Festival etc. We always have very interesting discussions and
a lot of fun with some quantities of beer. He and his British wife Jean are currently living in Bremen but moving soon back to Duesseldorf, to the other side of Rhine when their new home will be finished, probably in February next year. From there I shall be only a walking distance away, just over the bridge, to the Old Town during my next visit.
Essen was purely business. Exept to Tomas, who every evening, after I retired around 11pm, did dive into the night life of Essen. I admired his little sleepings 3-4 hours
a night, and then very sharp at the fair next morning. But so was I 40 years ago.
We went to Essen for International Board Games Fair, where we were looking products for coming seasons. This business of our company Marektoy is very interesting and also rewarding, when introducing new games every year to young and old. Due it's social and many other aspects concisting character, this business is a constantly growing one all over the world. We'll see if the possible recession will hit there too.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Little things can make your day
These last days have been considerably nice and warm for October with some rain showers only. My days have been quite relaxing,concisting of walks with my dog and some beers with friends. Time to time I invite my sons Kristian and Tomas for lunch, introducing
my cooking variations of Finnish traditional dishes. My lifelong hobby philately gives me always something to do, especially this time of the year.
Yesterday evening I was finishing the last walk of the day with Viki (= Victor, my dog), when I decided to drop into one pub, which allows dogs, for a couple of beers. Then suddenly before I could understand anything a pretty, young lady was hugging me. Sanni, whom I had not seen since I left for my trip 18 months ago, brought me a pint and wanted to know everything in short including possible love affairs. I already was in good mood having received a friendly greeting from Kaisa a bit earlier. Also in the afternoon I had found our table at "Elite" first time since my return filled up with friends, totally 11 persons. That was a good sign.
Instead of that,we a nice bunch of us, members of Finnish Club have decided from this October on, on every third Thursday of a month to have a long lunch at the club including possible pool afterwards, in there too.
I still expect to leave in November to South America for some weeks even everything is still open. And I just found the address of certain Bibiana from Bogota, I met during my last journey. Let's see if she would be interested in meeting me when in Colombia.
my cooking variations of Finnish traditional dishes. My lifelong hobby philately gives me always something to do, especially this time of the year.
Yesterday evening I was finishing the last walk of the day with Viki (= Victor, my dog), when I decided to drop into one pub, which allows dogs, for a couple of beers. Then suddenly before I could understand anything a pretty, young lady was hugging me. Sanni, whom I had not seen since I left for my trip 18 months ago, brought me a pint and wanted to know everything in short including possible love affairs. I already was in good mood having received a friendly greeting from Kaisa a bit earlier. Also in the afternoon I had found our table at "Elite" first time since my return filled up with friends, totally 11 persons. That was a good sign.
Instead of that,we a nice bunch of us, members of Finnish Club have decided from this October on, on every third Thursday of a month to have a long lunch at the club including possible pool afterwards, in there too.
I still expect to leave in November to South America for some weeks even everything is still open. And I just found the address of certain Bibiana from Bogota, I met during my last journey. Let's see if she would be interested in meeting me when in Colombia.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Autumn in Helsinki
The summer did pass by. Many people thought that it was a nasty rainy cold summer but I can remember we had some very warm beautiful days too. It did not disturb me, especially after a wonderful year in tropic with over 360 sunny days! However somehow my general feeling was a bit melancholy, probably due several reasons. I was on the wagon until I heard that the mother of my sons and my ex-wife Riitta had slept away after a long difficult illness just two days before her 54th birthday, on Aug.14. I then took some cold tasty beers for the good times with her long ago.
Soon after the funeral I got some fever with extraordinary strange symptoms. After a week at Maria Hospital here, a bunch of doctors got out that it was a dangerous fever caused by the moles somewhere in the countryside. First I denied totally any visit outside urban areas this summer. Only two visits to Tallinn, Estonia and one short one to Tampere. After a heavy thinking I succeeded to remember a one day visit to a summer cottage of a good friend in Snappertuna in May. Well, having been during previous year in different jungles and waters allover in the world without any troubles, I have to get something very dangerous like this at my home grounds almost. Everything is fine now, and I enjoy some nice drinks time to time, which clearly seem to work with my mood positively too.
I earlier was praising the fine cultural life in Helsinki mentioning several international celebrities of music visiting us here. I like to add more names on the list of concerts this autumn. Cecilia Bartoli, Dionne Warwick, I missed in Las Vegas 35 years ago, Omara Portuondo, Cuban Grand Old Lady, I happened to meet in Havanna last year, Manhattan Transfer,whose concerts I did attend several times, The Count Basie Orchestra, Randy Newman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Leonard Cohen, Elton John, my favourit Randy Crawford and Little Richard (still alive!!). The summer was also filled with all kind of cultural programs especially during the Helsinki Festival Weeks in August. I was not very activ, I practically only did enjoy two concerts, one of Mari Rantasila, an actress friend for over 20 years and another one of Nicke Lignell, who splendidly did manage a Frank Sinatra repertoire, both performances at Elite restaurant during Art goes Kapakka (= Tavern or Pub ).
I also did enjoy several times the Storyville Jazz Club, where regulars had a free entrance during July and August.
I have been thinking for a while for some new adventures. This time to South America to Colombia, Equador with Galapagos and Panama in November for 4-6 weeks. No decission has been made yet, but if I will be declared totally healthy by doctors in two weeks time, nothing can stop me.
Keep reading, I try to keep writing.
Soon after the funeral I got some fever with extraordinary strange symptoms. After a week at Maria Hospital here, a bunch of doctors got out that it was a dangerous fever caused by the moles somewhere in the countryside. First I denied totally any visit outside urban areas this summer. Only two visits to Tallinn, Estonia and one short one to Tampere. After a heavy thinking I succeeded to remember a one day visit to a summer cottage of a good friend in Snappertuna in May. Well, having been during previous year in different jungles and waters allover in the world without any troubles, I have to get something very dangerous like this at my home grounds almost. Everything is fine now, and I enjoy some nice drinks time to time, which clearly seem to work with my mood positively too.
I earlier was praising the fine cultural life in Helsinki mentioning several international celebrities of music visiting us here. I like to add more names on the list of concerts this autumn. Cecilia Bartoli, Dionne Warwick, I missed in Las Vegas 35 years ago, Omara Portuondo, Cuban Grand Old Lady, I happened to meet in Havanna last year, Manhattan Transfer,whose concerts I did attend several times, The Count Basie Orchestra, Randy Newman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Leonard Cohen, Elton John, my favourit Randy Crawford and Little Richard (still alive!!). The summer was also filled with all kind of cultural programs especially during the Helsinki Festival Weeks in August. I was not very activ, I practically only did enjoy two concerts, one of Mari Rantasila, an actress friend for over 20 years and another one of Nicke Lignell, who splendidly did manage a Frank Sinatra repertoire, both performances at Elite restaurant during Art goes Kapakka (= Tavern or Pub ).
I also did enjoy several times the Storyville Jazz Club, where regulars had a free entrance during July and August.
I have been thinking for a while for some new adventures. This time to South America to Colombia, Equador with Galapagos and Panama in November for 4-6 weeks. No decission has been made yet, but if I will be declared totally healthy by doctors in two weeks time, nothing can stop me.
Keep reading, I try to keep writing.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Helsinki, my beautiful summer city
I have not been writing for several months because I was thinking there is nothing interesting to write about my life. However many of my friends have asked me to write further.Many of them have never been in Helsinki not even in Finland, which gives me an opportunity to describe or report my city and my life here.
First of all, having visited so many places all over in the world on my last
journey and on many shorter or longer trips before, it has become clear to me that Helsinki will stay my hometown the rest of my life. I love to visit foreign countries and places but I am always happy to return here. There are cities like Hong Kong, Munich, Malaga etc. where I do have a lot of personal history with beautiful memories and unforgetable romancies, but Helsinki, where I was born in 1940, is my home.
Helsinki,which is often called " The White City of the North" or " The Daughter of Baltic Sea",was established year 1550 by the Swedish King Gustaf Wasa. That time until year 1809 Finland was a Swedish province. Russia did conquer Finland that year, and Finland became a grand duchy of Russia until year 1917, when strong hopes for independency finally were fullfilled. Meanwhile since year 1812 Helsinki had become the Capital of Finland, and Finnish an official language, instead of just Swedish and Russian.
Nowadays Helsinki is a modern cosmopolitan city with about 560,000 inhabitants(with neighborhood sleeping cities a metropoly of one million), surrounded by the sea and with many beautiful parks. The cultural life is very vivid all around the year with many international stars and celebrities visiting here. Only recently Celine Dion and Bruce Springsteen had their concerts here. Today Neil Young will fill an ice hockey
stadium, and soon we'll experience the visits of Mariza, Juanes, Leonard Cohen, Gloria Gaynor, Deep Purple and Moody Blues. A couple of days ago I listened Kris Kristofferson in the concert hall of Finlandia House.
Last week I was controlled by the doctors, and my heart was found fine, almost normal already. This means that I shall start to plan new adventures abroad, but not one year long ones anymore.
This summer here has been partly sunny and warm partly rainy and some degrees cooler but I have enjoyed my easy life here. Only once I took a speed boat to Tallinn in neighborhood Estonia to have lunch with two charming native ladies Sgrid and Kadri, my former business partners. In 5-Star Hotel Telegraf, in Tsaikovsky Restaurant I did enjoy one of the best meals and service of all my life. I can highly recommend this place to anybody.
Well, there is now nothing going on in my love life. The wings of my romance last year could not carry it anymore over long distancies, faraway places and the time.
I shall in future time to time write my diary. You are wellcome to make questions and I am always happy to get greetings. And do remember, should you come to visit Helsinki, I happen to be a very good guide!
First of all, having visited so many places all over in the world on my last
journey and on many shorter or longer trips before, it has become clear to me that Helsinki will stay my hometown the rest of my life. I love to visit foreign countries and places but I am always happy to return here. There are cities like Hong Kong, Munich, Malaga etc. where I do have a lot of personal history with beautiful memories and unforgetable romancies, but Helsinki, where I was born in 1940, is my home.
Helsinki,which is often called " The White City of the North" or " The Daughter of Baltic Sea",was established year 1550 by the Swedish King Gustaf Wasa. That time until year 1809 Finland was a Swedish province. Russia did conquer Finland that year, and Finland became a grand duchy of Russia until year 1917, when strong hopes for independency finally were fullfilled. Meanwhile since year 1812 Helsinki had become the Capital of Finland, and Finnish an official language, instead of just Swedish and Russian.
Nowadays Helsinki is a modern cosmopolitan city with about 560,000 inhabitants(with neighborhood sleeping cities a metropoly of one million), surrounded by the sea and with many beautiful parks. The cultural life is very vivid all around the year with many international stars and celebrities visiting here. Only recently Celine Dion and Bruce Springsteen had their concerts here. Today Neil Young will fill an ice hockey
stadium, and soon we'll experience the visits of Mariza, Juanes, Leonard Cohen, Gloria Gaynor, Deep Purple and Moody Blues. A couple of days ago I listened Kris Kristofferson in the concert hall of Finlandia House.
Last week I was controlled by the doctors, and my heart was found fine, almost normal already. This means that I shall start to plan new adventures abroad, but not one year long ones anymore.
This summer here has been partly sunny and warm partly rainy and some degrees cooler but I have enjoyed my easy life here. Only once I took a speed boat to Tallinn in neighborhood Estonia to have lunch with two charming native ladies Sgrid and Kadri, my former business partners. In 5-Star Hotel Telegraf, in Tsaikovsky Restaurant I did enjoy one of the best meals and service of all my life. I can highly recommend this place to anybody.
Well, there is now nothing going on in my love life. The wings of my romance last year could not carry it anymore over long distancies, faraway places and the time.
I shall in future time to time write my diary. You are wellcome to make questions and I am always happy to get greetings. And do remember, should you come to visit Helsinki, I happen to be a very good guide!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Those last three weeks at home in Helsinki
There were about 20 friends of mine, waiting for my arrival at one of my favourit restaurants, Elite in Helsinki. At least 10 more called me and did regret not to participate because of late evening in the middle of the working week. Anyhow it was a happy evening, which did continue in another bar with six of us until maybe 2am.
During the next days my cough got worse, and I finally did go to a doctor. Well, I had
Pneunomia without fever, but what was much worse, I had a very serious heart failure , it did work with only 50% efficiency, and I was immediately sent to the hospital.
They kept me in the hospital for eight days before letting me go back home. Now I am taking everything very easy, having daily a strong medicine program, diet and no beers no alcohol for next six months. Once in a week they will examine me to see the healing
progress. What a luck, that this everything was just found out when happily back home after a great tour. We'll see, those daily walks with my little dog Victor, a Bison Friche, will certainly help to recover. Nobody knows if totally. Anyhow my mood is fine and optimistic. That's life! I'll keep you informed.
During the next days my cough got worse, and I finally did go to a doctor. Well, I had
Pneunomia without fever, but what was much worse, I had a very serious heart failure , it did work with only 50% efficiency, and I was immediately sent to the hospital.
They kept me in the hospital for eight days before letting me go back home. Now I am taking everything very easy, having daily a strong medicine program, diet and no beers no alcohol for next six months. Once in a week they will examine me to see the healing
progress. What a luck, that this everything was just found out when happily back home after a great tour. We'll see, those daily walks with my little dog Victor, a Bison Friche, will certainly help to recover. Nobody knows if totally. Anyhow my mood is fine and optimistic. That's life! I'll keep you informed.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Great hospitality in Germany
After warm goodbyes with Karin last Thursday in Lüneburg, her husband Heinz-Jürgen Pohl drove me to Krummesse / Lübeck ,where I did introduce him to another old friends Georges and Antje Roeder. We soon had again German delicacies infront of us with beautiful drinks.
I stayed at Roeder's until Saturday. We then drove to Bad Oldesloe enjoying in a very
nice place an excellent roastbeef lunch, before I took a train to Bremen via Hamburg.
There was Peter Gloystein waiting for me. We soon had a couple of pints in our hands
to change the last travel news, also from their side, because he had made together with his his wife Jean an exiting trip for 14 days to North Pole and to Franz Josef Land recently, with a Russian nuclear icebroker.
Yesterday we drove to Bremerhafen , which city was shown to me with it's magnificient harbour, including "Seemannskneipe" sailors pub."Last stop before New York!" Afterwards a fine dinner at a country side restaurant, before ready to bed.
I still like to thank all three families here in North Germany for their great and warm hospitality. But I must not forget my dear friends in British Virgin Islands, North Carolina, Melbourne, Cold Coast, Kuala Lumpur and Cape Town without great thanks.
Tomorrow I'll fly back to Finland after being on this adventure one year and three days.
I stayed at Roeder's until Saturday. We then drove to Bad Oldesloe enjoying in a very
nice place an excellent roastbeef lunch, before I took a train to Bremen via Hamburg.
There was Peter Gloystein waiting for me. We soon had a couple of pints in our hands
to change the last travel news, also from their side, because he had made together with his his wife Jean an exiting trip for 14 days to North Pole and to Franz Josef Land recently, with a Russian nuclear icebroker.
Yesterday we drove to Bremerhafen , which city was shown to me with it's magnificient harbour, including "Seemannskneipe" sailors pub."Last stop before New York!" Afterwards a fine dinner at a country side restaurant, before ready to bed.
I still like to thank all three families here in North Germany for their great and warm hospitality. But I must not forget my dear friends in British Virgin Islands, North Carolina, Melbourne, Cold Coast, Kuala Lumpur and Cape Town without great thanks.
Tomorrow I'll fly back to Finland after being on this adventure one year and three days.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Swakopmund, Namibia
On Wednesday I took a bus to Swakopmund. It is a small but pretty mostly German city, on the Atlantic coast of Namibia. The ride lasted about four hours. Afterwards strolling for some hours there around I practically knew the whole town.
I knew that on Thursday there would arrive a group of five brave Finnish hunters from the bushes, lead by my neighbour and friend Mr. Jaakko Lehto, a very experienced hunter himself. After their arrival, it started to rain gin tonics, their mood was very high after a good hunting success of 21 animals. I spent the next day with the group too, having a lunch trip to Walvis Bay, but with a little less drinks. On Saturday they had their flight back to Europe, and I was invited to travel with their car back to Windhoek. We there had a late lunch before they left to the airport, and I went back to my previous Hotel Steiner, where I had left most of my gears. As I had had almost all the time in Cape Town the same taxi, so did I have in Windhoek. Francois 32, of French origin was always ready to bring me to or pick me up from anywhere anytime. After I introduced him to the manager of the hotel as a very reliable partner to work, he gave me 50 % discount in every fare. The hotel was very happy, telling me that they all the time were in constant need of reliable taxis.
My friend again said he needs more business to buy two more taxis still this year to extend his fleet to four cars. His dream was to have in few years time 20 cars, many of all terrain vehicles.
I still spent two lazy days there, before having my last long flight on this journey from Windhoek to Frankfurt am Main, to where I landed yesterday morning. I then took a ICE train to Lüneburg via Hannover. Excatly at 1pm I met my very longtime friend Heinz-Jürgen (since 1962) and was brought to his home, where his wife Karin, his daughter Kristina and grandchildren Annika 7 and Tom 2.5 were waiting for me.
And we had a very pleasant evening with good food and drinks. Today Karin managed to create the most wonderful turkey with red cabbage, potatoes and delicious sauce.
I do not remember, if I ever had a better bird to eat.
Tomorrow Heinz-Jürgen will drive me to Lübeck to meet another old friends Antje and Georges. I know Antje since we both were 17!
By the way, the Trophy, which I saw in Kuala Lumpur under finishing process, was brought to Finland by Kimi Raikkonen last Sunday, as I did then wish.
I knew that on Thursday there would arrive a group of five brave Finnish hunters from the bushes, lead by my neighbour and friend Mr. Jaakko Lehto, a very experienced hunter himself. After their arrival, it started to rain gin tonics, their mood was very high after a good hunting success of 21 animals. I spent the next day with the group too, having a lunch trip to Walvis Bay, but with a little less drinks. On Saturday they had their flight back to Europe, and I was invited to travel with their car back to Windhoek. We there had a late lunch before they left to the airport, and I went back to my previous Hotel Steiner, where I had left most of my gears. As I had had almost all the time in Cape Town the same taxi, so did I have in Windhoek. Francois 32, of French origin was always ready to bring me to or pick me up from anywhere anytime. After I introduced him to the manager of the hotel as a very reliable partner to work, he gave me 50 % discount in every fare. The hotel was very happy, telling me that they all the time were in constant need of reliable taxis.
My friend again said he needs more business to buy two more taxis still this year to extend his fleet to four cars. His dream was to have in few years time 20 cars, many of all terrain vehicles.
I still spent two lazy days there, before having my last long flight on this journey from Windhoek to Frankfurt am Main, to where I landed yesterday morning. I then took a ICE train to Lüneburg via Hannover. Excatly at 1pm I met my very longtime friend Heinz-Jürgen (since 1962) and was brought to his home, where his wife Karin, his daughter Kristina and grandchildren Annika 7 and Tom 2.5 were waiting for me.
And we had a very pleasant evening with good food and drinks. Today Karin managed to create the most wonderful turkey with red cabbage, potatoes and delicious sauce.
I do not remember, if I ever had a better bird to eat.
Tomorrow Heinz-Jürgen will drive me to Lübeck to meet another old friends Antje and Georges. I know Antje since we both were 17!
By the way, the Trophy, which I saw in Kuala Lumpur under finishing process, was brought to Finland by Kimi Raikkonen last Sunday, as I did then wish.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Windhoek, Namibia
I've been here now for three days, but I do not have anything special to report. Exept all people here like in Cape Town too. not depending of the colour of the skin ,are very friendly, happy and equipped with good humor sense,and this city of some 280,000 inhabitants is very clean and safe too.
Tomorrow I'll go for a couple of days to Swakopmund ,then back here on Friday before heading to Germany on Monday, March 25.
First time on the whole trip I have been fighting against the flu, but I'll win, without any days in bed and without fever, just an unpleasant cough, which tries not to leave me alone.
Tomorrow I'll go for a couple of days to Swakopmund ,then back here on Friday before heading to Germany on Monday, March 25.
First time on the whole trip I have been fighting against the flu, but I'll win, without any days in bed and without fever, just an unpleasant cough, which tries not to leave me alone.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Cape Town, South Africa
I stayed in Johannesburg one night and two days in a very comfortable Safari Club Resort near Airport. I could not get anymore a round trip to Pretoria and Jburg.
So I relaxed at the pool or at the bar. The bar was very cozy, made African style with big TV screen and library. There was no bar tender and I was in that luxurious surrounding the only customer. The reception just advised me to write down the drinks I did consume. Everything, beer,scotch, brandy, rum or coke coasted R12 that's less than one Euro. Only a bottle of good red wine did coast about 6e. You can believe that liked that bar, especially because I poured drinks to myself according Finnish measurements, I did not know South African ones, and forgot to ask.
I had been advised by my friend Heikki Tuunanen, the Ambassador of Finland to contact
a young Finnish lady Jesse Maarit Laitinen after my arrival to Cape Town. So I did, She asked me to come directly from the airport with a taxi to a given address. There was somebody's birthday party, all local Finns, except one Norwegian wife of a Finnish reporter. A wonderful evening. After that Jesse drove me to my accommodation.
I have had a wonderful time here, walking a lot, seeing a lot and enjoying my times especially at The Waterfront Marina with many jazz bars and inexpensive drinks.
However it is always told to you that after dark you need to take a taxi back home,
even if away just a short walking distance.
So I relaxed at the pool or at the bar. The bar was very cozy, made African style with big TV screen and library. There was no bar tender and I was in that luxurious surrounding the only customer. The reception just advised me to write down the drinks I did consume. Everything, beer,scotch, brandy, rum or coke coasted R12 that's less than one Euro. Only a bottle of good red wine did coast about 6e. You can believe that liked that bar, especially because I poured drinks to myself according Finnish measurements, I did not know South African ones, and forgot to ask.
I had been advised by my friend Heikki Tuunanen, the Ambassador of Finland to contact
a young Finnish lady Jesse Maarit Laitinen after my arrival to Cape Town. So I did, She asked me to come directly from the airport with a taxi to a given address. There was somebody's birthday party, all local Finns, except one Norwegian wife of a Finnish reporter. A wonderful evening. After that Jesse drove me to my accommodation.
I have had a wonderful time here, walking a lot, seeing a lot and enjoying my times especially at The Waterfront Marina with many jazz bars and inexpensive drinks.
However it is always told to you that after dark you need to take a taxi back home,
even if away just a short walking distance.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Back in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
My last week at Langasuka Resort was lazy and relaxing, me enjoying Mario Puzo's novel "The Last Don" with cold beers on the beach. Sometimes I had the company of Jacek 34. He is a Polish TV reporter on a vacation there with his wife and daughter.
Mostly very warm sunny days but one rainy too,with a very heavy thunder storm just above us.
I had bought the book at the Langkawi airport, and after reading it the most pages as well as the cover were loose. On Monday before my flight to KL I managed to change it at the airport's book store without any problems to another Mario Puzo's novel " The Sicilian".
My new friends John and Carol had invited me to visit them here in KL, and I delightfully had accepted it. In the first evening John took me to his private K Club, where I had a jolly good time with him and his many friends. Afterwards we had a marvellous dinner. Carol had prepared an excellent lamb dish for us , and we ate it all with some good red vine. Th next day John and another of his friends David took me to Genting Highlands. After one hours drive trough beautiful landscapes, we arrived to Asia's longest, 2,4 km cable car route up to the mountains, where the Genting casino world is. It took 12 minutes in small condola partly high over the rain forest to reach the top over the clouds. Yesterday noon we first visited with both John and Carol the Chinatown having a light lunch there with two jugs of Carsberg beer and later we went to Royal Selangor Pewter factory, where we could see
among other interesting things them making the Trophy of Formula 1 Grand Prix of Malaysia. Hopefully this will be brought to Finland by Kimi Raikkonen or Heikki Kovalainen on March 23. In the evening we had first some drinks at David's place, with his ex wife Eva ,originally from Brno in current Czech Republic, before having another excellent meal at Suzi's Corner Restaurant.Today we spent three hours in the nearby Negara Zoo, where we had great fun especially with a 3 years old Orang utang and with some acrobatic gibbon apes, which arranged a special show to us.
Tonight I shall fly to Johannesburg but before that I can once again enjoy Carol's fantastic cooking.
Mostly very warm sunny days but one rainy too,with a very heavy thunder storm just above us.
I had bought the book at the Langkawi airport, and after reading it the most pages as well as the cover were loose. On Monday before my flight to KL I managed to change it at the airport's book store without any problems to another Mario Puzo's novel " The Sicilian".
My new friends John and Carol had invited me to visit them here in KL, and I delightfully had accepted it. In the first evening John took me to his private K Club, where I had a jolly good time with him and his many friends. Afterwards we had a marvellous dinner. Carol had prepared an excellent lamb dish for us , and we ate it all with some good red vine. Th next day John and another of his friends David took me to Genting Highlands. After one hours drive trough beautiful landscapes, we arrived to Asia's longest, 2,4 km cable car route up to the mountains, where the Genting casino world is. It took 12 minutes in small condola partly high over the rain forest to reach the top over the clouds. Yesterday noon we first visited with both John and Carol the Chinatown having a light lunch there with two jugs of Carsberg beer and later we went to Royal Selangor Pewter factory, where we could see
among other interesting things them making the Trophy of Formula 1 Grand Prix of Malaysia. Hopefully this will be brought to Finland by Kimi Raikkonen or Heikki Kovalainen on March 23. In the evening we had first some drinks at David's place, with his ex wife Eva ,originally from Brno in current Czech Republic, before having another excellent meal at Suzi's Corner Restaurant.Today we spent three hours in the nearby Negara Zoo, where we had great fun especially with a 3 years old Orang utang and with some acrobatic gibbon apes, which arranged a special show to us.
Tonight I shall fly to Johannesburg but before that I can once again enjoy Carol's fantastic cooking.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Langkawi, Malaysia
I have been here for some 10 days. Weather has mainly been very beautiful, except yesterday, when I had my maybe the sixth all-rainy-day during my whole trip, until now. Can you imagine it? The sun follows me principally everywhere I go. Over 330 days with 6 rainy ones!
Before leaving Penang I did walk to Fort Cornwallis in Georgetown, which was established by Captain Francis Light in 1786.
It was an interesting place with some historical documents in their gallery (former garrisons). It clearly explained how important a base here was for East-Indian Company that time and later.
It took almost three hours to get by bus and ferry from Georgetown to Kuoh, Langkawi. That day the low tide didn't allow direkt ferry connection. So I did have the change to cross the sreet to mainland trough the longest bridge in Asia ,over 13 km.
A couple of days later I was on a tour with six other people from Sweden, Germany and England. We went on a whole day speed boat trip
through exiting mangrowe rivers to a bat cove with its almost 1000 inhabitants, but peacefully sleeping, then to Langkawi-eagle feeding
having around us 30-40 beautifully majestic big birds, snapping from water with their nails peaces of chicken meat thrown to them.
Later before a bit late lunch we spent an hour bathing in crystal clear water on a lonely paradise island beach half an hour away from the coast, near the border of Thailand.
Later, at the Sunset Bar of the hotel Langasuka Resort, an English / Scottish couple, John and Carol in their 50's came to talk with me, and we had then and later many funny moments together before they left to Kuala Lumpur ,where they live since three years. However I shall meet them soon because they insisted me to visit them next week, before leaving to South Africa.
There was also several Finns here Pauli 54, engineer at Nokia company, with his wife Marianne, son, daughter with her boyfriend studying in KL too. And then a nice couple Antti and Anu both 28 and from Helsinki.
Well, I've been around here almost everywhere, visiting most impressive Pantai Kok Marina with luxury yachts from different parts of the world, and many international restaurants with absolutely moderate prices. Australian ribeye steak about
10 euros or good bottle of wine from anywhere some 15 to 30 euros.
Happy Hour beer 60 cents, or a drink one euro.
It is also clear now that shall return to Finland with a flight from Hamburg via Duesseldorf (How funny, but only 90 euros!) on April 1. after visiting some very dear old friends in Lueneburg, Luebeck and Bremen.
Before leaving Penang I did walk to Fort Cornwallis in Georgetown, which was established by Captain Francis Light in 1786.
It was an interesting place with some historical documents in their gallery (former garrisons). It clearly explained how important a base here was for East-Indian Company that time and later.
It took almost three hours to get by bus and ferry from Georgetown to Kuoh, Langkawi. That day the low tide didn't allow direkt ferry connection. So I did have the change to cross the sreet to mainland trough the longest bridge in Asia ,over 13 km.
A couple of days later I was on a tour with six other people from Sweden, Germany and England. We went on a whole day speed boat trip
through exiting mangrowe rivers to a bat cove with its almost 1000 inhabitants, but peacefully sleeping, then to Langkawi-eagle feeding
having around us 30-40 beautifully majestic big birds, snapping from water with their nails peaces of chicken meat thrown to them.
Later before a bit late lunch we spent an hour bathing in crystal clear water on a lonely paradise island beach half an hour away from the coast, near the border of Thailand.
Later, at the Sunset Bar of the hotel Langasuka Resort, an English / Scottish couple, John and Carol in their 50's came to talk with me, and we had then and later many funny moments together before they left to Kuala Lumpur ,where they live since three years. However I shall meet them soon because they insisted me to visit them next week, before leaving to South Africa.
There was also several Finns here Pauli 54, engineer at Nokia company, with his wife Marianne, son, daughter with her boyfriend studying in KL too. And then a nice couple Antti and Anu both 28 and from Helsinki.
Well, I've been around here almost everywhere, visiting most impressive Pantai Kok Marina with luxury yachts from different parts of the world, and many international restaurants with absolutely moderate prices. Australian ribeye steak about
10 euros or good bottle of wine from anywhere some 15 to 30 euros.
Happy Hour beer 60 cents, or a drink one euro.
It is also clear now that shall return to Finland with a flight from Hamburg via Duesseldorf (How funny, but only 90 euros!) on April 1. after visiting some very dear old friends in Lueneburg, Luebeck and Bremen.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
I spent last week at Holiday Inn resort on Batu Feringghi Beach before looking for more urban life in this old city. There was not too much to do except to enjoy sun or shade with good beer or tropical drinks at a nice pool bar, once again.
I found nice company already during the first day, fellow country citizens Toni 32 and Johanna 30, from Turku, Finland. I started to tell them all kind of experiences and jokes from their home town, but since happily laughing along with me, I started to like them. We had several evenings together and a lot of fun and good food. I also spent with or without them all the late hours until midnight at the Holiday Inn's lounge bar , where Rosa and Ron, from Pilippinas of course, played and sung very romantic music, and during the pauses she often sat with me telling her life story.
Now here except the night life, this is my really first active day. I have been walking on a hot day +33C for hours looking all around. This is still partly very colonial city with it's very strong influence from Chinese and Indian inhabitants.
Even plenty of new modern buildings, you still can find great areas here with the atmosphere of long bygone days. I then found an Indian restaurant after a long search, where two very cold Tiger beers tasted heavenly. Then this was the first internet place I've seen here, and decided to write my recent news.
Tomorrow I shall take a ferry to Langkawi, to stay there for three or four days.
I found nice company already during the first day, fellow country citizens Toni 32 and Johanna 30, from Turku, Finland. I started to tell them all kind of experiences and jokes from their home town, but since happily laughing along with me, I started to like them. We had several evenings together and a lot of fun and good food. I also spent with or without them all the late hours until midnight at the Holiday Inn's lounge bar , where Rosa and Ron, from Pilippinas of course, played and sung very romantic music, and during the pauses she often sat with me telling her life story.
Now here except the night life, this is my really first active day. I have been walking on a hot day +33C for hours looking all around. This is still partly very colonial city with it's very strong influence from Chinese and Indian inhabitants.
Even plenty of new modern buildings, you still can find great areas here with the atmosphere of long bygone days. I then found an Indian restaurant after a long search, where two very cold Tiger beers tasted heavenly. Then this was the first internet place I've seen here, and decided to write my recent news.
Tomorrow I shall take a ferry to Langkawi, to stay there for three or four days.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Borneo
It was a short flight to get there early yesterday morning. I was the only member of the group, and had a nice guide and car for myself alone all the day. I visited this world famous only less than 20 years old mosque, built by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanai Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, and the Royal Regalia. After prepaid very good lunch in one of the best hotels in town, The Orchid, we visited the interesting water village built on poles in the river hosting more than 35000 inhabitants.
The last but not the least impressive place was The Empire Hotel, some 18 km away from the town. Visitors from King of Sweden to many Hollywood celebrities have been the guests of that luxury hotel, a former palace.
Late in the evening I was back in Rumba my favorite place since Mexico. I got all necessary details of the band Fuego with Kolumbians Willman,Norella and Juan, Dana from Australia and Grace from Philippines.
Tonight I do not sleep, I soon hurry to the airport, and take an Air Asia flight to Penang leaving at 7am.
The last but not the least impressive place was The Empire Hotel, some 18 km away from the town. Visitors from King of Sweden to many Hollywood celebrities have been the guests of that luxury hotel, a former palace.
Late in the evening I was back in Rumba my favorite place since Mexico. I got all necessary details of the band Fuego with Kolumbians Willman,Norella and Juan, Dana from Australia and Grace from Philippines.
Tonight I do not sleep, I soon hurry to the airport, and take an Air Asia flight to Penang leaving at 7am.
Exploring Borneo's wildlife
Last Thursday I had booked a boat trip for Garama river to see those very strange Proboscis Monkeys in the deep jungle of the rainforest. This bignosed male person can only be found in Sabah. Well, we saw some but not near enough. The jungle river cruise with long-tailed quite aggressive macaques, one baby lizard plus beautiful birds was in a nice company worth of every penny. We were 2 Australians,2 Estonians, 2 Russians and me.
Early next morning I flew to Sandakan on the East coast of Sabah. After our flight our group of maybe 12 persons continued the voyage to Turtle Island by bus and by speed boat, arriving there early afternoon. Before that we had great fun watching ,when many macaques enjoyed jumpimg from high trees into the river and diving and swimming like Olympic Champions.We had a surprising good lunch, and then a marvellous time until sunset at the most beautiful beach, except some of us, who not much later decided to enjoy some good very cool Tiger beer in a shadowy place.
So I met German Thomas 43, his Russian/Peruvian wife Christina 40, their friend Rainer 28, from Germany too, and little later Jan 29, from Poland and his very pretty girl friend Alison 26, from San Diego, California. All of them working at time being in China in different companies. And we had a good time and dozens of Tigers! I enjoyed the company of Jan and Thomas very much, and there was no limit of issues to discuss.
We had to wait until midnight before the first turtle (95 x86) came to lay her eggs, 74 all together. The local rangers collected immediately those eggs to let them develope in safe place. I do not remember what that place was called. This turtle was a newcomer, it had not been marked before. Then we saw how rangers let 60 tiny turtles, not more than ten cm each , run into the ocean to grow up. Only three turtles came that night to lay their eggs, but almost 400 pieces of them.
Next morning we returned to mainland to see the Orang Utans, our second cousins 96,4%
human being, after the chimps 98%. Deep in the rainforest they have Sepilok Orang Utang Rehabilitation Centre, where young found ,maybe wounded creatures are healed and trained to the condition that they can return on their own to the jungle. In some cases it might take really long time. Those second cousins of us were so funny, if not just like anybody's neighbors, arguing and loving, so human. Orang Utan means "Man of the Forest".
Back in Kota Kinabalu and in "Rumba" of Le Meridien late in the evening with El Fuego.
Early next morning I flew to Sandakan on the East coast of Sabah. After our flight our group of maybe 12 persons continued the voyage to Turtle Island by bus and by speed boat, arriving there early afternoon. Before that we had great fun watching ,when many macaques enjoyed jumpimg from high trees into the river and diving and swimming like Olympic Champions.We had a surprising good lunch, and then a marvellous time until sunset at the most beautiful beach, except some of us, who not much later decided to enjoy some good very cool Tiger beer in a shadowy place.
So I met German Thomas 43, his Russian/Peruvian wife Christina 40, their friend Rainer 28, from Germany too, and little later Jan 29, from Poland and his very pretty girl friend Alison 26, from San Diego, California. All of them working at time being in China in different companies. And we had a good time and dozens of Tigers! I enjoyed the company of Jan and Thomas very much, and there was no limit of issues to discuss.
We had to wait until midnight before the first turtle (95 x86) came to lay her eggs, 74 all together. The local rangers collected immediately those eggs to let them develope in safe place. I do not remember what that place was called. This turtle was a newcomer, it had not been marked before. Then we saw how rangers let 60 tiny turtles, not more than ten cm each , run into the ocean to grow up. Only three turtles came that night to lay their eggs, but almost 400 pieces of them.
Next morning we returned to mainland to see the Orang Utans, our second cousins 96,4%
human being, after the chimps 98%. Deep in the rainforest they have Sepilok Orang Utang Rehabilitation Centre, where young found ,maybe wounded creatures are healed and trained to the condition that they can return on their own to the jungle. In some cases it might take really long time. Those second cousins of us were so funny, if not just like anybody's neighbors, arguing and loving, so human. Orang Utan means "Man of the Forest".
Back in Kota Kinabalu and in "Rumba" of Le Meridien late in the evening with El Fuego.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo
Some days ago still in Siem Reap in Cambodia, I had a very nice last evening. In my favorit French restaurant Le Tigre de Papier I met a young Finnish couple Ville-Veikko and Liisa Pitkanen both 28 with their son Luukas 2, living in Phnon Penh for time being. They invited me to join them next morning to some excursion,but unfortunately I by then was on my fligth to the South.Later that evening I routineously went to Angkor What? bar, and met Jeff 38,from Alaska. I just now forgot from where he originally was in U.S., but he anyhow has an interesting style of life. He is working in hard conditions for four months a year, and then travelling for 8 months especially in Southeast Asia and South America, where he can get a good value for his earned dollars. We had several drinks and a good chat together.
The following very early morning I was on my way via Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Borneo. I did not have a slightest idea in which kind of jungle village I am going to arrive. My surprise could not have been bigger, when I found myself in a modern and very pleasant city of maybe 100,000 inhabitants. I got a very good hotel Radius International in the heart of the city, next to Le Meridien.
I soon also found my favorit places to visit at the water front. And of course with my good luck I yesterday ( by the way the first day of the Chinese New Year, the Rat's year ) was invited as a first guest to arrive to an opening of new Pirate's Bar with some benefits. This is a quite large seafood restaurant with a long bar table and very elegantly decorated, owned by an Englishman Nick 51.
In the evening I went to Le Meridien to have a dinner there, and to listen in Rumba night club beautiful Latin American music performed by Fuego (Fire), an international band of five,three ladies and 2 gentlemen. I got the best table, and enjoyed their music 100%, and talked later with most of the members a lot in English but Spanish too.
Now today I start to explore the jungle of Borneo, and shall report of that later.
The following very early morning I was on my way via Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Borneo. I did not have a slightest idea in which kind of jungle village I am going to arrive. My surprise could not have been bigger, when I found myself in a modern and very pleasant city of maybe 100,000 inhabitants. I got a very good hotel Radius International in the heart of the city, next to Le Meridien.
I soon also found my favorit places to visit at the water front. And of course with my good luck I yesterday ( by the way the first day of the Chinese New Year, the Rat's year ) was invited as a first guest to arrive to an opening of new Pirate's Bar with some benefits. This is a quite large seafood restaurant with a long bar table and very elegantly decorated, owned by an Englishman Nick 51.
In the evening I went to Le Meridien to have a dinner there, and to listen in Rumba night club beautiful Latin American music performed by Fuego (Fire), an international band of five,three ladies and 2 gentlemen. I got the best table, and enjoyed their music 100%, and talked later with most of the members a lot in English but Spanish too.
Now today I start to explore the jungle of Borneo, and shall report of that later.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
I stayed in Pakse, Laos for a couple of days doing practically nothing. Just walking, stopping sometimes for drinks, and that was all.
Early in Friday morning I flew to Siem Reap to see the famous Angkor Wat temples.
I got here a very good Angkor Holiday Hotel, and spent my first day strolling around in the city. In a cozy bar I saw two very nice Aussie girls, chicks from Sydney,who I already had met on the way by Tuk Tuk to the Pakse airport, when our vehicle just run out of gasolin five meters from a gasolin station. What a convenient luck!
I joined Georgie and Alanna, both 21. Later I invited them to join me next day to Angkor Wat and other temples and palacies, having already agreed in a whole day tour with a private car. Yesterday they arrived in good time to my hotel lobby, and at exactly 10 o'clock a nice Camry picked us up. We had a marvellous but hot day.
Our first destination was Angkor Wat. Angkor means capital or holy city. This huge area is only seven kilometers from Siem Reap, and we spent there two hours walking trough and around those magnificent temples. This breathtaking massive pyramid with five lotuslike towers was constractated around mid 12th century a.d.
We then had a nice lunch in a little but good local restaurant, to where our driver brought us. After one hour we continued to Ta Prohm, where huge fig and silk-cotton trees are like massive snakes in and on and around those temples giving a misterious
jungle atmosphere. Later we passed Ta Keo and some other temples before stopping for our final destination , the last capital of Angkorian empire, the Angkor Thom.
We all, espcially me, were exhausted but happy, having had an awesome day in incredible surroundings.
In the evening I took a one-dollar-ride with a Tuk Tuk to so called Pub street, where
all the life is at the night time. There I met Laura and Graig both 23 from Birmingham, England, and had a nice chat. They were travelling for five months in Far East. I finished my evening having excellent Mediterranean snack Corsica charcuterie with some good red wine in Le Tigre de Papier, French restaurant. Before
I made a must visit to the first after war bar Angkor What?, for a couple of drinks.
Early in Friday morning I flew to Siem Reap to see the famous Angkor Wat temples.
I got here a very good Angkor Holiday Hotel, and spent my first day strolling around in the city. In a cozy bar I saw two very nice Aussie girls, chicks from Sydney,who I already had met on the way by Tuk Tuk to the Pakse airport, when our vehicle just run out of gasolin five meters from a gasolin station. What a convenient luck!
I joined Georgie and Alanna, both 21. Later I invited them to join me next day to Angkor Wat and other temples and palacies, having already agreed in a whole day tour with a private car. Yesterday they arrived in good time to my hotel lobby, and at exactly 10 o'clock a nice Camry picked us up. We had a marvellous but hot day.
Our first destination was Angkor Wat. Angkor means capital or holy city. This huge area is only seven kilometers from Siem Reap, and we spent there two hours walking trough and around those magnificent temples. This breathtaking massive pyramid with five lotuslike towers was constractated around mid 12th century a.d.
We then had a nice lunch in a little but good local restaurant, to where our driver brought us. After one hour we continued to Ta Prohm, where huge fig and silk-cotton trees are like massive snakes in and on and around those temples giving a misterious
jungle atmosphere. Later we passed Ta Keo and some other temples before stopping for our final destination , the last capital of Angkorian empire, the Angkor Thom.
We all, espcially me, were exhausted but happy, having had an awesome day in incredible surroundings.
In the evening I took a one-dollar-ride with a Tuk Tuk to so called Pub street, where
all the life is at the night time. There I met Laura and Graig both 23 from Birmingham, England, and had a nice chat. They were travelling for five months in Far East. I finished my evening having excellent Mediterranean snack Corsica charcuterie with some good red wine in Le Tigre de Papier, French restaurant. Before
I made a must visit to the first after war bar Angkor What?, for a couple of drinks.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Vientiane ,Laos
The bus trip of 10 hours from Luang Prabang was most interesting and filled up with breathtaking sceneries high in the mountains and in deep valleys with rivers and rapids. We sometimes passed beautiful villages, which probably have been looking quite the same for centuries. We stopped somewhere and the the village people were as curious of us as we of them.
Next day I started to explore Vientiane, and found it quite pleasant and friendly city. However much more international than I did expect. After a few hours walking I stopped at a nice looking terrasse of Lotus resturant for some drink to find out that at the next table were sitting and writing postcards my fellow counrtry men Kari 43 and Minna 38 from Helsinki. I had not been talking with anybody for a couple of days, and with the help of new drinks I became very talkative and interupted their writings probably too many times. Later back in my hotel's garden bar, there came in two young American fellows from Arizona James 23 and Luke 22. I already had met James briefly earlier that day, so they joined me for some beers. They both were English teachers in Nanjing, China, working there for the Chinese government with one year's contract.Later that evening after looking the Tennis final from Australian Open in Melbourne,I decided to go to a nice looking Italia restaurant, which I had passsed earlier, L'Opera. I took a tuk tuk to there and had an excellent dinner penne with mozzarella and porcini. I also loved to hear them playing Luciano Pavarotti and asked them to play the cd louder. They did it and I became a friend with Giancarlo Pozzoli, the owner of the ristorante. He was a deep Pavarotti fan, and in his opinion there never was anybody to be compared with the late singer.
We did have a nice chat, and I did also like the marvellous house wine from Italy
of couse. Yesterday I first met Steven around 45,from Kent, England and his local Thai wife Mod. We sat together a couple of hours, and now I was mostly listening.
Later at another terrasse I met Johnny 58, an extraordinary character, born in Pakistan as a son of Irish missionar. He had no home and had been travelling all the world since he was 20. Everything he owned was two pairs of shoes, two pairs of trousers and two shirts. I did not quite understand, how he did manage everything, living in hotels, eating, drinking, giving money to beggars etc. He never had worked
anything. He started to buy drinks for me and I did then do the same.We spent all the evening together, moving to different places. He had been in Vientiane for three months, and knew the city well. In his opinion I was the most interesting man he had met in long time. So we had a lot fun with philosophical discussions, and departed around midnight. I did not as you can see have any time to study deeper the local culture, but at least I did visit in Luang Prabang The National Museum, former Royal Palace. Tonight I'll have an all-night bus ride to Pakse.
Next day I started to explore Vientiane, and found it quite pleasant and friendly city. However much more international than I did expect. After a few hours walking I stopped at a nice looking terrasse of Lotus resturant for some drink to find out that at the next table were sitting and writing postcards my fellow counrtry men Kari 43 and Minna 38 from Helsinki. I had not been talking with anybody for a couple of days, and with the help of new drinks I became very talkative and interupted their writings probably too many times. Later back in my hotel's garden bar, there came in two young American fellows from Arizona James 23 and Luke 22. I already had met James briefly earlier that day, so they joined me for some beers. They both were English teachers in Nanjing, China, working there for the Chinese government with one year's contract.Later that evening after looking the Tennis final from Australian Open in Melbourne,I decided to go to a nice looking Italia restaurant, which I had passsed earlier, L'Opera. I took a tuk tuk to there and had an excellent dinner penne with mozzarella and porcini. I also loved to hear them playing Luciano Pavarotti and asked them to play the cd louder. They did it and I became a friend with Giancarlo Pozzoli, the owner of the ristorante. He was a deep Pavarotti fan, and in his opinion there never was anybody to be compared with the late singer.
We did have a nice chat, and I did also like the marvellous house wine from Italy
of couse. Yesterday I first met Steven around 45,from Kent, England and his local Thai wife Mod. We sat together a couple of hours, and now I was mostly listening.
Later at another terrasse I met Johnny 58, an extraordinary character, born in Pakistan as a son of Irish missionar. He had no home and had been travelling all the world since he was 20. Everything he owned was two pairs of shoes, two pairs of trousers and two shirts. I did not quite understand, how he did manage everything, living in hotels, eating, drinking, giving money to beggars etc. He never had worked
anything. He started to buy drinks for me and I did then do the same.We spent all the evening together, moving to different places. He had been in Vientiane for three months, and knew the city well. In his opinion I was the most interesting man he had met in long time. So we had a lot fun with philosophical discussions, and departed around midnight. I did not as you can see have any time to study deeper the local culture, but at least I did visit in Luang Prabang The National Museum, former Royal Palace. Tonight I'll have an all-night bus ride to Pakse.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Luang Prabang, Laos
I have been here for four days , and did have in this very pleasant town a good time
like almost always during last ten months.This place is also in World Heritage program, and I can very well understand it. I have not been busy at all and mostly keeping company by myself. Yesterday evening I however met very nice Australian honeymooners
from Sydney, Allan and Ellen both 28, and we had a interesting chat for a while in my favourit garden bar just opposite to my guest house. Later some younger gentlemen from
Scotland,Holland and Sweden joined me for couple of beers at open fire place there.
The weather has also been most pleasant all the time, maybe some 25 degrees in centigrades. And I must mention again that of all over 300 hundred days on this trip
only three or four partly rainy days until now!
Tomorrow a long bus ride to Vientiane.
like almost always during last ten months.This place is also in World Heritage program, and I can very well understand it. I have not been busy at all and mostly keeping company by myself. Yesterday evening I however met very nice Australian honeymooners
from Sydney, Allan and Ellen both 28, and we had a interesting chat for a while in my favourit garden bar just opposite to my guest house. Later some younger gentlemen from
Scotland,Holland and Sweden joined me for couple of beers at open fire place there.
The weather has also been most pleasant all the time, maybe some 25 degrees in centigrades. And I must mention again that of all over 300 hundred days on this trip
only three or four partly rainy days until now!
Tomorrow a long bus ride to Vientiane.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Bangkok, Thailand
I really did not intend to visit Bangkok on this trip. However my schedule and flight connections brought me here for two nights. My last visit to Bangkok was ten years ago, and due the big traffic problems then, I thought that it should be my last one too, even having so much fun especially during 70's and 80's here.
Now to my big surprise, even douple so much vehicles in traffic, everything seems to be organised. New highways and flyovers. Not too bad at all! I got a small but clean
and nice room with TV and mnibar including Singha beer,Mekong whisky etc. in the heart of Bangkok just a few steps away from Patpong night life district. Well, this is something after the boring lonely evenings in Myanmar.
I must say that there is a difference of everything at least of 30 years between these two neighboring countries. At least all those places I recently did visit in Thailand are wealthy compared with Myanmar. However the atmosphere in Myanmar was mainly very positive, when working and waiting for better times.
Tomorrow I continue my trip to Luang Prabang in Laos.
Now to my big surprise, even douple so much vehicles in traffic, everything seems to be organised. New highways and flyovers. Not too bad at all! I got a small but clean
and nice room with TV and mnibar including Singha beer,Mekong whisky etc. in the heart of Bangkok just a few steps away from Patpong night life district. Well, this is something after the boring lonely evenings in Myanmar.
I must say that there is a difference of everything at least of 30 years between these two neighboring countries. At least all those places I recently did visit in Thailand are wealthy compared with Myanmar. However the atmosphere in Myanmar was mainly very positive, when working and waiting for better times.
Tomorrow I continue my trip to Luang Prabang in Laos.
Bagan, Myanmar
I am sitting on my veranda at Thande Hotel's garden, sipping slowly pretty good Tiger beer, and looking down to Ayeyarwaddy river.I can't say to which direction the river flows,the stream is so lazy and those passing-by-boats seem to have the same slow speed to both ways. The river is very wide, several hundred meters,but probably
not very deep. Behind the river,maybe one mile away, is a a row of mountains with some pagodas against the clear blue sky. On the riverbank six old time ox carts are rolling forwards to the nearby market place, bringing fresh vegetables.Each load is huge needing two strong bulls, especially because there is no road just a route.
And many butterflies around. This view is most relaxing and very enjoyable. I can see everything at least one mile away to the North and to the South. I sat there for hours thinking the past and the future, only 66 days left of my journey of one year.
Bagan is the ancient capital of the first dynasty of Burma. This culture florished during 11th-13th century A.D.
Today there are more than 2000 pagodas and temples still left in relative small area
from that period.
not very deep. Behind the river,maybe one mile away, is a a row of mountains with some pagodas against the clear blue sky. On the riverbank six old time ox carts are rolling forwards to the nearby market place, bringing fresh vegetables.Each load is huge needing two strong bulls, especially because there is no road just a route.
And many butterflies around. This view is most relaxing and very enjoyable. I can see everything at least one mile away to the North and to the South. I sat there for hours thinking the past and the future, only 66 days left of my journey of one year.
Bagan is the ancient capital of the first dynasty of Burma. This culture florished during 11th-13th century A.D.
Today there are more than 2000 pagodas and temples still left in relative small area
from that period.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Mandalay, Myanmar
Mandalay is 668 km north from Yangon, and a very busy as well as very polluted city like Yangon too. My first reaction after my arrival to Myanmar was the quality of the air, visibility about two kilometers and a clear sky. You first thought you cannot breath this air. The green leaves of the trees are actually gray of dust, and seemingly many trees are not feeling well. I am mostly alone among Burmese people.
I have only seen very few foreigners, German, French and Japanese citizens.
I yesterday agreed with Yeye 36, a taxi driver that he could show me Mandalay and surroundings yesterday and today for about US$50. He did his best, and I did enjoy not just a city sightseeing but a lot more. Like Mandalay Hill, even with poor visibility, tens of magnificent mainly golden Pagodas, like those of Mahamuni, Kuthodaw and Kyauktawgyi among others. I was quite disappointed with the Royal Palace of the last dynasty. An empty museum
surrounded by a huge garden in critical condition. Also the cars here are mostly very old and in a shape, which could not be acceptable in any Western countries. The local special
transporter is a Chinese tractor motor without any hood with locally built freight levels, and somehow installed four wheels. Yeye had a Toyota Corolla, maybe 20 years old but much better than most other vehicles on the streets, and could even reach 60 km/h, which was a racer speed in those streets and roads. I was a little concerned about my stomach, but everything went well, and I could also enjoy the good local Myanmar Beer as well as pretty good food with very reasonable prices. Tomorrow I will continue to Bagan.
I have only seen very few foreigners, German, French and Japanese citizens.
I yesterday agreed with Yeye 36, a taxi driver that he could show me Mandalay and surroundings yesterday and today for about US$50. He did his best, and I did enjoy not just a city sightseeing but a lot more. Like Mandalay Hill, even with poor visibility, tens of magnificent mainly golden Pagodas, like those of Mahamuni, Kuthodaw and Kyauktawgyi among others. I was quite disappointed with the Royal Palace of the last dynasty. An empty museum
surrounded by a huge garden in critical condition. Also the cars here are mostly very old and in a shape, which could not be acceptable in any Western countries. The local special
transporter is a Chinese tractor motor without any hood with locally built freight levels, and somehow installed four wheels. Yeye had a Toyota Corolla, maybe 20 years old but much better than most other vehicles on the streets, and could even reach 60 km/h, which was a racer speed in those streets and roads. I was a little concerned about my stomach, but everything went well, and I could also enjoy the good local Myanmar Beer as well as pretty good food with very reasonable prices. Tomorrow I will continue to Bagan.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Tiger and I, Yangon,Myanmar
The last day in Hong Kong was a bit lonely after having so good fun with my sons and their girl friends,who already left early in that morning.I had tried to reach my very old friend Mr.Fraser Simpson but he supposed to arrive from U.K.the day after my departure.I went to look at HMV for some old American Jazzy music and did spend exactly HK$1000.for Julie London,Dick Haymes ,Jo Stafford.Paul Anka(his easy listening music)etc.before having some vine at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile Executive Lounge.There i had part time company ,when not busy.of Miss Sandy Yip.the most charming and very helpful young lady of 24,Guest Relations Officer,who in my opinion,took care of me during our stay as a special guest.
Vey best regards to her,who did not like to hear that this visit in Hong Kong was probably my last,as I there have been there for over 50 times.
I had a midnight flight to Bangkok,and saved some money sleeping on a bench or actunlly on two pairs of chairs at the airport for five hours before checking in to my flight to Yangon.
Here was waiting the best hotel I have been in a long time.I can recommend to anybody the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel,in a beautiful garden at lakeside with excellent and perfect friendly service.
So,the Tiger or actually a female one,a Tigress.I had yesterday nothing better to do,so I visited the zoo.There were many interesting things ,but the gage of two beautiful Bengali Tigers interested me especially.A couple I guess.They were laying in the shadow under a tree until I came to the fence.The male did not react at all but she jumped up very energic and came to me,a distance about 1.2 meters.Then,she put her whole body over two meters against the poles of the gage but having a very friendly look at me.The local people were starring at us.What was going on? Did she plan to have me as a present to her husband for lunch or did she want to have a new love?When I moved two meters she followed me and sat down when I stopped.This did go on and on.And more and more locals appeared to look this show .At least fifty people were there.But,I was her only interest .She did not care of those other people but followed me just as near as possible.Very tame and very loving,I guess.A beautiful romance with a such a beautiful animal.
Later that day,I met Frank 44 from Limburg,Germany who had travelled a lot in these countries but else where too,and I got some very good advices.Today before noon I visited on incredible Pagoda of Shwedagon,over 2500 years old partly at least. A fantastic experience of over 1000 Buddhas, tons of gold and jewels in a not so rich but quite happy country anyway. I do not like to have any political comments .it's not my business and I don't know local circumstances. I only know that the people here are very very nice and helpful.Tomorrow morning ,awful early I shall fly to Mandalay.
Vey best regards to her,who did not like to hear that this visit in Hong Kong was probably my last,as I there have been there for over 50 times.
I had a midnight flight to Bangkok,and saved some money sleeping on a bench or actunlly on two pairs of chairs at the airport for five hours before checking in to my flight to Yangon.
Here was waiting the best hotel I have been in a long time.I can recommend to anybody the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel,in a beautiful garden at lakeside with excellent and perfect friendly service.
So,the Tiger or actually a female one,a Tigress.I had yesterday nothing better to do,so I visited the zoo.There were many interesting things ,but the gage of two beautiful Bengali Tigers interested me especially.A couple I guess.They were laying in the shadow under a tree until I came to the fence.The male did not react at all but she jumped up very energic and came to me,a distance about 1.2 meters.Then,she put her whole body over two meters against the poles of the gage but having a very friendly look at me.The local people were starring at us.What was going on? Did she plan to have me as a present to her husband for lunch or did she want to have a new love?When I moved two meters she followed me and sat down when I stopped.This did go on and on.And more and more locals appeared to look this show .At least fifty people were there.But,I was her only interest .She did not care of those other people but followed me just as near as possible.Very tame and very loving,I guess.A beautiful romance with a such a beautiful animal.
Later that day,I met Frank 44 from Limburg,Germany who had travelled a lot in these countries but else where too,and I got some very good advices.Today before noon I visited on incredible Pagoda of Shwedagon,over 2500 years old partly at least. A fantastic experience of over 1000 Buddhas, tons of gold and jewels in a not so rich but quite happy country anyway. I do not like to have any political comments .it's not my business and I don't know local circumstances. I only know that the people here are very very nice and helpful.Tomorrow morning ,awful early I shall fly to Mandalay.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Meeting my sons in Hong Kong and Macao, China
Last Sunday was the day I had waited so long.I would have the possibility to meet my both sons with their girl friends after so many months again. We really had here in Hong Kong a family reunion. Kristian 25 and Anna 25 had already arrived here, when I came, Tomas 22 and Annika 21 landed four hours later. These moments were incredible.
They all had already earlier decided to visit Macao next day, and asked me to join them.I told ,I would like to do it, but I first have to try to get a visa for Myanmar and they might need my passport. So it was but I got my passport back at 3pm,
and we then continued to Macao with a fast ferry after I had shown them some interesting spots in Victoria including my old special place Captain's Bar at Mandarin Oriental Hotel.There I especially during 70's until mid 80's spent for sure a couple hundred of evenings with local and visiting friends. The Philippino house band always remembered me with the song "Welcome back Matti,welcome..."
So, Macao was very nice and wealthy with it's luxory casinos and half of a million inhabitants. I still could remember the tiny and very poor fisherman's village kind of town 35 years ago.
But I must say that I also very much enjoy Hong Kong which some time ago was like another home for me, after visiting it more than 50 times, even for weeks in 70's.In two days time this delightful visit here is over, amd we all part to different directions.Who knows, if I ever come back here anymore.
They all had already earlier decided to visit Macao next day, and asked me to join them.I told ,I would like to do it, but I first have to try to get a visa for Myanmar and they might need my passport. So it was but I got my passport back at 3pm,
and we then continued to Macao with a fast ferry after I had shown them some interesting spots in Victoria including my old special place Captain's Bar at Mandarin Oriental Hotel.There I especially during 70's until mid 80's spent for sure a couple hundred of evenings with local and visiting friends. The Philippino house band always remembered me with the song "Welcome back Matti,welcome..."
So, Macao was very nice and wealthy with it's luxory casinos and half of a million inhabitants. I still could remember the tiny and very poor fisherman's village kind of town 35 years ago.
But I must say that I also very much enjoy Hong Kong which some time ago was like another home for me, after visiting it more than 50 times, even for weeks in 70's.In two days time this delightful visit here is over, amd we all part to different directions.Who knows, if I ever come back here anymore.
Meeting an old buddy in Pattaya, Thailand
Just sitting in a street bar looking the people walking by, I suddenly discovered a familiar face among them.I shouted after him, and he immediately joined me like we have done so many times in our own home town Helsinki, where we just have the same favourit places.Mr. Esko Vayrynen and me explored then during two days the whole bar world and most night clubs of Pattaya actively.We had a lot of fun too.
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