Once again on Koh Samui in Thailand

A couple of weeks ago I got a permission to fly again. I had an unused ticket from
Bangkok to Helsinki, so I bought a ticket to Bangkok on Dec.7 and further to Samui, where I have spent vacations almost annually since 1997. 12 hours from Berlin to Bangkok went very well. My neighbor was a pretty lady from Brisbane, Australia, Nicole, who had been working with a project in Berlin for 18 months and was now on a way back home. Do not ask me, but we really had a nice chat. The rest of the time, 5 hours, I did sleep.
I got a 4 star hotel here on hillside, Best Western Samui Bayview Resort& Spa. I have
spent days at one of the fantastic pools with magnificent views or at the Chaweng or Lamai beaches. Evenings then in good restaurants and amusant bars in respective places. So, two weeks easy, romantic and enjoyable moments in a paradise.
I will be back in Helsinki around midnight on Dec.21.
Happy Xmas to everybody!

Bad luck!

I should be now cruising in Mexico, but sometimes the devil puts his fingers in somebody's life, and nothing goes as planned.Last Friday a few hours before my flight to Los Angeles, the doctors found out that I had pneumonia as well as problems with my heart like 18 months ago. So it was a strick no to all my travelling plans for the time being. I do not know when flying will be allowed to me again, but it will take months anyway.

The Black Sea

Day after Victor's death I flew to Istambul to start a cruise at the Black Sea.That was my seventh time onboard M/S "Kristina Regina", a tiny 50 years old Finnish cruise ship with only 200 passengers. I had some friends there from the Finnish Club of Helsinki. So I knew that I will have an enjoyable week there. Well, I had been in Istambul 40 years ago, but the change was huge. It once was a mystical city of the Orient, now a modern and very European metropol. Next day we spent in very beautiful city in Bulgaria, Nessebar. Maybe sometimes in future I could spend even one week there. Romania's Constanta had really nothing to offer, but our next visit was to Ukrania's Odessa. Odessa really is the pearl of the Black Sea like they sing in a famous song. It was amaizingly beautiful with many parks and finely restored buildings from 19th century, and boulevard cafes like in Paris or Madrid. The main architec had been a French political refugee, a certain Mr.Richelieu, whose greatgrandfather was the real ruler of France during 17th century, cardinal Richelieu.After Odessa we visited Jalta and the palace of Nikolay II, where Roosewelt, Stalin and Churchill decided in 1945 the new borders of Europe. So Europe was devided for 45 years.
Last two cities in Turkey , Sinop and Trabzon were less interesting.
But in two weeks time I shall have another cruise elsewhere, and a trip of two months.

Victor is flying now in dog's heaven , I am heading to Istambul

Yesterday my best friend, the little dog Victor was brought to clinics for his long and last sleep. My son Tomas took care of it because I absolutely had no power. During last days a lot of friends here around have been mourning with me because of the end of his living days.This beautiful, charmant and intelligent dog won so many good friends for him, but for me too. Not to mention the ladies.
Today later I am going to fly to Istambul, for a cruise at Black Sea. The ship "Kristina Regina" is going to visit harbours in Turkey, Ukraine, Roumania and Bulgaria.

My dog is dying, can I survive?

I today got from one of the best clinics of dogs the terrible news, that my lovable little and best friend of 11 years is going to die in few weeks, or even days time due a lung cancer. Nothing cannot be done. I am devastated to loose my little Bison Frise "Victor" or Viki after so many good years together. We have been a nice couple for so long time, and we did plan many of our daily programs together with pretty ladies.
I have cancelled all my festivisities due this, and do not know how to survive myself because of this. And how could I know when should I make a decission to finish his pain. It might be soon.




end

Surprising visit

Day before yesterday I had invited my son Tomas to have dinner with me at my place.
One hour earlier he called, asking if he can bring a young lady with him. Knowing his very good taste, I did agree immediately. He then added that I know this young woman, and her name is Lucy. I quite did not understand, before he said that I had met Lucy two years earlier in Antiqua in Guatemala. That was interesting! He then soon arrived with a very pretty and charming lady. Lucy told me that we met in my favourit latin bar
down there,and I had asked her to contact me if ever in Helsinki.And there she was now.
She had tried to find me trough Face book, but found instead my son Tomas. She had been here already for some days staying with him and visiting his friends on the country cottages. They seem to get along very well,Lucy being 24, just one week younger than him. She is native from Michigan, whose greatgreat grandparents came early last century from Finland.I also earlier have met several very pretty girls from Michigan with Finnish ancestors.
Well,we had an enjoyable evening, and I hope to see her again, before she leaves Finland.

Terrace life

The Summer here has been just lazy comfortable life with my dog.Strolling daily from a terrace bar to another makes fun, when a sunny day. Although I have been on the wagon volontarily for quite a while.
A couple of weeks ago I got visitors from Australia, my long-time friends David and Denise Maxwell from Gold Coast did stay in Helsinki for three nights. I had planned a plenty of program for them, but after a dinner with my sons Kristian and Tomas,and a beautiful day on Hästö island about 50 km westwards from Helsinki, where Risto and Tuuti Keinonen hosted us marvellously, David decided (even retired) to start to work with his former business friends. They moved to Lahti, and I have not seen them since.
Poor Denise! For David the only sense of life is work ( business). A vacation is for him boring and total vaste of time.
Now I have started to book new adventures. In Sept./Oct. I shall be cruising at Black Sea for seven nigths visiting harbours in four countries. And later on Oct.24 I'll fly to Los Angeles to start once again a trip around the world with a Singles Cruise with "Mariner of the Seas" of Royal Caribbean, for one week at Mexican Riviera.
When back in L.A. I'll continue to Singapore for three days. After that everything will be kept open exept that I shall be back in Finland a couple of days before Christmas.

Visiting Tallinn, Estonia

Last week I got reports from the doctor considering my health. As I have not been living according doctors orders, I was very surprised to be in a better condition than ever since my heart failure 14 months ago. Next checking sometimes next year.
So I decided to make a short visit to Tallinn, first to have a nice lunch with my dear friends Sigrid and Kadri, secondly to buy some booze cheaper than here in Finland, like vodka , scotch and cognac for home, and third to have a nice boat trip with friends if possible.
A friend of mine Ossi Mikkola had made a reservation for four persons at 4 euros each to both direccions total, but could not make the it just that day, last Wednesday.
However two other friends Caius Karske, an old friend from our navy days, almost 50 years ago and a visitor from New York Jaakko Marttinen, a former Finnish National Icehockey Team player joined me. We then enjoyed the drinks of Viking Xpress and were
2,5 hours later in harbour of Tallinn, where the ladies picked us up. Caius had his own program, but Jaakko and I enjoyed our company and excellent meal for three hours before we had to return to the boat. I bought everything I needed, and soon we were onboard, met Caius, had some drinks and were in Helsinki again. The whole journey from home to home took just 11 hours.

Benalmadena, Spain

It is already two weeks I returned from Spain. I spent eight beautiful days down there
at Costa del Sol but actually did have a boring week. Only in the first evening I had some fun when singing at the Alay Hotel bar Finnish serenades to twelve Irish lady golfers,who unfortunately left early next morning.
Some days later I met an old Finnish friend Pauli Nikkanen, who has been living there since his retirement three years ago. Yes, we had fun, but all other people living at Costa del Sol, which I know, had already returned to Finland for summer season.
I did sometimes walk a lot, as an example from Benalmadena Marina to Torremolinos and
back, but most of the time I found some nice tables at the beach to enjoy the view and living sceneries too, with quite unexpensive drinks.

Leaving for Malaga, Spain

I have not been in the mood to write anything for a long time even there has been many nice moments in my life recently. Maybe I'll tell about things later,when there is a right time. On the other hand I have been quite depressed mostly due too many drinks too often.
Yesterday I went with many friends from Finnish Club to Kotka, a harbour city 100 miles east from Helsinki by an old passenger ship from 1940 "Kristina Brahe", to visit the new maritime museum "Wellamo". It really was a nice day in Finnish archipelago
with good company and drinks. I can feel it now but not too badly.
Later today I'll fly to Malaga, which is one of my favourit cities due so many memories
long ago in sixties, but later too. This time I booked a sea wiew room in Alay Hotel at Benalmadena marina for seven nights.I hope you'll wish me a pleasant trip.

Bachelor life

Last Thursday I had agreed to meet a lady at Storyville Jazz Club. Actually it was not a date. We had met some days earlier for a few moments after a long time. And it was her suggestion to meet perhaps, but not a promise. I don't like to mention her name or anything, exept that we used to know each other before we both were married. I knew trough friends that she had lost her husband a couple a years ago, and I actually wanted to contact her, but did not, until we accidentally met. Even years had gone by, she did not look a day older. Anyhow she did arrive, and we spent three hours together before she had to leave to prepare herselves for a family meeting party next day. Well, for her the main reason to meet me that evening at Storyville, was to listen a popular entertainer Maria Lund, a very beautiful young singer. That did suit to me very well as I had seen her only in TV before. I had met her late mother Tamara Lund,an opera singer, just one year younger than me, years before. After her show Maria stayed with her friends at the club, and I got the possibility to tell Maria about my very short but funny meeting with her mother. She hugged me, and said that was exactly like her mother used to be.
Later then I moved to the bar upstairs to be involved with talks with a dark haired and good looking Raija, with whom I sat a couple of hours to listen her life story, and brought her to her home door, the same house where Illuusia lives.
On Friday I called to some friends of mine, and we a bunch of guys met late afternoon at Elite bar, from were a good friend Kari and me did move around midnight to a Bavarian type beerhole Rymy-Eetu and later to the opposite side of the street, to a latin place Cuba, where we as older ones with dark suits were greeted extremely politely. We had a couple of thoughts that our persons might have been mistaken,
but it did not disturb us at all.
Well, tonight I closed the doors of the neighborhood bar Kiiski together with a young rock singer Katarina 26, a new friend, with my namesake Matti 35 and my dog Viki 11.
So, I am now listening Dinah Washington and Nat Cole with good Captain Morgan Jamaica Rum before retiring.

Back home again in good company

Last Saturday evening my son Tomas picked me up from the airport at around 10pm. Instead bringing me home directly, he wanted to show me our company's new office and showroom with all the facilities. I was quite impressed. Then afterwards having left my luggage home, I found my thirsty throut in company of other young ones in my favorit pub "Kiiski". Soon Illuusia came to me and wanted to introduce her boy friend to me. They then left but my namesake Matti,35, a gallery owner asked me to join their company to play something. The other two were Nina and Kaisa, both 20 and very pretty too, of course. Around 3am we were talking if we should continue the party at my place but one of the girls wanted to retire, and I must say that after a long flight I was pretty tired too, and we departed.

Luxor, Suez, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan

On Saturday,March 14. our charter flight of 200 passengers arrived to the modern airport of Sharm El Sheikh at Red Sea to start cruising with the nostalgic ( built 1960)and only passenger ship m/s Kristina Regina under Finnish flag on international waters.That was my fift time on board of this vessel.
During the night our ship sailed to Safaga, from where three busses took us very early next morning for a four hours ride to Luxor. The bus trip was very interesting with very changing landscapes and traditionally dressed bedouins with camels and donkeys.But most interesting of course were The Valley of the Kings,where we visited three amazing tombs of Pharaos, all Ramseses no:s I,VI and IX, I think, built about 3500 years ago. After Queen Hatsepsuts restored Terrace temple we crossed the Nile with small boats to have a very good lunch at five star Steigenberger Hotel at 3pm. Then later we visited for two hours the incredible, huge Karnak Temple built also around 1500 B.C. Back aboard at 9.30 for cold beers and late dinner.
Next day we were already in Aqaba, Jordan, from were most passengers went for another long trip to Petra. I had been there with my family and some friends already 10 years ago, when only a few tourists visited it. Instead I did study Aqaba, where at Ali Baba Restaurant I had an exellent lamb lunch and a beer 0.5l. The lunch did cost around 5 euros as well as the beer too.
On Thursday we arrived to city of Suez, where I had a tour with a taxi to find a place where I could pay my lunch with credit card, because I did not like to change money, and in this city they seemed not to understand euros. Finally after some funny situationes we found Hotel Green House, where my cards were accepted. The lunch buffet there was'nt special but my assistant waitress, maybe 20 years old, was the most beautiful woman I have seen for years. Unfortunately she did not understand a word of English, but her black eyes and her disarming smiles,when she looked at me, made my day. When I was leaving, she very charmfully waved her hand and again with the dream smile.I could not understand how it was possible in this ugly city, that there would exist a great beauty like her.
On Friday we were back in Sharm El Sheikh, which is a typical uninteresting, new city, since 1980 for tourists. 70% of them were Russians, and many of them long-legged, high-heeled ones, a joy for understanding eye. The life aboard was easy and pleasant even that nothing special happened to be mentioned.

Looking forward for a cruise at Red Sea

The couple of last weeks have been very funny and full of joy. I have spent my time with several attractive ladies, which I have met in my favourite bars. No romances but happy evenings. I especially like to mention Illuusia,29, a very pretty graphicer, photographer and model, who mentioned by the way, that her mother should suit for me very well.We met in the afternoon last Friday, and I walked her home here in the neighborhood around 1 am at night. I have not met Liisa lately. She seems to be busy with other things, and there is no room for me.
Now on coming Saturday I'll be flying to Sharm El Sheikh, at Red Sea to start a cruise
with the "Kristina Regina", where I had an unforgetable romance almost two years ago.

Trying to remember your own memories and looking for the future

I today started to read my blog the first time ever, since I started to write those lines a couple of years ago. First of all, I am sorry of making many errors or mistakes of using incorrect words or expressions or whatever. But I practically never did study English , I just picked it up sometimes after the college, in my young travelling years or later in business life. The same way I got my knowledge of German and Spanish.
Anyhow thinking backwards, due this blog, those beautiful memories of two years ago, with a short romance with an attractive young lady, Kaisa, gave me some, later, bittersweet momemts, I'll never forget.
However I am used to meet ladies time after time, I do like. As I am, I like, but never knowing,if involved for shorter or longer time.
As you, my readers know, I met her,Liisa, in New Year's Eve at Storyville Jazz Club here in Helsinki.
Yes,my target is Liisa,I have mentioned her name before. She is a beautiful black haired lady, who is absolutely careful considering our relationship. She has heard some stories of me, which might not be wrong, but ancienct. She is a difficult fortress, but I like to be the conqistador.

Having different kind of feelings

Last Sunday afternoon we had a memorial name's gathering day of my late ex-wife, and the mother of my sons, because a good friend of her's happened to have just the same name with her. That was her's, not my idea,to invite former family friends to have a party. I did agree. The feelings at the Sevilla restaurant in Hotel Pasila seemed soon to be not too good. We were 15 persons but after one and half hour much less. For me it was a bitter and unpleasant situation, at the same time a bad but and as always a normal venue to be arguing with my brother about some ancient things after too many drinks. Things, I even suppose to know or not.
There are so many issues I tried to work in my head during last days, and which seemed not to work. Especially not with Liisa. But I am happy, I have such old friends like Heidi calling me with her worries, and warm words even not knowing that I might be unhappy. Am I, I do not be so sure at all1

Peaceful life in Helsinki

The time goes by. It's already over two months since I returned from South America.
I spent the Christmas at home with my son Tomas and my dog Viki (Victor),on the Boxing Day we had a small 66th birthday party of an old friend Vesa , and on the New Year eve I was celebrating at my favourite places Elite restaurant and Storyville Jazz Club.
Just when leaving Storyville in the wee hours of the morning, I met two charmant ladies
Eija and Liisa. Eija I know already for years, she once was married with a good friend of mine, but Liisa I had met only once before for a short while some months earlier.
On a happy mood we started to chat, and I then walked her home just a corner away from my place. A couple a days later we had a dinner in a good Mamma Rosa restaurant and soon thereafter another one in a tiny Italian place called Coma. Well, we have spent by now quite a lot time together. This might develope into a deep friendship, if not more.
Very much depends on her thoughts and decissions. We'll see.