Whorehouse in Luzern

It was the first and only rainy day during our trip. The rain really was in the middle of fog and slight rain. However I bought a small umbrella, which had a good effect for many hours to stop the rain. I walked with my new umbrella around the old town, had something to eat and drink and was happy. Then late afternoon a kind of rain started again but I did not mind to open my umbrella because I saw a bar, very inexpensive by the window prices, near to my hotel, actually on the other side of the square. A...nd I stepped in. It was a nice, rather tiny bar with efficient service. Seconds later I sat at my table, there was a very tender and lovable touch on my back and partly around my shoulders. I suddenly looked at a very attractive beauty, around 25. After a short conversation I friendly told to her that half an hour upstairs is for me to short, and for all night I do not Have Time And money. She left but soon four others followed her, all Brazilians without better success. However they all behaved nicely after my refusal. The couple of Russian and Thai collegues did not bother to react my presence. Later the girl I first met joined me just to talk, I offered her drink aqua con limon, 5 francs. We had a chat, she was 27 from Manaus, had two children at home with her mother and had been working in Switzerland for 4 years.

Bavaria and Liechtenstein

On Thursday Sept.27 we reached Bavaria to visit the castle of King Ludvig II, Neuschwanstein. However the whole castle was wrapped and I lost totally the interest to visit it. Instead I spent those two hours in two German bars. We then continued our journey to lake Bodensee where we stayed over night on beautiful Lindau island. Next afternoon we came to short visit to Vaduz the capital of Liechtenstein. A half an hour walk, and I had seen the place. Later a stop in Einsiedeln village,now already in Switzerland, before we continued to Luzern at lake Vierwaldstättersee.We stayed the night there and saturday then was free to explore Luzern.

Meeting Ernst Vettori, The Olympic Champion 1992

In Hall we were to over night in a over 700 hundred years old castle, now SChlosshotel Restaurant Goldener Engl. After dinner I took a walk, which ended in a friendly Kurd bar, where I did have interesting discussions with the Shia / Alawiti muslims, family owner of the bar. and with a local bum but a nice guy of my age with a lot of perspectives but less money. He was overwhelmed happy when I bought him a couple of beers,before leaving the place. Next morning we were in Innsbruck. I first decided to hire a "Fiakker", horse carriage for 4 persons. I soon found company from our group, and we had a one hour city tour with good guide. We then enjoyed some Austrian wine in awfully pretty old town,with very decorative baroque buildings. Later we did join the rest of the group to visit the Hofburg Castle, where queen Elisabeth, known as "Sissy" used to live. Our guide was a young lady, who had studied for years the history of that castle, and she wanted to show it to us. We went more than two hours trough that gorgeous building, and she explained the smallest details to us exactly. That was boring. Finally back in Hall, I was strolling trough the shopping area. I saw the sign "Vettori". They sold jeans and sporting outfits. I did try some jeans but it was 25 years too late. I was sweating. Two men were drinking beer at the desk. One of them asked if I would like to have a beer too. I was very greatful, and did accept the offer. Then I looked at the other guy. I was sure he is Olympic Gold Medal Winner 1992 in skijumping Ernst Vettori. So he was. the other one was his older brother, also a top sportsman from 80's. We had a long chat. Ernst wanted to know about his earlier Finnish competitions like Toni Nieminen and Matti Nykänen. When brothers told me that they always liked to compete with the Finnish ones, and that they also very much enjoyed their many visits to Finland, my day was perfect.

Around the European Alps on Sept.24.- Oct.1. 2012

A group of 17 of us flew early that Monday morning to Milan / Italy to start 8 days tour around the Alps. Our bus then brought us trough a enormous heavy rain to our first stop at a winery in Franciacorta area, famous especially of it's excellent spumanti. After several tasteings of different wines we had a nice lunch before we continued towards Dolomites. Our road went trough beautiful landscapes before arriving to a old castle, Hotel Castello Schloss Labers. In this historic building we had our dinner and first night. Next morning after breakfast we continued to the nearby city of Bolzano. Our main target was to find "Ötzi", the Ice Man , age over 4000 years, found some decades ago at the Austrian and Italian border. For years those two countries were quarreling to whom the body belongs before a satellite picture testified,that it laid half a meter on Italian side. The Ötzi Museum was nicely done explaining in details his life, the man itself was about 160cm tall, and had been killed in a fight at the age of 35-40. Next thing I did, was to enjoy the late Autumn Italian sun with very good wine at the Cathedral square in some trattoria. Soon 4 other persons of our group joined me. In early afternoon restarted to over cross the Dolomites, passing unbelievable breathtaking and fantastic landscapes like Canazei village, Val de Fiemme, Val Gardena, Val di Fassa, crossing Passo Sella at the height of 2244 meters, passing the Marmolada 3342 meters. Late that afternoon we arrived in a tiny medieval city of Hall near Innsbruck in Austria.