Overview of my trips in year 2014

I've got somehow lazy, not to travel but to keep this diary. Due several contacts from my friends I decided to continue writing to show that I still am alive.

ALICANTE / Spain, April 9.-16. I visited this interesting city to study if I would like to spend a longer time there sometime in future. No decision made, but I did love the Barrio and the harbor site. 

ROSKILDE / Denmark, July 24.-28. My younger son Tomas has been together with a lovely Danish young lady Cecilie for some time. And how it happens, she gave a birth to a handsome baby boy last April 12. (my second grand child). Her home town is this tiny beautiful Roskilde, better known for it's rock festivals than it's ancient viking ship skeletons. There was a big and happy name giving party with lots of people from Denmark and Finland, and the little boy got the name Oskar.

BALKAN TOUR, September 5.- 22. I only had visited this area some 38 years ago in Opatija, then in Yugoslavia, and a couple years ago on a cruise in Dubrovnik, Croatia . Now I found in a catalogue a bus roundtrip for Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro starting from Dubrovnik on 5th.to 10th., and another starting from Ljubljana / Slovenia from 17th.to 22nd.including Slovenia and Northern Croatia. I contacted the travel agent that I want to participate on both round trips, but that I would stay on my own somewhere there between Sept.10.-17. I got a reasonable discount, and we made a deal. So, on 5th we, a group of 14, were in Dubrovnik from where we made daily sigth-seings to Mostar in Herzegovina, Kotor and Budva in Montenegro and Cavtat ,Korcula and Peljesac in Croatia. In Cavtat I preferred to stay by myself after the group left, and took then a boat back to Dubrovnik. If ever in Croatia again with somebody, those places would be very romantic to stay. I then, after the party left, flew to Beograd, where I had booked Zira Hotel for 3 days.The hotel was very good and pleasant but… the city. What a big difference with Croatian and Slovenian cities to be seen. I then flew to Ljubljana where I spent beautifully my four days on the street bars at the river banks in this fantastic city. I then was picked up to join the new group of 17 with an old friend of mine Mr. Seppo Panhelainen, who by the way was with me in Opatija years ago. We then drove to Koper and Piran at Mediterranean, where we stayed for 3 days with daily trips to Porec, Buzet and Portoroz, from where I heroically walked with Seppo back to Piran, which was an old but very pleasant Venetian city. After those incredible caves in Postojna and two days in charming Bled we had a few hours stop in Ljubljana, where I introduced the best bars of the city to Seppo,. when the group visited some museums. At midnight I satisfied slept in my own bed in Helsinki.

 EMIRATES, BAHREIN and OMAN Nov.28.- Dec.15. I have been earlier on American, British and Finnish cruise ships, now a German ship was in turn. I had heard positive comments of TUI-cruises with MEIN SCHIFFs. I flew first for three days to Dubai before on board of Mein Schiff2. The most interesting places with Dubai where Abu Dhabi and Muscat in Oman. When back in Dubai I visited the worlds highest building Burj Khalifa. An experience. The ship was very pleasant and informal, free drinks and tips included, some romance too.

Winter in Blanes Jan.2 - April 1. 2014

As last year I decided to spend the Winter months in Costa Brava, Catalunya / Northern Spain. I had reserved the same apartment with the nice balcony and beautiful view over the harbor to the sea. Of course I had my best friend, the Bichon frise " Niki" with me. Days went fast by, having long walks with the dog, sipping vino tinto in my favorite bars and enjoying those mostly sunny days. I met most local friends from last year, young and old, and got many new ones. Three good friends from Helsinki did visit me for five to ten days. One of them Mr.Kari Partio with his 3 years old son Urho had rented a car, and we made several excursions to the surroundings of which the small town Cadaques, famous of Salvador Dali's home (museum today), was most charming. My only problem there was the language. Most people did speak well Spanish with me, which I can manage quite well, but when a group together, they spoke Catalonian and I mostly did not understand anything. Now for future I consider to go more South as example to Alicante in Costa Blanca. Anyhow I have not yet decided anything. We'll see!

Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity Constellation, Nov.12.-24.13

I flew to Istanbul/Turkey on Nov.10, a couple of days before the start of the cruise. I enjoyed the city more than ever before staying at Historia Hotel, which was a cozy, friendly place in historic surroundings. After a day at sea we arrived Kusadasi, then Bodrum and Marmaris. In those cities I enjoyed the late Autumn days in nice street cafes facing the sea,and also using the good shopping possibilities, which is not normal for me. On the sixth day we were at Rhodes/Greece for me first time in 40 years, which city after the tourist season was over, looked totally dead. I made by bus a tour partly outside the city, and returned to the ship. Next day saw us in Santorini/Greece, where shops and bars were specially opened for us to be closed again until late February, when the next cruise ship would arrive. The white village on the top of the hill is extremely beautiful and enjoyable. I spent my day there with a young Mexican couple, who I had met onboard. They were in a two months honeymoon tour in Europe, and were ready to spend money a lot. I advised them to squeeze prices just to get more, and helped them to select gold and jewelry. I had a favorite shop there, and how strange it was, the lady owner of this gold boutique was a Mexican too. When leaving the shop laughing at the overwhelmingly happy bride, the lady gave to all of us a bottle of good Santorini white wine. A couple of days later I was a tourist guide for two Canadian couples at Mykonos/Greece, which island I knew quite well from my previous visits. Our last stop before Civitavecchia/Italy was Naples/Italy where I made a tour with those same Canadians round the old part of the city and finishing it with pizza Margharita in its original place. Next day I already flew to Venice to meet my long time friend Peter Gloystein with his family and to celebrate my birthday with them. But as he had his birthday next day, we then at midnight finished mine and started his. In the following evening Peter, a lady friend of him and me had a dinner in the famous Harry's Bar. Next morning I supposed to fly home but the airport of Venice was striking, and I had to take a train to Milan, where I spent a pleasant evening with Italian red wine, flying at noon next day Nov.26. back home.