My very good old friend for over 47 years Mr. Peter Gloystein arranged a triple birthday fest in beautiful and romantic Venice. Mrs. Marita Vossmeyer , a Finnish/ German lady and me on 24th, and Peter on 25th. We had a great Dinner Party at Bauer Hotel, drinks at Harry's Bar and nicht caps until very early morning at the Hotel bar, opened late just for us. We were 62 persons, all ages from 13 countries, majority from Germany. With Marita and Peter and their families I knew about 20 of guests from the past, but got also many new friends, especially a German lady Mrs. Brigitte Schmid, with whom I spent a lot of time. I also was very delighted that my younger son Tomas could join the party. Peter took care of all the party costs, I wonder if he ever tells me the total amount.
On my birthday the weather was absolutely beautiful and sunny, and I enjoyed the traffic on Grand Canal sipping wine on a terrace before the party beginn. Lovely trip of 4 days, even with troubles to get back to Helsinki on 26th.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Friday, December 25, 2015
A Yangtze-River cruise from Shanghai to ChongQing Sept.22.- Oct.4. 2015
We a group of 22 had a direct night flight from Helsinki to Shanghai, where we stayed for two days.
I have there my favourite bars and night clubs, which I naturally did introduce to my very good friend for 47years, Mr. Seppo Panhelainen, whom I had over-spoken to participate this trip.
I did have a short romantic time with a nice Chinese song bird but that was all except that she did sing for me all the evening.
Shanghai means "On the Sea" and is also named "Paris of the East" and "Pearl of the Orient" has a great history with international business and banking center before WW2. This can still be seen trough Victorian late-19th century architecture but also today's Chinese supermodern architecture.
This puzzling city is a must to any world -traveller.
On the 4th day we boarded on "Victoria Sophia", our home for next 9 days. The ship had maybe 120 passengers, our Finnish group was the biggest, then people from Great Britain, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Germany etc. plus 2 Chinese couples.
We immediately found out that Chinese cooking on board was very good , and the young personal very friendly , especially the pretty waitresses at The Yangtze Club on deck 5, where Seppo and I spent most of our free time, and became good friends with those girls, aged 18 - 22. They did remember our first names from the beginning of the cruise, and hugged us warmly when leaving the ship in ChongQing.
There was all kind of programs during the days when sailing but we two were most happy sipping the-daily-specials with 30% discount at the Club, where we could sceneries flowing by.
First stop in Yangzhou was interesting, a real old fashion Chinese city, where time had stopped 200 years ago. This charming city was known already 2500 years ago as a trading center and for it's artists for centuries. It's claimed that Marco Polo was serving here 5 years theYuan dynasty under Kublai Khan in 1280's. We visited a Marco Polo Memorial and Museum.
We also stopped in Wuhan, a modern university city but did not have time to explore the city better except a tiny museum. Here Mao had his Summer place and he crossed the river Yangtze swimming a mile or so, is told.
The Three Gorges Dam Project on the 9th day is the largest water conservancy project ever done by man. It was fully completed in 2009 after 6 years hard work. The Dam is 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 130 meters wide at the bottom and 18 meters wide at the top. The place with its surroundings was absolutely impressive, but also very beautiful with many gardens and flowers.
During next days we cruised trough most gorgeous and magnificent landscapes, spectacular mountains up to 2000 meters, they rise steeply to the skies on the both side of river banks. Here we saw first time clear blue sky up above with real shining sun. Until this, days had been smoggy or foggy or both.
On 12th day we arrive to ChongQing, leave the ship and visit right away the Zoo famous for it's Pandas. I saw 3 of them, but it is not quaranteed, that you'll see any.
This huge city 33millions people is the biggest in the world but quite uninteresting, with it's non -English-speaking-people. Not even in 5 star hotel. Goodbye China!
I have there my favourite bars and night clubs, which I naturally did introduce to my very good friend for 47years, Mr. Seppo Panhelainen, whom I had over-spoken to participate this trip.
I did have a short romantic time with a nice Chinese song bird but that was all except that she did sing for me all the evening.
Shanghai means "On the Sea" and is also named "Paris of the East" and "Pearl of the Orient" has a great history with international business and banking center before WW2. This can still be seen trough Victorian late-19th century architecture but also today's Chinese supermodern architecture.
This puzzling city is a must to any world -traveller.
On the 4th day we boarded on "Victoria Sophia", our home for next 9 days. The ship had maybe 120 passengers, our Finnish group was the biggest, then people from Great Britain, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Germany etc. plus 2 Chinese couples.
We immediately found out that Chinese cooking on board was very good , and the young personal very friendly , especially the pretty waitresses at The Yangtze Club on deck 5, where Seppo and I spent most of our free time, and became good friends with those girls, aged 18 - 22. They did remember our first names from the beginning of the cruise, and hugged us warmly when leaving the ship in ChongQing.
There was all kind of programs during the days when sailing but we two were most happy sipping the-daily-specials with 30% discount at the Club, where we could sceneries flowing by.
First stop in Yangzhou was interesting, a real old fashion Chinese city, where time had stopped 200 years ago. This charming city was known already 2500 years ago as a trading center and for it's artists for centuries. It's claimed that Marco Polo was serving here 5 years theYuan dynasty under Kublai Khan in 1280's. We visited a Marco Polo Memorial and Museum.
We also stopped in Wuhan, a modern university city but did not have time to explore the city better except a tiny museum. Here Mao had his Summer place and he crossed the river Yangtze swimming a mile or so, is told.
The Three Gorges Dam Project on the 9th day is the largest water conservancy project ever done by man. It was fully completed in 2009 after 6 years hard work. The Dam is 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 130 meters wide at the bottom and 18 meters wide at the top. The place with its surroundings was absolutely impressive, but also very beautiful with many gardens and flowers.
During next days we cruised trough most gorgeous and magnificent landscapes, spectacular mountains up to 2000 meters, they rise steeply to the skies on the both side of river banks. Here we saw first time clear blue sky up above with real shining sun. Until this, days had been smoggy or foggy or both.
On 12th day we arrive to ChongQing, leave the ship and visit right away the Zoo famous for it's Pandas. I saw 3 of them, but it is not quaranteed, that you'll see any.
This huge city 33millions people is the biggest in the world but quite uninteresting, with it's non -English-speaking-people. Not even in 5 star hotel. Goodbye China!
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