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.

Short visit to Tallinn, Estonia

On June 13. a group of 13 guys including me made a visit to Tallinn,on opposite side of Gulf of Finland. Our main target was the new Maritime Museum. The Museum was very impressive, concentrating mainly to their Sovjet history. I later left the group to meet two Estonian very good friends, Sigrid and Kadri, both 39. They picked me up from the Museum,and we then had a nice lunch together, before visiting the TV -tower and having a drink at it's sky bar. I later visited their new beautiful homes to meet their husbands and children, before joining the other guys, with some comments, onboard the fast ferry of Linda-Line.

Comments of my last World Cruise

I have been too lazy or busy to write my opinions earlier. The length of the cruise was principally ok. However my first and last that long one. The best things were absolutely great sunny weather almost all 82 days and the marvellous Philippine waitresses onboard. We enjoyed many great harbours but we had to be mostly back onboard at 4-5 pm. Only in Hong Kong, Sydney and Cape Town we could enjoy the night life. The English Kitchen was not very much of my taste. I did not gain any kilos or pounds during this trip. Too late I found out that using Room Service Menu you got good food specially made for you. Most of the passengers were my age or even from the 30's. Among the Australians were the much younger ones but they participated on short legs only. Anyhow I met some very nice English people too, and was invited to private parties. A big disappointment was that we couln't go to Seychelles because of possible threat of terrorists and pirates. However I mostly was happy and in good mood during that cruise over the Sea of China, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Atlantic .

St.Helena, Tenerife, Madeira and Vigo

On Monday, April 16. we were at St.Helena waters a few hundred meters away from fast land. One tender with Deputy Captain was sent to study the possibilities to go ashore, but unfortunately, as widely expected, the conditions at the small tender dock were too rough and for great disappointment we could not but just circumnavigate the volcanic island of about 4000 inhabitants. That took two hours,and we did continue to sail towards Tenerife of Canary Islands. After eigth days at the sea, on Sunday, April 22., we got fast land under our feet in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife. When walking a while on a boulevard near the harbour, I found a nice cafe with a big TV-screen to watch the Formula I - race. To my great pleasure the Finnish pilot, Kimi Räikkönen finished second. Soon afterwards we had to be onboard again heading towards Funchal, Madeira, to where we arrived next morning. I only had one wish when in Funchal, to find an excellent fish restaurant. With Bill, an English-Australian friend we just strolled trough the city, and found at the seaside an old yacht, once owned by The Beatles. It was cemented on shore, and would never sail again, instead it had an marvellous kitchen and we got both a very tasty unknown fish, recommended to us with a bottle of wine, white for Bill, red for me. A couple of hours later we started to sail to our last port of the cruise, Vigo in north-west Spain.On Wednesday morning, April 25. Vigo was first a bit rainy , but when I left the ship, the sun, naturally, came out. I was walking around this medieval city until I got thirsty and found a nice place on a plaza to get a couple cold Spanish beers. Suddenly Bill and his Australian lady friend popped out behind the corner and joined me. I already knew where the restaurants for," Mariscos y Pescados ", good sea fruits were and did succesfully orientate directly trough unknown narrow streets of the old town just to the spot. After oysters Bill and I had difficulties to decide if Portuguese or Spanish fish was more delicate. Next day we had our last day at the sea crossing the Bay of Biscay ang English Channel before berthing on April 28. at the Mayflower Cruise Terminal in Southampton. I still shall later give my overall comments and impressions concern this World Cruise.