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.