Fantastic experiencies in Liguria and Piemonte

I only make a short notice about our(10 persons)five days trip to Italy last week.
Genova was a superinteresting city on a narrow coastline, partly mediaeval town with tiny streets but big height differencies.
Torino was just an opposite one as former capital. Bright avenues with massive royal palacies at wide piazzas with the horsemen statues of their famous heroes.
But the best was not the beautiful Piemonte country side, after many cathedrals and museums in cities, not even the great local food. But the excellent wines at the cellars of Marchesi di Barolo. Tasting these superior rosso's and bianco's with excellent parmesan or some delicate bread was awesome. With a good company I had a great Week.

My trip plans in near future

I have been staying in Helsinki almost three(!) months, so it's time to seek new places to conquer. Later today I will join by invitation of an Italian travel agency, free of any charge, a group of ten Finns.We'll fly to Milan in Italy, and shall study Genova and Torino plus some other smaller towns in Piemonte area for five days.
On November 17. I am on my way to Malaga, Spain to start from there just next day a 16 days cruise to Bridgetown, Barbados. During the cruise we shall have a few stops at various harbours. But only three of those, Funchal,Domenica and St.Kitts are new for me. After the cruise I will have a six days stay at Barbados, being back home on December 11. One month later January 15. I'll back in Caribean, now in Cuba with some friends for 12 days.

Jazz in Helsinki

My home town Helsinki has always offered pretty good jazz with world famous players and
singers. During the years we have had the honour to listen such great stars like Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, Johnny Hodges, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane, Lee Konitz, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dee Dee Bridgewater and many, many more. The latest visitor is tenor sax player Benny Golson, one of those few great names from fifties still alive, who plays in our new "Birdland" jazz club on three evenings. He entertains twice with a trio, and last Friday with UMO big band, a Finnish jazz band, 14 members in brass section and three men backing them with piano, bass and drums. I was there, and it was a fantastic jazz experience.
Yesterday afternoon I did enjoy at " Storyville's" Tin Roof-street bar Happy jazz played by a Finnish 9-members house band. And this will be for me a normal Saturday afternoon matine'e in future too, when in Helsinki.

Richard Wagner Festival in Bayreuth, Germany

I had a short visit to Germany ten days ago. I first flew to Düsseldorf, where I spent a nice evening with my old friends the Gloystein family. Peter I learned to know 1968,when he studied and worked here in Helsinki. His charming English wife Jean I already met before their honeymoon trip to Finland early seventies, and their children beautiful Nikola and brave adventurer Henning I know since their childhood. Now I also met Nikola's sweet baby son for the first time. It was pure luck that the family could be seen together as Nikola lives in Munich and Henning in London.
Next day Peter and I drove about 600 km in five hours to Bayreuth, which is a very beautiful, small Bavarian town. On the same Friday evening, we sat at the world famous Richard Wagner Festspielhalle, designed by the maestro himself in 1870's. Acustically fantastic even not so comfortable music hall gave me an experience of a life time with operas from "The Ring" "Rheingold" on Friday and "Die Walküre" on Saturday. I shall always be grateful to Peter, having invited me to these memorable occasions.
This was for me probably the end of Summer season, because Germany still was sunny and warm but Helsinki very cool after two months sunshine and record hot heath wave +37,2 C here.

A trip around Lake Ladoga in Russia

Last week a group of 37 of us from Finnish Club made an interesting four days journey by bus around Lake Ladoga in Russia. We visited several interesting places there, partly in former Finnish territories, Russia took over in WWII 65 years ago. My parents were both born there in Karelia.
Today I shall fly to Germany, to visit the Operas of Richard Wagner at Bayreuther Festspiele, "Das Rheingold" and "Die Walküre", tomorrow and on Saturday. I will be back in Helsinki on Sunday evening.

Fantastic summer in Helsinki

I did not write for long time because of my lazyness, due maybe the heat wave since many weeks here. But I have also been mighty busy with my now 5 months old Bison frise puppy Niki, who's everybody's darling. He is really a trap for ladies, and I did not have any difficulties to have a few pleasant dinner dates with some very attractive ones. There has been nice concerts and naturally very lively terrace life with cool drinks. If you have not visited Helsinki yet, you should come to see this fantastic summer city asap. Just like my new, beautiful friend Tasha from California said last night after some ciders with me: "Helsinki is one of the most beautiful places I ever have been". And I do agree having been all over in the world.

Getting a new puppy

Since my dear dog "Viki" died last Sept.25, I never did feel myself totally alright.
Even I did have several splendid trips, partly in very good company, but I somehow hated to come back to my empty home, not having this tiny Bison Frise with its smiling face, barking different sounds, jumping with wildly wagging tail. All people, who ever owned a dog know what I mean.
Now, day after tomorrow I'll fly to Oulu with Anna, who is more than just a pretty girl friend of my son Kristian. From this Northern Finnish city we will pick up a three months old puppy (a Bison Frise- boy too) and fly back to Helsinki with it, actually with him. I really am very excited!