Salvador Dali Museums in Figueres and Portlligat

On February 13., two days before we flew back to Finland, we drove via Girona to Figueres and Portlligat to visit two Dali museums.The Teatre-Museu Dali was built on ruins of a 19th century theater, destroyed during Spanish civil war. This impressive museum was designed by Salvador Dali himself in 1940's. The collection here in his birth place was very large and amazing, covering his art from 30's to 70's. Of course the whole building is very strange, a real Dali like production. On the way to Portlligat, a fishing village near Caceres, we crossed over 600 meters high mountains with extraordinary views. This museum was his home and atelier from 1930 to 1982, until Galas death, his wife. It was just in that condition how it was, when Dali left the house. There were no paintings but a lot of photos of celebrities, movie stars, politicians, musicians etc., who did visit them. It gave a very good impression how the couple did live in this tiny fisherman's village a few meters from the sea a peaceful life.

Spending two months in Blanes, Catalunya, Spain between 14.12. 2012 -15.2.2013

I had been thinking for a longer time to escape at least for some weeks the long and dark Finnish winter together with my little dog, bison frise "Niki". Mostly I had Spain in my mind because of my knowledge of the language in some degree. One day at The Finnish Club I met an old childhood friend MR. Pertti Nenonen, who during our discussion did ask about my winter plans. After hearing that I was looking something in Spain in non-touristic area, he told me about Blanes,where he had been spending several long vacations. I was immediately interested in that little Costa Brava town of 40,000 inhabitants about 90 km north of Barcelona. He then sent me the address to contact, and two months later I arrived Blanes. I had rented an apartment with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen and a cozy living room on fourth floor at the beach boulevard with the view over marina to the sea. From my balcony I very often followed the trawlers returning to the harbor between 5-6pm. Even in January the sun did shine to the balcony from about 9am to 4.30pm daily. I counted those sunny days during my stay: 52 of total 62 days. Four slightly rainy days, the rest just cloudy.The day temperatures were between 13-18C, and nightly 6-8C. The beautiful and very clean boulevard was a market place every Monday from 9am-2pm. You could buy almost anything there, clothes, shoes, kitchen utensils, CD:s etc. On my first Monday I bought a nice lumber jack-style fleece jacket for 10 euros. With four pockets it was very practical, and warm in the evenings. At the boulevard there were many bars, cafeterias and restaurants, from which I soon found my favorite ones. First connections with the local people happened naturally trough dogs, and then trough waiters and waitresses, who mostly were very pretty, and many from different countries in South America. With the time I knew more and more people, mostly between 25-40 years. On my last day there many of them wished I would return next year. The town was very pretty, especially the old part and the ruins of a medieval castle overlooking from a hill 300 meters over the town. During the last 8 days I had visitors from Finland, Anneli and Eero Lihtonen, very long time dear friends of mine. She also very often takes good care of Niki , when I am traveling alone. Niki and Anneli really are deeply in love to each other. Eero had rent a car from Barcelona airport, which we then used to trips to Montserrat and Barcelona, to Salvador Dali's museum

On a cruse to Bermuda trough "Hurricane Sandy"

On October 26, I arrived to New York to start a cruise with The Royal Caribbean -line vessel "Explorer of the Seas" to Bermuda next day. Even the weather in N.Y. was still fine, the warning of coming hurricane was there. Our ship was in New Jersey, and immediately after we left the harbour the port was closed due the first heavy winds and rain. At night the storm hit the ship, and all articles on tables in my cabin fell down. I waked up and positioned myself in the middle of the queen bed, and slept well until 8 o'clock in the morning. Parts of the breakfast areas were closed but no bigger problems. However all decks outside were closed for 24 hours. From bar windows we could see the huge waves and horizontal rain. I am never sea sick and could enjoy the different ship bars especially because they were not at all filled up. The middle size cruiser,which took about 2000 passengers was quite steady. It was built year 2000 in Turku, Finland, which made me somehow proud, when passing this "Sandy", strongest hurricane ever in N.J. and N.Y. The wind at its highest reached 120 mph. Then the waves started to calm down, the rain stopped and suddenly there was a clear sky. The rest of our cruise days as our stay in Bermuda were warm and sunny. We stayed three days down there, in the middle of Atlantic Ocean, and I explored the enchanting main island with the visits to the cities of Hamilton and Georgetown. The rest of the cruise was very nice, and I never forget the last evening and the dinner with five young ladies from Philadelphia. The evening ended with one of them in my bed.

Lago Maggiore, Italy

On Sunday, September 30, we travelled with a special sightseeing train to a small town of Verbania at Lake Maggiore. Grand Hotel Majestic was an old palace but not as grandiose as its name. Next day we made a short cruise on Lago Maggiore with a couple hours stop on an island with a medieval village, which name I cannot remember. I spent most of my time there in a couple of cozy taverns with excellent vino rossos and beautiful views. Late afternoon we then arrived to Milan airport, an ended this memorable round trip one hour before midnight in Helsinki.

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.