On the 24th of April Today I woke up to the sounds of life coming from the neighboring camp pitch. Next to us, there was a guy camping (who knows for how many nights), whose morning routine differed from that of the others. He pulled out an unopened bottle of vodka from his gear, poured …
April 23rd Today we said goodbye to Anu and Hannu. Farewell also to the charming city of Sines and the surf beaches, where we had the chance to witness a surfing student tackling waves that weren’t exactly massive – more on the modest side! Eva conjured up fruit-strawberry smoothies for the four of us for …
April 22nd Today we received a rather thorough explanation of the intricacies of surfing and the mechanisms behind those famous mega-waves. Anu and Hannu have been involved in the field for quite some time, so it seems they’ve accumulated quite a bit of knowledge. However, that doesn’t mean I’m considering taking up wave riding on …
April 21st. We didn’t have breakfast on the grass. A simple coffee, juice, and a roll – breakfast in the car in the parking lot of Maria’s house. We checked the locks of the hostess’s house and set off via the supermarket. We grabbed some spread and juice. Set the navigator to Sines and off …
April 20th Portugal’s April at its best. The cool morning seems to be turning into a reasonably warm day. It rained last night, and that’s something we all like. Everything that rains before Midsummer goes straight into the bin. Just a reminder for fellow travelers in Finland. Perhaps those who coined or recorded the saying …
April 19th As we were leaving, I took my mother’s sister Elvin’s school songbook from 1924, signed by her, along. At home, I slightly customized it so I could send it to my cousin’s daughter in Canada. Now it’s been sent. It might have to be sniffed by drug dogs – maybe even opened by …
April 18th My friend Mikko Ojanperä is turning 75 today. Happy birthday, Mikko! You’ve carried the mantle of the elder brother wonderfully! I met you at Kanneljärvi Folk High School in the summer of 1970. Since then, we’ve been involved in all sorts of events together. I raised a toast to you today in Porto, …
April 17th. Staying between the bullfighting arena and the football field didn’t warrant a long morning routine. A slice of bread with juice and coffee. Then off we went. Heading towards Porto – or rather, finding a cheap place to stay along the way. Mostly driving on highways, we stopped for a break at a …