These photos were captured using the Kodak EasyShare DX4900.
All images are © TomSettle.Communications.
Monday August 4 2003
Harri went back to work and I stayed at the house. Downloaded over 4,000 emails (mostly spam) to my laptop…took an hour and a half!
Watched movies and played Frisbee with Timo, then went with he and Mikko to Pizza Buffet. Harri picked us up, and we stopped at an electronic store where Harri bought some DVDs. Came back to the house and watched the original King Kong.
Their friend Jamal stopped by and was greeted by Timo.
Made some margaritas for Mirja and I while Harri went back to work. Despite thunder and rain, Mikko and his friends decided to go to a friend’s cottage by motorbike. Watched part of Scary Movie and stayed up chatting with Mirja ’til 430AM.
Tuesday August 5 2003
Got up before 10, showered, shaved and checked email while Mirja and Timo slept in.
Had a late breakfast, then went shopping at Antilla and Prisma… bought a microwave for our cottage.
Later in the day we stopped to visit Minna, who was working at an amusement park called Tykkimaki. Timo and I walked around the park and went on a couple rides.
We left the park, then stopped in Hamina before returning to Alapihlaja. Found out they had had a heavy thunderstorm and a fire in a nearby house.
Enjoyed a late dinner and a few drinks, then turned in around 1230AM. Liisa snored, Mirja coughed, I cracked my toes and Timo farted…our own little bedtime orchestra 🙂
Wednesday August 6 2003
Finally, some cooler weather! Everybody slept in, even Liisa until almost 930AM.
We had breakfast, then went to visit Teuvo and Meeri. Liisa tried on some wood contact lenses. Visited our friend Jenny in the afternoon, then went for a quick swim near Ravijoki.
Came back and had dinner…Mirja and Timo headed home in the early evening.
Went to our neighbor Leena’s to celebrate her upcoming birthday (tomorrow). Drank some wine and played games. Stayed until after midnight and sang Happy Birthday.
Thursday August 7 2003
My vacation is almost over, so I started preparing to pack things up.
Maraike and Alex came to say goodbye…they headed to Helsinki today and are leaving for Germany on Saturday. Our friends Raija and Raimo picked us up in the afternoon and took us to their home near Kotka.
We ate lots of good food and looked at lots of my summer pictures (700+) on the laptop. Stayed up late talking with Raimo.
Friday August 8 2003
Went shopping at Prisma and for a ride around Kotka.
Took a bunch of pictures: flowers by the water, an old watertower in the distance, a butterfly, Liisa/Raija and Raimo. We also stopped at Kotka’s local park, always a beautiful place to visit.
Came back to their house and had lunch, took some pix of their new patio and a classic Toyota sewing machine. Never knew they existed!
Raija and Raimo offered to take us to Lappeenranta. We stopped at the Citymarket store along the way…saw my cousin Jouni’s wife Teija.
Arrived at Harri’s house in late afternoon, had dinner and watched part of a movie with Timo. Despite the rain, Liisa, Mirja and I went by taxi to downtown Lappeenranta for the city’s annual Fortress Festival.
Stopped by a couple bars, winding up at the Monrepos dance club. Mirja had free tickets. Did some dancing and ran into Mirja’s co-worker and friend Jamal. He wound up giving us a ride home.
Mirja and I stayed up until about 4AM, drinking, talking and playing Tic-Tac-Toe and Hangman.
Saturday August 9 2003
Slept in and had a late breakfast.
Timo returned from a sleepover at a friend’s house. We finished watching our movie while Mirja and Liisa went shopping. Harri returned from work in the afternoon.
Mirja and Liisa took Mikko to the doctor…he had hurt his foot last night while he was out with his friends. Tipsu
the cat posed for a photo.
Harri & Timo took Liisa and I back to Alapihlaja in the evening. Visited Teuvo and Meeri.
Sunday August 10 2003
Cleaned and packed things up (my room before and after) as I prepared to leave Alapihlaja.
Pulled a muscle in my back as I was starting a fire in the sauna. Always a treat to have a sore back while traveling 🙁
My cousin Merja and her family came to visit, as did Liisa’s cousin.
Took one final picture of some flowers.
Said my goodbyes and got a ride with Leena to Helsinki. Saw Antti’s wife Minna and their girls briefly… they couldn’t stay long because tomorrow’s the first day of school.
Went with Antti to a local pub for pizza and beer. Came back and had a few more drinks, went to bed around midnight.
Monday August 11 2003
Woke up at 5:29AM, before the alarm went off. Showered and ate my leftover pizza.
Raija and Ville took me to the airport and I began my journey back home to the USA.
