Where did she go?

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Wow, this dude is seriously bored to be making up all these stories ...

3 Yrs. ago, in Tallinn, Mariehamn, and Helsinki were completely tame. Barranquilla, Tarapoto, and Cartagena are completely in your face. But, you don't have to take my word for it...I did beg for money at the Tarapoto airport, though.

Why did you beg for cash? And post some pics of Finland, etc. when you get a chance. How was Scandinavia (other than tame). Vika and I are considering a trip there.

It was 12:30 a.m., and the airport vendor had gone home. I purchased this large bottle of Amazonian Cafe Liquor to bring to the USA, and I had no change left over. I was told at the airline counter that I needed to pay a $3.47 tax/boarding fee. But, I had spent everything on this one, last souvenir that I intended to take home. Without this money, I would be stuck in Tarapoto, unable to leave the Amazon - unable to make my return flight to Los Angeles Intl. the next morning. So, I sucked up my pride, looked around, and begged for money after the guard told me I could not board the airplane. I was desperate!

[Ken y Leidys 20]

The dream of most Finnish families is having a nice cabin (nearest to Helsinki) in which to travel, and spend the summer months. Harri (pictured right), owns the boat we all traveled in to check out Lopparjarvi - north of Helsinki.

Nearby Loppi:

Boats on the ready:

Cheers! from Finland's only FLOATING BAR!!

Edited June 13, 2009 by Ken y Leidys

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Finland's Floating Bar:

Don't get caught drinking and boating - the Finnish police do not tolerate what you see happening at Lake Meade, NV.

Tallinn, Estonia is a must-visit. Vika will love it's old-world charm, you will love it's low, low price and favorable exchange rates. I'm standing with some nice people I met in Helsinki through my ex-wife:

Jami holding the good stuff while on a ferry from Maarianhamina to Helsinki (Helsingfors):

In fact, Maarianhamina is a city situated in a 3,000 island archipelago in the Baltic between Finland and Sweden. Swedish is the predominate language, although the Finns and Swedes speak each others languages - but both speak some English to get by.

409 Mariahamn auf Åland:

[Ken y Leidys 20]

American music artists such as; Farley Jackmaster Funk made an appearance in Helsinki, and the place was packed just like if Michael Jackson were on concert!!

Farley Jackmaster Funk

Meanwhile, back in Estonia - I bet Harri that I would lose weight faster than he would. I won the bet. 5 months later, I was divorced and I lost 30 pounds in 3 weeks. I have kept the weight off ever since:

[Ken y Leidys 20]

The lakes behind me are actually islands with water between them. This is what Aland looks like from the nice hiking trail I went for a hike on with Jami, Erika, and my exwife:

Aaland on the Baltic:

[Ken y Leidys 20]

When in Tallinn, Estonia - You can take Vika to the Medieval Torture Museum. Inside, you'll find all of these instruments of torture, death and pain:

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Tallinn after dark:

More of the Torture exhibit:

[Ken y Leidys 20]

After a long day in the Old Town of Tallinn, you can stop for a Master and Servant drink at the Depeche Mode Baar. I bought a neat Depeche Mode Fan Klub t-shirt there as proof that I went:

Along with a Lonely Planet guidebook, here's another that should help you and Vika plan your 2 or 3 day stay there:

Edited June 13, 2009 by Ken y Leidys

[Immigrant2009 0]

Wow this was one long thread. Looks like it's ending on a positive note.

[james&adry 3]

Hey Brother Ken, What did you do to lose the weight of 30 lbs in 3 weeks.. Seriously? Im working out weight lifting and running 3 miles every other day.. Still i am stuck at 145 lbs and I am 5'3". Grrr. Oh and all those pictures are awesome. I want to visit Scotland and New Zealand most of all... Hopefully the Air Force can send me to Germany next time around .

James

[Brad and Vika 129]

Pics a way cool. I will share them with Vika when she wakes up!

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Hey Brother Ken, What did you do to lose the weight of 30 lbs in 3 weeks.. Seriously? Im working out weight lifting and running 3 miles every other day.. Still i am stuck at 145 lbs and I am 5'3". Grrr. Oh and all those pictures are awesome. I want to visit Scotland and New Zealand most of all... Hopefully the Air Force can send me to Germany next time around .

James

James - I was stressed out from the divorce, and I couldn't eat very much. That's it. No exercise, just stress. Limit your carbs keep exercising. The most important part is for you to be healthy inside. That running should do the trick if you stay with it.

In roughly 1 month, I'll have tons of new pictures to share. Everything is turning out in a positive way. The divorce was painful, and meeting two women in South America before Leidys that were completely fraudulent didn't help things. As they say, "When you're not looking..." is right. When I met Leidys, I let her know, this long-distance thing is for the birds, and doesn't work. She took note and we built up a solid friendship although we liked each other. Everything fell into place after I returned home...

[Marina-Del 10]

Yeah, divorce or any other stressful type situation is a sure way for me to lose weight too. I've never been divorced, but I know it would make me lose weight. Some people when they get stressed out and depressed end up eating more and more, but not me (and apparently not Ken either). I completely shut down and don't eat. When my grandfather died (and several other stressful things happened in my life) I went from 115 pounds (I'm 5"2') to 100 pounds in 1 weeks. Not healthy at all. Now I'm back up to 110!

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Now I'm back up to 110!

Ever watch this film? I'm Lovin' It! haha!

[Ken y Leidys 20]

June 25, 2008 -- I had been waiting 2 weeks now to hear something from Onelis, but all I could be reminded of was January 1st (2008). We had been at Centro Metropolitano eating Pizza that afternoon, and 30 minutes after returning with some Calzone's for her family, shouting erupted inside the house. I figured it was another family argument involving the neighbors, but it was much more than that. Hans had the young guy by the hair and was punching his neck repeatedly. An empty bottle rested on a the chair where Hans sat, watching T.V., and his sisters where cheering as the assailant was being beaten inside of the family home.

In the back terrace, I sat with the littlest sister Haley watching as she played with her new Christmas dolls. These memories returned each day that I didn't hear from Onelis. My fear was that something terrible had happened to her and her family on a street where most taxis refuse to drive, where the Patriarch refused to let me walk alone at night.

Edited June 26, 2009 by Ken y Leidys