Hello from Stockholm

'Thinking of you all at home, now the heat wave, has been quite a summer-so far. Europe is also having heat wave. Not here, just nice low 20's.
Had a busy (10 hr) day yesterday went to amusement park, rides comparable to PNE, kids did some wild ones! Walked alot around the east, west, south islands. (My cousin was our tour guide)We are living on the north. There seem to be bridges you don't even realize, as not very big water ways. The water and walking ways are so clean and brick roads. Huge yachts ferries cruise ships on the docks. Old old buildings quite amazing a beautiful city. Had a greek dinner out beautiful sunny evening. Today we will walk 30min to catch a boat. Go 2hr into archepelago to an island and spend a night at my Aunt Elsie's(Dad's sister) place. There the tics are so bad most carry lyme disease and like a menengitis disease. Here they are vacinated. We will have to check very well. My cousins are teachers in the nursing area and know sooo... much info. Swine flu here is very bad, ages in their 20's and healthy in hospital some near the end, and considering holding back start of school so all of Sweden can be vaccinated within 3 months, never anything like this done. Talk about it actually originating from Canada or US not Mexico. They are so interesting to talk to I could go on. Tina also does medical relief work and tends to disasters around the world.
Brian leaves Sun. From there the rest of us will go north to another Aunt's in Gavle and spend some time in Uppsulla and back here.

Stockholm

We arrived last evening in Stockholm. After getting up at 2.30 am travelling 4hrs on bus to Abo 8.45 boat to Stockholm arriving at 6.55, yes very long. You can book rooms to sleep, but expensive. Just lyed on the floor inside and outside. Weather was very nice but windy. Amazing islands you pass 1.000's of them. Boat does not go very fast and sometimes so close to islands can nearly touch them. Water is so shallow they have markers you need to stay inbetween. There is no tide here, Baltic, or where we were off coast of Finland. My cousin's picked us up and back to cousin Rosita's apt. to stay, right in the heart of downtown. We are off this am to walk around town. Having a family dinner tonight here.

France- Finland

In Taklax Finland now south of Vasa on coast.. Staying at my cousins living the Swedish/Finish life. Kids are doing well getting along with my cousins kids. They speak very good english and teaching them swedish. Visiting the family and old sites. Off the Stockholm on Mon.

Finland

We are in helsinki now. Very green here, no brown trees. Will wonder around for awhile and catch the train north 3.5hrs to vaasa to my cousins, aunts\uncles places. The weather is still gorgeous. Was walking around last night at 11.30 and was like 9.00 out. Flight from Paris was good.
Bye for now.

Arrived here in Paris this am. Eurostar was fast considering was up at 3:30 this am leaving on 5;30 train so was kind of sleepy. Went to Louvre this evening overwhelming and huge. Going up to Vimy in the morning. Our apartment is a 5 min walk from the Bastille, really handy. All the streets down below are loud right now with cafe and sidewalk bars, like a street party out there. Party poopers we are, need to get to bed. Busy busy busy. The weather has been incredible. Will be able to have a quiet sleep in day when in Finland that would be Wed morning.

Bye for now.

More pics

Last night, at Cyril and Jane's, in Ewell. Packing up to head up to London for 2 nights-Fri. Have been very busy last few days. RAF Museum, bussing thru London, Guildford, Portsmouth, Brighton and Hampton Court Palace. The Palace pictures really don't do the place justice. Have had amazing weather for our travelling. The train travelling is 'brilliant', fast, fairly easy and reasonably priced. Ta Ta for now!