It was spring 1989 when I was having a hair cut in a trendy salon in downtown Toronto. I told Vicky, the owner, how hard it is to make friends when you are new in town. Then Vicky introduced me to Nina, a hairdresser in her salon, who had recently moved to Toronto from Northern Ontario, and who plays in a band and knows a bunch of people. So I got to know Nina. We became friends and we have kept the friendship up all these years.
We had a great time together in Toronto, Montreal, Mexico... we both got cheated by our flat mates... we had future dreams and hopes... Later, Nina moved back to Northern Ontario, I moved back to Finland. She got married, had a baby, I finished my studies and got married too. She had a busy family life and her own business, I was busy building a career and changing jobs. But we kept in contact, not that often but still.
I had a business trip to Canada in 2002. So we finally met after 13 years. And finally I was able to meet Little Seija, Nina's daughter, 5 years old at the time. I am so proud to have someone like her to be named after me. Today she is a beautiful, talented, artistic and sporty young lady.
In 2007 I met Nina and her husband in Paris, 2009 she and I travelled together in India and 2010 we were in Turkey. And now she is with me in Thailand for these upcoming two weeks. She just arrived three days ago but it feels like if we had traveled weeks together already. I am excited, or "pumped" as Nina would say, to do things together with her again. On a second day she cut my hair very short and colored it bright copper red. So I am a red head now!
We have had fun exploring Bangkok; we took boat taxis, moto taxis, sky train, walked in a park, in small alleys, night markets, visited a luxury sky bar (and were surprised that we got in wearing our sandals), ate green curry, pad thai, coconut ice cream, mango and sticky rice, had local beer, shopped and chatted. One day we had a Buddhist monk, who I had met before in a meditation retreat, as our guide in a temple, Wat Pho. We discussed the mysteries of life, religions, philosophy, everyday matters and this crazy world. We felt privileged to have this opportunity to spend time with him.
Now we are on the way to Koh Chang; the beach is calling!
We had a great time together in Toronto, Montreal, Mexico... we both got cheated by our flat mates... we had future dreams and hopes... Later, Nina moved back to Northern Ontario, I moved back to Finland. She got married, had a baby, I finished my studies and got married too. She had a busy family life and her own business, I was busy building a career and changing jobs. But we kept in contact, not that often but still.
I had a business trip to Canada in 2002. So we finally met after 13 years. And finally I was able to meet Little Seija, Nina's daughter, 5 years old at the time. I am so proud to have someone like her to be named after me. Today she is a beautiful, talented, artistic and sporty young lady.
In 2007 I met Nina and her husband in Paris, 2009 she and I travelled together in India and 2010 we were in Turkey. And now she is with me in Thailand for these upcoming two weeks. She just arrived three days ago but it feels like if we had traveled weeks together already. I am excited, or "pumped" as Nina would say, to do things together with her again. On a second day she cut my hair very short and colored it bright copper red. So I am a red head now!
We have had fun exploring Bangkok; we took boat taxis, moto taxis, sky train, walked in a park, in small alleys, night markets, visited a luxury sky bar (and were surprised that we got in wearing our sandals), ate green curry, pad thai, coconut ice cream, mango and sticky rice, had local beer, shopped and chatted. One day we had a Buddhist monk, who I had met before in a meditation retreat, as our guide in a temple, Wat Pho. We discussed the mysteries of life, religions, philosophy, everyday matters and this crazy world. We felt privileged to have this opportunity to spend time with him.
Now we are on the way to Koh Chang; the beach is calling!
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| Here we are! |
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| Having a cup of tea with Phra Dipayan |
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| Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho |
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| Bangkok by night |
2 comments:
how nice! Hope you enjoy the beach.
I love your story telling! It's fantastic :) And how cool was that that you got to spend time with the Buddhist monk. Can't wait to hear what has happened during the past few weeks!
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