2016 - The exciting autumn


- Ken, the movie is about to start. You should stop sewing already. What are you making?
- My vacation is getting closer! I need a whole new wardrobe for my travel!


It´s actually still six weeks before the holiday starts. Ken can't think of anything else, he is so excited. He will spend three whole weeks in the sun in November!!!


Ken is at the library trying to find good tourist guides of Fuerteventura.


Ken:
- Look at these sandy beaches of Fuerteventura!!!!
Hector:
- With loads of nude dudes? 
Ken:
- Well yes, it's a nudist beach... But look at all that hot sand!!!!


The tourist guides of the Canary Islands bring back exciting and great memories. This won't be the first time on the Islands for Ken.


New dress. Does this qualify for a trip to Spain?


Same sewing pattern, same fabric materia, different print, different style. Ken is posing proudly next to his stuntman.


It's about time to pick all the apples!


Apple pie for dessert today!


"Oh such a perfect day..." Ken sings while walking in the nature on this wonderful sunny day.


Yay! The treasures of nature.


Yummy, mushroom gravy and potatoes for lunch.


A book about a Finnish rap artist Cheek is out! Ken rushed into the supermarket to buy his copy.


Maple trees are always the prettiest. No matter what time of the year it is.


Ken has started to pack for his holiday trip.
Hector:
- That's a lot of pink clothes!
Ken:
- Sure! It's my favorite color!


The worst day of the season! The first snow is falling! But this time Ken won't get depressed, because after a few nights he will fly to Fuerteventura!


Checking out the weather forecast for next week. Wet snow and cold air for Hector, sun and warmth for Ken!


The last night together before Ken flies away. He is a bit scared. He knows he will miss Hector a lot, but he hopes to still be able to really enjoy every second of the upcoming three weeks.


Ken starts to cry the minute the train left and he couldn't see Hector anymore. It'll be three weeks until they are together again. Even if leaving is hard, Ken is excited and happy about the adventures waiting for him!


First world problems: when your iPad battery dies and you are in England and your plugs just don't fit!!!! Time to panic!

Ken needs to stay at an airport hotel near London before the other plane to Fuerteventura leaves in the morning.


The politeness of the British people is unbelievable. Actually a bit overwhelming for a Finnish person, to be honest. There has been times during this short stay when Ken has felt like screaming: "Stop asking me all these questions!" He feels like a jerk from the North who has no manners. But now it's time to say thank you kindly, madams and sirs, and catch a plane again. Next stop Fuerteventura.


Yay! Ken has reached his final destination! It's really hot and moist and very dark. He can't wait to see this place in a daylight. 


Good morning from the Canary Islands! The hotel area looks really cute!


Apparently not much of anything grows naturally on this dry island. All the trees and flower around the town are planted and need a lot of watering.


This island is like the surface of the moon. It´s all just dry desert with some villages and these so-called towns that consist of only hotels and restaurants. Right next to Ken´s hotel is a deserted area that goes on and on as far as you can see. It's great!


Ken learns about the bus routes on the island. The buses are called guaguas. Ken has no idea how to pronounce that!


This morning Ken climbed up the hill to admire the sunrise and log one geocache.


Half an hour of sweaty climbing was well worth it! The view is great!


Ken doesn't really know what's the point with piling rocks on top of mountain peaks, but since everyone else does that all around Europe, he's doing the same.


Ken walked at least ten miles, so he will take it really easy for the rest of the day. He's having a nice breakfast and catching the news.


Ken is trying hard to cross his fingers for Trump not to win!!!! He doesn't know much about Hillary but since the other option is unbearable, he´s hoping her to win.


Ken has taken a guagua to the town of Puerto Del rosario, and now he is rushing out of a toy store! There were at least a dozen of amazingly stylish Barbie girls captured in cardboard boxes! You never see that kind of women in Finland! Ken wanted to release them all but the ransom was too high. What a torment!


The hotel pool area is nice and peaceful.


Prada, D&G, Hugo Boss, YSL, Michael Kors, Luis Vuitton, Armani, Rolex... Whatever you need, you will find it at the Saturday market. Ken is shocked! Is it really legal to sell these fake products here? And he is even more shocked to see that the British tourists actually buy them!


While watching some gorgeous young men playing beach volley, Ken remembers a certain young beach lion from his past. A very, very certain laid back dude with absolutely no worries. Ken had a lot of fun with him in Tenerife years ago. (Photos of the dreamy dude are all stolen from various web sites. I am sorry and thankful for those whose photos these are.)


Ken doesn't understand this at all: why do we let the idiots vote????? Democracy really sucks right now! First there was Persut in Finland, then Brexit in England and now that sorry excuse for a human being is going to be the president of the USA. The bad dream has been going on too long now and getting worse all the time.


To get his thoughts away from Trump, Ken goes to the beach.


Ken found a nice place to relax. The wind blows hard and almost blows his magazine away!


Ken is taking his sun bath, when someone approaches. Suddenly the stranger says:
- Ken!!!! Is it really you?!


Ken opens his eyes and sees a familiar face from the past!!!
- Oh my god Blaine!!!!!!!!!!!

 It's a happy reunion. Kisses on the cheeks and warm hugs! - I can't believe you are here! I was just thinking about you yesterday! Ken rejoices.


Meet Blaine! A man who came to the Canary Islands almost 20 yrs ago for a short vacation, but decided not to return home at all! He inherited a nice sum of money and he doesn't have to work at all now. He rented a little house from Fuerteventura and spends his days surfing and diving.



Blaine is thrilled to meet Ken:
- How long are you staying? We are going to have so much fun together! What have you been up to then? It's been a while! You still look hot by the way! The years have treated you well! - Thanks! So do you! You haven't aged one bit! I'm staying here until the 19th, so we will have plenty of time to hang out! Well, I still live in Finland. I am engaged, me and Hector are getting married in March.


Blaine:
- Engaged to be married?! Wow Ken... Welcome to the Temptation Island then!!!!


Since it´s really windy, Blaine wants to teach surfing to Ken. At first Blaine shows how to ride on the waves.


There he goes! That tiny little spot far from the shore is Blaine. That looks like fun, Ken thinks while waiting anxiously his turn.



Now Ken can try! He climbs on the board bravely but then comes the wave...
Ken falls down and has to fight his way back to the sand! 

(At this point I lost the surfboard but luckily managed to save Ken before the wave took him too. I had to spend quite a lot of time catching the board but I finally got it back!)


Ken laughs:
- I guess I'm not a natural talent!
Blaine:
- Everybody needs practice! Let's wipe this sand of you skin. 
Ken:
- My pants are full of it too! But I will take care of that myself.


Blaine points to North and says:
- That way is Corralejo, my home town. Tomorrow night we are going to have dinner together, take a few drinks and dance all night!
But as we know Ken is no party animal! He says to Blaine:
- Oh, that's not a good idea. I always want to be in bed by nine.
Blaine thinks:
- Oh, I will take you to bed all right...


Being on a budget trip Ken must cook his own meals. No eating in restaurants. It's only 2 km from the hotel to the supermarket if you take a shortcut across the desert.


Other than surfing, Blaine loves diving. He hopes Ken would like to try it too. He can't think of a better way to relax than going under water. Diving into the peace and harmony of the clear blue Atlantic ocean is a magical way of escaping the noisy world.


 Are you ready, Ken? - I think I will pass this time. I know it would be great but those big fish are so ugly that I might panic down there!


- Well, if you change your mind, just let me know, Blaine says and starts to undress the wetsuit.


- Will you hand me my shorts, Ken? Thanks!
Ken can't look but he wants to! Oh sweet mary mother of god, that butt is the hottest ever!


Meanwhile in Finland Hector is bravely digging their house out of the snow. 


Ken took a bus to Corralejo. - What's this street now? Let's see the map... Must be close already...


- This is it! What a cute balcony, I love these Spanish houses!


Blaine lets Ken in.
- Welcome to my home, Ken. Here, I squeezed you some fresh lemonade since you don't like alcohol.
- Thank you Blaine! Here's to old friends!
- And to new adventures! Cheers!


Ken is amazed by the joyful colors of Blaine's home.
- This house is such a happy place!
- Yeah, I like to have vibrant colors around me. And you know what, practically everything is found from dumpsters! I like to recycle other people's garbage, it's ecological and saves my money. I have only bought the paints and a mattress in my bed. Must have a decent mattress!


Blaine seems to be a pro in pizza making.
- Oh Blaine, this must be the most delicious pizza I have ever had! You know how they say in Finland, "tie miehen sydämeen..." The way to a man's heart leads through his stomach.


When Ken is about to go back to his hotel, Blaine gives him a necklace.
- I made it for you, Ken. It has all the colors of the spectrum, just like your beautiful soul.


(The souvenirs in the tourist shops are so perfect for the dolls!)


Admiring the colorful kites at a kite festival.


A FaceTime call from Hector!
- Have you done anything stupid?
- No!
- So you haven't been in dark alleys?
- No.
- You haven't entered any abandoned houses?
- No.
- You haven't been drinking tap water?
- No.
- Have you eaten any uncook vegetables?
- No.
- Have you used hand disinfection gel after going to toilet?
- Yes! 
- Wow, good boy!
- But there is one thing....
- What's that?
- Well...eh... I did swim in the ocean when the red flag was up!


Ken is introducing Geocaching to Blaine, who is immediately hooked.


- One of the many reasons why I love this island, is that you can sit down anywhere and not get your ass wet or frozen! And not having to be afraid of frog attacks! Ken says while resting his feet.


This is just a perfect life! Ken wouldn't like to be nowhere else right now!




Time to leave the seashore and all the other tourists behind and see how the inland looks.


Ken watches an old artisan lady making a traditional lace. He buys a beautiful table cloth.


The last week in Paradise has started. Ken is feeling torn apart. He misses Hector, but still... 


- Let's see now... Google... Inmobiliarias Canarias... Casa de campo.... Con piscina... 

Ken is checking out some houses that are for sale here.


Ken and Blaine have climbed up on a hill and are now having a serious discussion.
- You would be so much happier here than in Finland, you do know that, don't you Ken?
- Of course I know that. The magic of the sunlight... I wouldn't even need antidepressants here.
- Did you check the houses on sale?
- Yes... They are very expensive.
- You can live with me at first. You don't have to fly away on Saturday. I'll help you to find a home. A pretty little white cube in the desert!
- With a pool, please.


When Ken walks back to his hotel, he thinks:
"I miss Hector. I wish he was here. I wish he could see the beauty of this dry island. I wish he could understand the importance of the sun light."


Ken is feeling tense because of the mixed feelings he has about staying vs. leaving. Blaine is a gentleman and offers to give him a shoulder massage.


Ken returns the favor by giving Blaine a foot massage.


When Blaine walks to his car after a nice evening in Ken's hotel room, he wonders:
- Poor Ken. I can see that he remembers how great we were together but he is restraining himself because of that Hector dude. I hope he decides to stay here.


Blaine hangs a large photo on the wall. It was taken on that perfect day when Ken returned to him.


After walking almost all day in the desert finding geocaches, the boys decide to dip into the ocean right before sundown.


Blaine:
- I can feel your eyes, Ken! You know... You could watch this ass every day, you could touch it whenever you want, you could do anything with it. The choice is yours, just don't get on that plane tomorrow!


Blaine:
- I already lost you once, Ken. I would hate having to go through that again. You'll brake my heart if you leave me tomorrow. Please stay with me and I will make you happy. Me and the sun!


Ken is trying hard not to cry when he says:
- I know I don't belong to Finland. The Finnish weather makes me depressed. But if I stay here, I will loose Hector and my wonderful niece Ritva. On the other hand if I return to Finland I will loose this climate that really makes me feel at home and like a whole person. And I will loose you. No matter what I do, my own heart will be broken.


It's the check out time at Ken's hotel. Tears are falling down his cheeks when he locks the door behind him.


Goodbye Ken! Don't let that long, dark winter wipe away that radiant smile of yours!