MY TRIP TO NEW YORK, SAN DIEGO, LOS ANGELES AND TIJUANA IN MAY-JUNE 2007

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Copyright 2007 -> Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone

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Then was time to find my way back to San Diego. Next day in June 1 I was cleaning house and Randy packing items for many hours. Then we headed to the Live Wire around 6:30. We met there Randy's and Shazz's friends Lorie Kubert, Dan Demers, Kelsey Joyce and Pete Devito. I wrote before how Pete was attended Dee Dee's late shows, in 2001 and on May 17, 2002. Also we spoke how Dan Demers was experienced them. Dan had many photos of those shows. He wanted to buy my books. At Live Wire was played I Want You Around by the Ramones when I wrote dedication to my Heaven Needed A Lead Singer: Fans Remember Joey Ramone book for Dan. Later Randy's and Shazz's friends Robin Rosenfeld and Crown Arbuckie arrived. Robin is also Ramones fan, she had got my second book Rock In Peace: Dee Dee And Joey. She wanted to buy my first book, magical music surrounded us again..., when I wrote dedication for her, at Live Wire was played Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment. All Randy's and Shazz's friends were really nice and friendly, it was great to meet them.
I, Randy and Lorie had nice after party together in Friday. We slept 5 hours before Randy and I had to wake up because movers came to Randy's house. They had big truck and they took all big and heavy things for Randy's and Shazz's new place.

Later in Saturday Gaston Sanchez picked me up from the house. Gaston also lives in San Diego and I was E-mailed him that I am in a city. This was second time I met with him. We have E-mailed lot through the years. He also attended that Dee Dee's show on May 17, 2002. Extra cool photos by Gaston of that night are in my second book and he run great site Ramonesforever.com. Dee Dee was in so great mood that night, photos bring easily tears in your eyes... Gaston has born in Mexico, he told me of his living history in San Diego, he worked many years in zoo. Now he is doing an accounting. We went to his house where I met his wife Yoly and their dorother Lily who was then 1,5 years old. Gaston did show to me his collection, he had for example around 80 different Ramones T-shirts. Gaston has one of the most big Ramones bootleg show collections in a world. Gaston did show to me one page which he was printed from my site in 1996 (I started my page in 1995). We were also talking of our mutual friends like Arturo Vega, Mariano Asch and Paolo di Gaetano.

I did told to Gaston and Yoly that I am vegetarian. I was really happy to hear that they are as well, Yoly has been vegetarian since 1992 and Gaston since 1994. We went to Mexican restaurang called El Torritos. We met there Gaston's brother Javier. I also knew him already. It was nice place. Javier eat meat and they prepared his meal carne asada fajita next to the table, they made his food "on open fire." So fire was next to us... My meal was really good. Lily was full of energy. She also had the Ramones bib.
I did show to them photos from my trip when we returned to the house of Gaston, Yoly and Lily. Then Gaston drove me back to Randy's and Shazz's place. When I came back, Lorie was also in the house. Randy was confused, he was trying to find his red bananas and alcohol bottles what he was bought. He was still so out of space from yesterday that he couldn't find them... Two hours later he found them from next to bathroom... I was sad soon because Randy still didn't fullfill his promise what we made day before that I can nailpolish his fingernails in green. Randy wasn't a real man, or what you think? We had again fun and also Lorie seemed to understand well my sense of humour.

We heard call of Mexico in June 3. It was only few hours of travelling and we were in Tijuana. Tijuana was a bit wild experience like people were told for me. All the time someone was asking money or selling something in front of your face and of course that and that place had best prices in Tijuana. But it was anyway good experience to go there. We visited for example Hard Rock Cafe.
Randy went back to work in Monday. Lorie took me for some nice places which were peaceful to experience. First we headed to the sea to see sealions, there were probably around forty of them laying on the beach and on big rocks. Then we headed to Balboa Park. Gaston Sanchez told me before that he attended there Ramones show in 1992. Balboa Park was big. There was different special plants etc. It was cool to visit for example cactuc garden where was lot different cactusses. I bought later that day from store pickled cactus to eat.
I tried to call Richie Ramone and Annette. They weren't home yet. So I couldn't travel to see them for their new city.

Gaston Sanchez worked many years in San Diego Zoo like I did mention. Javier Sanchez still works there. Gaston and Javier invited me to the zoo. I got chance to go there with Lorie in Tuesday. We met Javier around midday and I and Lorie spent next six hours at the zoo, it was great experience. San Diego Zoo is famous worlwide. Like we saw for example elephants, giraffes, hippos, many different monkeys, beautiful birds etc. One of the most great experience was to see pandas. Two pandas were just having an dinner, they were eating bamboos with a big smile in their face. It was nice to see huge hippo in a swimming pool when hundreds of fishs were next to him/her and also mother bird was swimming there together with babies. At the zoo I recorded to my miniDVD recorder 35 minutes of material and I got lot lovely photos.
Sadly I did not saw leopards, they were inside their house. Leopards are one of my favourite animals. Two snow leopards I and Lorie saw. Lorie would have wanted to be an referee in a small match which gorillas had, "leader" and a younger one had a little fight. Orange monkeys (orangutan) are one of her favourite animals and they were also cool to see. San Diego Zoo does lot important work for endangered species.
I and Lorie headed to Coronado in June 6, there I experienced again wonderful feeling of California beach and sea water. Rollercoaster ride we also had before it was time to return to the house of Canadian vikings. Randy arrived there also soon after us. We watched my recordings, like Uncle Monk performance which I attended in New York.
Then they took me to the airport. I had four flights before I landed to Finland: 1) San Diego-Charlotte, 2) Charlotte-New York, 3) New York-Frankfurt, 4) Frankfurt-Helsinki. My return trip lasted around 26 hours. I had to wait for example seven hours at the JFK airport in New York. So I had time to think how great my trip was and how many friends I met and how many new people I got honour to get to know. I also started to write letters to my penpals Shari Lee Diers and Elina Korhonen.

I headed to Sauna Open Air metal festival from airport in Finland. Phone started ringing and soon I heard lovely voice of Pia Voutilainen. After I got to festival I did interview with singer Timo Kotipelto of Stratovarius. There he played with his solo band Kotipelto. Then was time of Type O Negative performance. 30 minutes after the show I had great meeting with Type O Negative guys. I and drummer Johnny Kelly hadn't met since November, 2002. Johnny was then playing at Tavastia club in Finland as Danzig's drummer. We did then also interview to my second book. With singer-bassist Peter Steele we spoke now that we would do in future book interview. Johnny and guitarist Kenny Hickey asked me to take them to the nightlife of Tampere. Kenny plays nowadays also in Danzig. It was great night.

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