Adventuring and so on.. April 1 and Easter Weekend

So, spring has finally, sort of, sprung in Tallinn. It's still not what one would call warm but it's warm enough for a few (six) brave ERASMUS to venture out into the unknown and risk life and limb in daredevil climbs and zip lines.

Just kidding… would I do that??

No, there were no limbs or lives risked that day and really, anyone could have done it. The "it" I'm referring to would be "Nomme Adventure Park" conveniently located behind the Technological University. When I saw only six people show up to the event, I was questioning how the day was going to go and when I saw just the outside of the park, I really, really wondered how it was going to go. It's a very nondescript sort of place. Anyway, on to the good stuff.

Our first task was to get into our harnesses. I was not prepared to be wearing a harness and am currently wearing yoga pants. This of course resulted in an enormous wedgie for the duration of the harness wearing period. I figure that as long as nobody can see the jam or perhaps "bind" that I'm in, I'm fine. Very punny, I know.

The harness comes with two large metal clips that have to be attached at all times to wires that are strung through the trees above whatever part of the course we're on. It also has a really big hooky thing with a closure for the zip line parts of the course. This is the moment when I know that I'm in trouble. I have the coordination of a floor tile. That is to say, effectively none. I'm baffled about how to clip and unclip these things with people lined up behind me waiting for their turn on whichever task I'm completing. How do I do it while looking like I know exactly what I'm doing, because it would be such a terrible thing if they saw that I didn't, and still manage to do the task quickly. My concern with such trivial matters lands me in trouble with the instructor more than once because I keep removing both clips, which I'm not allowed to do. Ugh, why did I sign up for this?

However, about ten minutes after this thought runs through my head, I finally manage to get the hang of the course. I'm breezing through tasks! I'm quick! I'm nimble! If there was a candlestick, I'd be all set. My success fills me with a false sense of confidence and so I push through climbs and balance tasks that maybe are a bit beyond my skill level. Two hours later, and thighs burning, I finally reach the end of the course when maybe I should have stopped a little while back. The last zip line was the longest one, a reward I suppose for the work required to get to this point. I feel a sense of accomplishment which is nice. Nice, because for the next three days every time I walk anywhere, I limp and wince in pain. Crap.

This is especially embarrassing because my friend's families arrived the next day in Taliinn and I agreed to help show them the town. So, the only time in weeks that I might have to make a first impression, I get to make one with a strained crotch and two none functioning thigh muscles. Oh, no!

Nonetheless I have a great time showing these two surrogate families what we've been doing here and also to do some new things. I hadn't been to the Museum of Occupations, the Kalev marzipan museum or the Kiek in de Kok bastion yet but I did all of those things with Kevin's uncle. Not to mention eating at Olde Hansa and at various other bars and restaurants with Szymon's sister and her husband.

A weekend that I thought was going to be very lonely, actually turned out to be one of the better weekends in Tallinn. I think that I might have underestimated the effect of not having my family less than five hours away would have on me. Briefly, fleetingly, I got a taste of what it would be like if I could show them this city that I've come to love.

March 13-14 Latvia by Night and Day

And so, after two or so successful days in Lithuania, we arrived at 8pm on the 13th to Riga, Latvia. We had less time in this city so we elected to go exploring in the evening rather than relaxing. Thankfully, this city is smaller than Vilnius so we didn't need to tax ourselves.

The first sight greeting us off the bus was a very pretty lighted bridge. It was streaming blue lights onto the water and into the night sky. So, Riga looked promising. The hostel was also much nicer than in Vilnius and the staff were more helpful. However, maybe due to exhaustion or simply because of how much I liked Lithuania, Riga didn't really do it for me. The city reminded me of Tallinn, in size, and of Stockholm in building style but the magic wasn't there for me. Not that a city needs to be "magical" for me to derive enjoyment from it.

The best parts of the visit to Riga were the hours we spent just walking through art nouveau facade clad buildings in districts that skirted the Old Town, and the food, as well as the market. The food in Riga was fantastic, hearty and satisfying and so, so, cheap. Lido, on the first night was a buffet featuring traditional Latvian food and drink as well as interior decor. The same restaurant exists in Tallinn, as it's actually a Latvian chain restaurant but I'd never been there before. I loved the food, and made a mental note to visit the one in Tallinn before I leave. We explored the city after this and then made our way to the hostel to plan the next day and catch some much needed sleep.

Breakfast was a little hard to find on a quiet Sunday morning, but we eventually located a little cafe and got our munch on. The day was chilly, and windy so our wandering took a brisker pace and we spent a large part of the day indoors. We viewed the very well planned out museum of occupation and then made our way to the highlight of Riga for us, the market.

Located in three adjoining zeppelin hangars, the market featured fresh produce, meat and baked goods. I'm a huge fan of markets and despite being a little skittish about pickpocketers and that kind of thing, I thoroughly enjoyed looking around. We spent the last of our lats on dinner and some sausage to take home as well, as the rest of our time in Riga, here.

By the time we made it onto the bus, it was dusk in Riga and I couldn't help but take note of the coincidence that we arrived at dawn in Vilnius and were leaving Riga at sunset. A very poetic ending to a very lovely trip. I'm not usually so romantic but it seemed like something out of a Jane Austen novel.

Vilnius, Lithuania

March 11-12 Lithuania

Have you ever wandered into a place you've never been before, took a look around and almost immediately felt at home? Like you belonged? That was Vilnius, Lithuania for me.

It all began when my American friend Kevin and I decided we wanted to take a trip. After looking at the weather and casually bouncing around ideas of Minsk or Kiev, we settled on nearby Riga in Latvia and Vilnius in Lithuania. After some investigation, we discovered that buses run daily and cheaply from Tallinn to both locations and so we packed our bags and settled in for the nine hour trip to Vilnius. It was an overnight bus ride and I was trying to be as efficient as possible so we saved on accommodation and travel time by travelling and sleeping in one practical combination. Unfortunately, I am famous getting quite bus sick and so for the duration I was trying to sleep on Kevin's shoulder, much to his chagrin, with god awful nausea and heartburn and a plastic bag beside me. Cute. Luckily, I nodded off right after we hit Riga and soon arrived safely in Vilnius with nothing but some fatigue.

After getting us hopelessly lost in order to try and find our hostel (which means I walked in the entirely wrong direction into the seediest part of town possible at around 6am), we got a chance to sit, have some tea and meet a fellow traveller before heading out into Lithuania's Old Town (not so seedy, I promise). Kevin, my impulsive travelling partner, whose sense of curiosity and play I consistently fail to emulate, insisted on going inside every church we came across and walking down every street possible. I didn't mind. Vilnius' streets are wide and clean and bright with the buildings, more often than not, having these amazingly beautiful art nouveau facades. Even the most run down buildings are still graceful with iron balconies and stucco on their exteriors. Lithuania has some sights that almost remind me of someplace like Rome. Many have pillars and ornate plaster decorations that gleam in the sunlight. It's incredibly beautiful and the weather we had on this trip did the city justice. It was clear and bright the entire time we were gone.

The description I wrote just now only begins to describe the atmosphere of this city and what I'm about to say next may surprise you. The place is absolutely covered in graffiti. Covered. Every available space has a tag or a painting or something on it which gives an otherwise almost too-perfect place a real grunge-y, underground feeling. Part of the national culture, Lithuania has always been the upstart of the Baltics. The people are louder, more open and although I hate to say it, friendlier than their Northern neighbours. Not that Estonians aren't friendly, just more reserved. Therefore, there are parts of this city like which I haven't seen anywhere else in the Baltics. Whole districts devoted to art and music. Youthful Uzupis is a good example. It was my favourite part of our explorations. Located to the right of Old Town, it has actually declared independence as it's own republic with it's own president and flag. Every niche is covered in graffiti with alleys and narrow streets throughout. Small bridges connect it with the outskirts of the Old Town and each bridge has a large collection of locks attached from people who have gotten married and had locks for the bridges engraved with their names. On the other side of Uzupis is a pedway connecting it to a lovely park. Standing at the edge of the small waterways, I could have stayed forever. Something about the beautiful juxtaposed against the slightly grimy and the very arty makes it feel like home.

Vilnius is also home to a large outdoor market where vendors don't sell food but rather, art. It's very fitting judging by the brief glimpse I had of the city's character. Rows and rows of paintings were closely guarded by their artists and I have to say that if I had had enough room to transport some home, I would have purchased half of the stalls. They were really good! I wish more places had things like that. Now, this market was located just past the presidential palace and I will now walk you through what we saw along the way. Cutting straight through Old Town from the hostel, you first pass through the Dawn Gates which are the only one of nine gates originally built around the town. Passing by the philharmonic, you then reach the centre which had shopping, hotels and residential buildings around large, wide streets with lots of grass. Yes, there was grass. The first I'd seen since leaving Canada. Leaving the centre, you walked toward the Cathedral which was most definitely the architectural pinnacle of the trip. Huge, with white columns and statues, and situated in a large tiled square, it could have rivalled anything found in Greece or Italy. Continuing on, you eventually reach a river separating the Old Town from the newer business centre. To walk along this river is very pleasant and that was mostly how we spent our afternoon. Close to the river are the Royal Palace and the city museum where there is a large hill boasting fabulous views of every part of Vilnius. So we took the glass elevator up to the top and proceeded to gawk for an extended period of time. By this time our legs felt as though they might fall off, so we took some time to eat and recover.

The latter part of the day consisted of the museum which formerly housed the KGB offices and prison, whose prison part has been kept intact. There were also top levels devoted to Soviet Occupation and the Holocaust. Lithuania was hit extremely hard by both of these events and over time, lost a third of its population due to deaths, disappearances and deportations. Seeing the prison was a particularly intense experience as hearing about various Soviet methods of torture is very different from seeing the chambers and leftover personal belongings of the victims in person. One that really dug under my skin was the ice room, where the prisoner was forced to stand on the small metal pedestal for days, surrounded by ice. So, his choices were to stand, or to fall and risk the harm of laying in a vat of ice for days and days. This to me, is unimaginable, yet the proof that it happened was directly in front of me. The museum serves as a sort of shrine that dedicates itself to remembering the occurrences of the last sixty or seventy years and that also tells all of its visitors about the popular resistance to these events by Lithuanians who risked everything to fight for their freedom. No person need look any further for women's lib in the Baltics as the stories of the women who were also part of the resistance feature heavily in the exhibits and also detailed their punishments if and when they were caught. The most severe punishments were either death by firing squad, prison, or 25 years in hard work camps. I wondered what in particular each had done to merit their fates. I learned a lot here, and though sobered after a lovely day, don't regret going to see it in the slightest. It was certainly something I won't soon forget.

So, for only spending a day and a half in the city, Kevin and I packed as much as possible into our stay. Leaving Vilnius felt a bit sad because there were still parts that I hadn't seen, but I consoled myself knowing that if I so enjoyed it, I would make it a priority to go back. And so, I will.

After another five hours on a bus….. Riga!

East Estonian Adventure Photos

East Estonian Adventures

March 5: Trip to East Estonia

I am currently as sick as is humanly possible for a person with a cold. But, that's never stopped me before so why would it stop me now? In that light, yesterday I piled into a rental car with three good friends and proceeded to drive to the very edge of Estonia. I literally stood at the banks of the Narva River and looked at Russia. I said, "Hello, Russia. How are ya?". How cool is that?? This trip was much better than the South Estonia one and I think I've identified the problem. Too many people, for too long, make my teeth itch. That's right. My teeth itch.

I've always been a lover and simultaneously, a hater of the "roadtrip". This time though, I pumped myself full of Gravol and was determined to enjoy myself and live up to my imagined standard of the concept. It worked. We stopped where we wanted, got lost a few times, and really, really enjoyed ourselves. On the way to Narva we stopped twice, once to try to find a waterfall, and secondly to successfully find a waterfall. Why a waterfall you ask? Well, only because it was frozen solid. Very impressive looking, I tell you. I almost died on the stairs though. They were treacherous. Sorry, Kevin, about the hot chocolate on your jacket. That's what you get for walking in front of me.

After the waterfall we eventually got to Narva. Narva is a small town mostly comprised of Russians, which is situated closer to St. Petersburg than to Tallinn. It sits on the bank of the Narva River which separates Estonia from Russia (at least this part) and at the same time joins them by a so called "Friendship Bridge" which appears, incidentally, on the 5 kroon note. The fortifications on the Estonian side of the river have become a very interesting museum that we took in before moving on to see more parts of the town. We also had a nice photoshoot next to Lenin. He was a bit overbearing, wasn't he?

On our way to see a statue of a Swedish Lion, we saw a few limos and some commotion. Upon closer examination, a wedding party was taking their photos next to the tourist attraction we wanted to see. So, we took ten minutes and crashed their party. It only made sense, it was our tourist attraction, too. Giggling away, we then explored some interesting churches, one of which happened to be having it's Lenten service. It happened to be the Russian Orthodox service and let me just say, that it was creepy with a capital "C". All and only lit with numerous red glass encased candles, and with nobody sitting, just standing with heads bowed listening to the Priest utter very quickly in Latin, it was a scene I will never forget. Very surreal. At this point, it's snowing rapidly and getting dark so we decide to hit the road.

Our last stop was a town called "Rakvere" which is quite small but very lovely. I feel like the worst kind of crap and elect not to get out and see castle ruins that I can see perfectly well from the car. But I do decide to go into a pub and get a hot chocolate when the occasion arises. We stay for a while, say that this little town merits further exploration at a later date, and head back to pass in the rental.

After some adventures getting gas, we successfully returned the vehicle and I am safe at home after a day well spent on the road. I hope to do this sort of excursion again. It was worth every penny spent and every minute on the road.

And It Continues...

March 4

Now this is an event an a half. Are you ready? Are you?? I bet you're not. But I guess I'll tell you anyway. I got to visit the Estonian PARLIAMENT! That's right, the Estonian seat of power, democracy, and freedom. I had shivers. I did, I swear. I love, love, loved it. This is what I have wanted to do since I got here. I walk home past the buildings every time I leave the city centre but hadn't yet been inside. So, upon hearing there would be an event where we would visit Parliament, I was the first to sign up.

Estonian democracy is of the highest standard. It's ranked fifth of the most democratic countries in the world, is very progressive, and generally functions very well. Estonia has had so few opportunities in its history to govern itself that in 1991 when they gained their independence they jumped at the chance to do it properly. They use a proportional representation system that is perfect for them since they are a small country with mixed views, and they have a sort of coalition government. They even have seats for Green party members, a touchy subject for any Canadians who vote Green as our system doesn't allow their direct participation in our political system without seats (which they don't have). But, enough of that. I'll tell you now about the inside of the buildings.

The Estonian parliament is built in several different styles from several different time. It's highly recognizable because part of it is in a castle, and the other most visible part in the front, is very pink. The inside has been built to symbolize Estonian national pride and freedom. From the colours right down to the interior mouldings. The chamber where members sit is bright blue with black doors and a white-ish ceiling as represented on the Estonian flag. The ceiling, stairways and walls all have decorative zigzags which are also symbols of Estonian independence. It makes for quite an eclectic looking arrangement. So, so, different from the Canadian buildings which tend to err towards the side of regal rather than quirky. I like it though, it's more appealing than the stiffness of the Canadian buildings.

After a guided tour, and some fun outside the chamber where members wait (if you stand in one corner of the room and even just whisper, the sound travels to the other corner. It's meant to symbolize that no secrecy is allowed in the parliament) we had a visit with a member of parliament whose name currently escapes me but who had lots and lots to say about Estonian government and its problems, all of which I won't recount to you now but which was very interesting. The highlights were that Estonia is having some integration problems with it's Russian population, has the same women's equality problems that we experience in Canada, and has very little debt, making its ascension into the Eurozone imminent.

Best trip ever. Felt like home. Pathetic? Maybe, but don't judge me. I just really like getting my politic on.

Sincerest Apologies

So, I very definitely suck. I have harboured (unintentionally, of course) a series of about nine blog posts in the safety of my desktop where they remained unedited for the last month and half or so. BUT! I have traded my lazy hat for my editor's hat and now, (drumroll, please) I present to you the product of my tiny existence in a foreign country. I will post chronologically so as not to confuse when these events took place.

February 26-28: South Estonia Trip

This trip was painful. Very, very, painful. I have never felt so alone as I have felt on this small, weekend excursion and I could not give you a good reason as to why. But out of the fog of my sour mood I can relate to you some of the happenings on this trip that should have been, if not for my humour, quite interesting.

We boarded the bus in the afternoon and started heading south towards Tartu, a university town, where we stopped briefly for drinks, as we continued on to our destination. It was dark and I was bus sick and now I have no idea where that destination was actually located. I can, however, tell you that once we got there, it was a very good night. The place was a rest lodge in the middle of what I perceived as nowhere, which was a nice setup. Mostly a long wooden cabin with bunks and a dining hall on the main floor. The dinner was delicious and the company on that first night was exceptional. The best bit, by far, was the sauna. I had never been to a sauna before and so, despite my Winterized (aka flabby, white, generally unprepared for public view) bikini body, I pulled mine on and off I went. Of course, as per Estonian tradition, when in a sauna, one must get as hot as possible and then take a run and jump into the snow. And so I did. And I liked it. Afterwards, I was covered in pine needles and my face was uncomfortably hot and red (and remained that way for the whole night) but, so what? All for the sake of having fun. The rest of the evening was spent dancing and drinking with friends and trying to sleep while the belligerently drunk were still up and shouting. As all should be.

The next day, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Which sounds ridiculous because in a bunk next to a wall there is only one possible side of the bed, but, nonetheless, I woke up on the wrong one. The worst one. The whole day is a haze of crank. We got up and ate a small breakfast and then we re-boarded the bus. We stopped at a park where we proceeded to take a small hike into the woods to see some natural rock formations that used to be a place of worship in the area. There were holes in the cliff side, embedded in the rock, and some caves where water was streaming through. According to our tour guides the water flowing here is very pure and drinkable right from the source. The scenery was beautiful and when looking at my photos later, I realized that I had in fact enjoyed that part of the trip. I've always liked hiking and this was no exception. The day was spent largely in various parks looking at different kinds of Estonian scenery, until later in the afternoon.

Later that day, after a bit more driving, we found ourselves in an historical representation on a traditional Seto farmstead. The Seto people are traditional Estonians whose culture has survived a long history of domination so that they still can bestow upon the viewing public, and enjoy themselves, their traditions and language. They speak a slightly different dialect of Estonian which made it difficult for our guides to translate directly. We toured through the farmstead and ate a traditional meal (I'm using the word traditional a lot, I know, but really, that's what it was), and then a group of Seto women graced us with some singing from the area in traditional (sorry) costume. This was ok until they made me dance. That was not ok. Not ok at all.

After that is where it all gets a bit hazy. We got back on the bus and proceeded to Forest Brothers farm. The Forest Brothers are what the locals call men who were evading and fighting the Russians by living in the woods. Some lived in the woods for the better part of their lives, unable to see their families and denied the comforts that we North Americans have enjoyed during our lives. This particular farms had several bunkers in which to hide and belongs now to a woman whose family had owned the farm since its existence and thus, lived under the occupation. She recollected stories of her community that were truly moving. This part of the day was not lost on me. We were able to see inside the bunkers and partook in the drinking of local vodka (aka moonshine). This is the hazy bit. I had a bit too much of said vodka and elected to sit out the rest of the evening. Woops.

The next day was, how shall I say, difficult. I was very grateful that it was the last day of the trip. I really didn't feel well, really needed a shower, and really didn't want to get back on the bus. But I did. We went first to the highest hill in South Estonia and then to a Poku house (the Estonian equivalent of a Smurf shrine) where a famous Estonian writer's books and characters came to life. It would take a person with more patience than I to tell you completely about Poku's and their origins, but suffice it to say, they are rather like Smurf's but without the blue and with lots of hair.

That was the end of the South Estonian adventure and I can say unashamedly that I spent the next week as a hermit in my apartment. I had had enough of people for a few days. Better luck next time, I guess.