​WOW what a day! I have to say I was really looking forward to Kingdom day and it did not disappoint. I won’t write to much about today, but let the pictures speak for themselves. When we walked in there, it had hardly started but there was an abundance of food already available. People kept talking to me in Estonian, rightly so, as I was dressed in Estonian clothes. It was a good excuse not to buy things in that I couldn’t take things back to Australia. But there were so many wonderful home made products, and it really reminded me how much Estonian’s still live off the land and are extremely resourceful. We had the most incredible Seto Pirukad, which were egg and onion. It tasted incredible. I would have never thought to add these two together but apparently they are very Seto. I had heard about them before but never tried them.
 
We were walking around and the thing that I adored the most was the abundance of Seto Rahvariide. So many national costumes from the Seto region. I learned so many things about the costume on this day and especially how to many an authentic one. One of my new friends, Johanna, kindly went through what makes a costume authentic, so when I make my new one when I get home, or commission someone else to, I will make sure it is done authentically, based on what Johanna shared with me. I also managed to get some sleeves for a new costume, I was so grateful I could do this! It meant a lot to me that I could get this so I could create a new costume for myself. The other thing I found, and this was really special for me, it made me tear up a little, was that I was looking at vööd at one point and I asked the lady if there were any from Petseri region. She pointed to me a beautiful vöö that was, and I had to take it. Petseri is now in Russia and not really accessible to anyone, so for me it was really special to find something form there. If you have read my other stories, you will understand why this is very special to me.
 
When we were walking around we found a small corner at the end of all the shops that had two stalls, one from Mulgimaa and the other from Võrumaa. I found it funny that they had one small little area to promote their regions. Setomaa, Võrumaa and Mulgimaa are the three southern regions of Estonia and they really are very different but work together. I really prefer the south of Estonia as the people are so much kinder. I had a wonderful conversation with a lady who has agreed to help me learn how to weave on the loom next year. She will have something set up so I can learn how to do it and create some material, in Võru. I thought this was really special and was grateful one of the men in Võru directed me to her. She is a Master of doing this and it was really special, for me, that we could connect.
 
There was another point in the day where I was speaking to some of the Seto ladies I had come to know, and the Russian Estonian TV crew heard that I was from Australia. They wanted to interview me about why I was here, what brought me here, what is my connection etc. I thought it was really nice they wanted to know this and they were impressed that an Australian had come to Kingdom Day. I thought it was a fantastic day and if I came again, I would try bring my Seto clothes so I can really feel part of it.
 
Something I learned was when they choose their “King” or “Queen”, the person really plays a political role. In order for you to be chosen, you get a colour and then a string. The people that are voting for you, have to hold onto this string and get their hands stamped and it only counts if you are holding the string with the left or right hand, I can’t remember which one, and then they become the leader of Setomaa for the year. This person addresses the President and has discussions with the Government, regarding Setomaa. I thought this was incredible, as I originally understood it was just a title but there is actually a lot of work to be done with this role. It was also really cute how you had to “cross a boarder” to get into the Kingdom and you needed “visas”. They also had a toll point. It was cute how they had set it up like a separate Kingdom in Estonia. By the end of the day they name their new Master's for the coming year, in relation to different crafts. I think this is such a special tradition. The lady who we made the cheese with, won the title again! We like to think we contributed to that.
 
Anyway, that is enough thoughts and reflections, now time for some photos.
Until the next post
Marissa xx

​Today we started off our journey by going to the Värska Museum. This is an open air museum, and is designed to showcase the way of life, when living a farm house in Setomaa. Firstly, we went upstairs and met our teacher for the day, Maret, who was one of the main orgaisers at the Viljandi Craft Camp. This time she was going to be teaching us some really old ways in waving men's belts. She told us that this technique but out because it's not something you can do on a machine. So once the invention of technology came about people simply stopped doing this technique because it was only done by hand. It led to this technique being somewhat lost, and she used her masters project to research and understand how it's done, and someone brought it back into how some of the belts are made here now. She did say that the technique somewhat got lost also, because men didn't know how to weave and the women could use machines or other things, such as a loom, to create their belts. She showed us some of the belts that she had made and then the little caring that we were going to try and make. We had a piece of paper with the patterns and instructions on how to make the keychain, and she had to teach us how to read it. So we gathered around one of the tables and she had set up the clamps and we had to warp the yarn in the correct order, so that when we started doing the weaving with our fingers, the intended patent emerged. She was showing us you had to go the same way around all the time, but making sure you had alternatives tops and bottoms. It was somewhat confusing because the pattern on the paper didn't really follow a pattern of warping it. In the end we finally all had something that was warped in the correct pattern, and then she started teaching his heart to do the waving with our fingers. At the beginning I thought I understood what was going on, and thought I was doing the right thing, but then when she checked it she showed me that I was just creating twists, and that I wasn't actually creating the netting that was required for this design. She showed me again how to do it and I tried again, but I still couldn't figure it out. This technique really requires you to have your hands in the right position and understand how to move your fingers, because you don't use any tools and it's simply your own hands. After a little bit of time I decided that I wasn't going to understand it, but I also had warped my yarn too far apart. Perhaps this is something that I can do quietly at home whilst watching the YouTube video that she made, and hopefully I'll be a bit more successful in this technique, because I would really like to learn how to make Mens belts.

​After we had some delicious Seto food for lunch, we set off on our journey to an old farmhouse. We met our guide who walked us along the road to get there, and there were so many beautiful flowers and open fields each side of us. As I was walking I was wondering what it would have been like to live here back in the day without all the modern technology, and really living in the Seto way of life. We walked past some oak trees and our guide was telling us that each year when people graduate they come and plant and you treat, so the oldest trees were at one part and then the trees started to get smaller because they were younger. I thought this was a really cute tradition because oak trees have so much meaning in the Seto culture. We arrived at the farmhouse and then we were greeted by a lady who we were told, established the museum, and its storage area, which is where we were. The little house that was standing in front of us is where they keep all of the old treasures that they display in the museum. There were so many folk costumes here, in various colours because it has changed over time. Originally it was a white overdress and then it went to black, then blue. Now women can wear whichever one they prefer but, there are specific things that you need to have on your dress depending on the colour that you have. For example a lady wearing a white dress cannot wear an apron, they have this kind of side apron that has red embroidery on the bottom. I also learned on another day, from Johanna, for it to be a proper Seto costume, the front of it needs to have three buttons at a minimum and the neck needs to come all the way up. There also needs to be a very specific design at the bottom of the red material on the chest, in both the way the material sits in the way that the stitches are done. This was really good information because I feel like I would not have known this, or done this creating my own costume. I was really grateful that she was able to explain this to us. We had a look through the museum, but it was very small and a lot of people so I only really looked at one thing that mum but found, which was the head pieces. They were absolutely stunning and I could see how much work in detail had gone into them. Once everyone was ready we left the treasury, and walked back museum to hear some stories how Seto people lived in these farm houses.

​When we arrived back we started off in the garden, where there was so many vegetables and fruits. You can really see how people lived off the land here, and they had to grow their own food because it was a much simpler way of life. They had storage Cellars or storage barns where they kept all their food, sometimes all year round. Our guide was telling us about the significance of a smoke sauna, and how these were used to heal people when they were sick, and a range of other things, and it became a central part of their life in these farm houses. She shared with us the reason why you have higher walls on the front of the little farm house, and it almost looks like a little village, and why you would have less of a wall at the back. At the front you didn't want people to see in to the family and how they were living but at the back you needed to be able to see your fields and how they were going. She also shared with us that if you had three barns you were rich, because you had the money to be able to build three different barns for different purposes. One was generally used for animals, the other maybe for storage of hay for the animals, and the last one would have been used as a food storage. The one that was made for food storage generally was built a bit differently so it was able to keep the food cooler in the summer, almost like a big fridge. ​She then took us inside and showed us what it would have been like to live in these farms. Only one of the rooms was heated, so in the winter entire family of maybe 10 to 15 people, would have to live in one room. During the summer people would sleep on the other side of the house, or in the hay sheds, or in the barns, where there were some beds for the young girls. Winter, we were told that there could be up to four people sleeping in one of the small beds. We were told that the winters used to be a lot colder then what they are now and they had to do this to survive. They certainly stopped not that long ago, as our guide was telling us that her grandmother remembers a time when she was a child where they had to do this. I'm not sure if the beds were as they were back then, but instead of a mattress they had hay. This would have been pretty uncomfortable, but then again they probably wouldn't have known any better. She showed us a map on the wall the border of Setomaa said where it currently is and where it should have been after the Tartu Peace Treaty. The Russians didn't recognise the border from the treaty and so they lost most of the Kingdom, and people had to make a decision whether they were going to stay in Russia, or come to the Estonian side. There is about 20,000 people in the Russian side of Setomaa, with only about 3000 on the Estonian side. She was telling us that the word “Setomaa” kind of means “not this or that” because it's not really Russian or Estonian, and really is it's own Kingdom in a way.

​We started driving back to her accommodation and Kulli wanted to show us his really cute spring. Most of us agreed to go and we were walking along this really beautiful boardwalk, along a lake towards this spring. It was said to be a holy spring and some religious people had come to bless it. When we arrived there, I could feel there was something a little bit special about this, and what I notice was there were some cups just sitting there and I wondered what they were for. Kulli told us that we could drink the water from this spring because it was so pure and clean, and so a few of us decided to do it. What I noticed about this water was but it was really cold and had a really clean fresh taste to it. I really liked it, and Kulli told us that people wash their face, especially their eyes, so that they can see better. I told her I was a lost cause and that probably wasn't going work for me. I thought it was a beautiful little pit stop on the way back to our accommodation, and it's a place i probably never would have looked for.

​Today we started off on our journey to another little village in Setomaa. We had heard from some of the other ladies in our group that we were going to be driving through Russia. This idea made a lot of us a bit nervous and we really didn't want to do it, but our guide reassured us that it was safe and it would be OK. We were all still a bit nervous but we did it anyway because it would have taken an extra hour almost to get to where we had to go. Once we were safely back in Estonia, and arrived at the Talu we would be up for the day we started to get a bit excited.

​After a little bit of time our teacher agreed to show mum how to dress as a married Seto woman. She showed us the braids that they use to make their heads look squirrel and how to tie that up in relation to the headscarf that they were. She showed us how to tie it up particularly in a certain way so that everything stays in place. She then showed me how to attach the braided belt,  which i thought was really beautiful and i would really like one, or learn how to make it. Like in every Estonian custom and tradition you have to make sure you are appropriate with what you're wearing and how you're wearing it, so right now that would not be appropriate for me to wear the braided band. Once she had finished doing mums headdress she put one of her aprons on her. What I really liked about the costume was the detailing at the bottom of the headscarf, which went down her back and almost closer to her knees. It was a mix of embroidery in crochet and weaving altogether. To be a good Estonian woman you need to understand and know various different handicrafts, is what i am beginning to understand.

​Once we had finished doing the crochet for the day we were asked to go into her house. There, she was teaching us how to make Seto cheese, which is made in a very specific way and with very specific ingredients. She was telling us that it can only be from this region and be called this specific cheese come on if all the ingredients from this area. It was only a few simple ingredients including milk, eggs, butter, caraway seeds and salt. The process itself is relatively quick, but it's very labour intensive, requiring you to stir a lot and consistently, so that the bottom of it the pan doesn't start to burn and the cheese cooks evenly. Once the cheese was made she put it onto a plate and she was putting it down and we got to have it whilst it was still warm. It was absolutely delicious and I am grateful that we got to have this experience especially whilst it was still warm, it tasted really good. I have never had this chase before until I came to Estonia this time and now I'm really glad that I got to see how it was made. Like anything in Estonia that's really good requires a lot of patience and is a labour of love.

After we had made all the cheese, he went and sat down so we could go and eat it. We had the cheese and some bread as an entre, and then she brought out the most incredible home cooked meal. We had some amazing slow cooked chicken, mashed potato with all these delicious things in it, fresh vegetables straight from her garden and a few other bits and pieces. She had prepared an amazing amount of food and it was so good, it was so nice to have a home cooked meal which came straight from her garden. After we had a now lunch, she had made the most incredible chocolate malteser cake I don't even know how to explain it. On top she had put some red currants, which really helped cut through the sweetness and I really liked this cake.

​After lunch, we went back to the workshop and then she started teaching us how to make some Seto dolls. She showed us some examples and then ran through the process of how one is made. She gave each of us a different job so that we could help each other build these dolls. I had the task of cutting out all of the dresses that were going to go on top. Once I had finished doing that, which took about an hour or so, I went back to the group and started making my own doll. It was a really fun afternoon because everyone was just laughing and talking, and really helping each other out in various ways. By the time I had finished my doll, I felt it was more of a group project than an individual one. There were so many elements for different people had helped me, because I started late due to cutting out the dresses. The other reason being that I have never done anything like this before or had much experience in sewing or creating. I was really grateful to the ladies around me, and gentlemen, that were able to help me so that I would be able to finish my doll. Once we had all finished we lined them up on the stairs, and took some really cute photos. I was joking around that they look creepy but they didn't really. I shared a story with the group that Danae and I, used to get one of grandma's dolls, that was particularly creepy, and we used to put it at the end of each others beds or somewhere in the room overnight so we could scare each other. They told me that they I had a lot more creepy dolls now that I can use to do this. It was funny when we were taking all the photos of the dolls sitting up on the steps, it looked like they were these little famous people and we were the papparazi. Mum also bought a book, that she has been wanting for a while, we found out that our teacher was the lead project manager on this book. It was really nice to be able to connect with the people that created it and to get it directly from them.

​Once we were ready, we moved on to the place where we were going to have dinner. We went to a Talu, where a lady and her family prepared a wonderful traditional Seto meal. It was fish and potatoes, with a few other things, and it was really good. After we had received our meals and before we started eating, she came out with the most adorable little mushrooms, and put some on everyone's plate. It was really nice having some deeper conversations over dinner with some of the people that I was on this tour with. I learned a bit about Austria and Germany and what happened after the war, in relation to schooling and people's experience. I also learned that they did talk about what happened in Nazi Germany, with the school children in Germany, and especially when they go into the army. I would hope the aim here is that it doesn't happen again.

Today we started off with our wonderful teacher Maret. When we walked into the room she was dressed in the most beautiful Seto Folk Costume. I was in owe of her and the way that she presented herself. When we arrived in the room we sat down and she started speaking about the work that she was doing with us, and about herself and how she fit into the community. It was a great privilege to watch her start to sing Leelo music, which is a traditional form of singing in this region of Estonia, and we found out that she is the best at what she does, very well respected in the community for this type of singing. I was absolutely amazed and listening to this singing, and chanting, it almost took me to a place where I feel like I've been before but I haven't really visited. It was beautiful listening to this music and just the same was an effortless way that they were able to sing together and create such a beautiful sound that was so connecting. I was very grateful that she was doing this for us and giving us a bit of a snapshot into their way of life here and the customs and traditions that are part of this community.

Once we had listen to some introductions and understood what we were doing they started to demonstrate how to do some weaving. Today we were learning how to do card weaving. Our leader, Kuuli, explained to me that this was a really simple form of waving and she wasn't wrong. They started to explain the principles of how to set up the cards and how to do the waving and we felt it was important that they demonstrate it for us, before we started to attempt it. So altogether we started to develop an understanding of the patterns and how we were supposed to position the wall in the cards so that when we got to making it we're able to weave it properly and have it look good. She was explaining what the backwards slash and the/ means on the cards and how we had to understand the numbers down the sides and the numbers across the top. Once we develop this understanding some drew some images to figure this out she started to measure the wall so that we could thread and warp the cards to start doing the weaving. You had to make sure that you put the wool in very particular holes and have them all numbered so that when you go to set up the weaving part everything is in the right spot so you get the desired pattern that you set out to do.
 
Once I had warped my cards, I was watching how they helped mum put her cards together and so I did the same thing. As I was putting the cards together I had discovered that I had one card that was the wrong positions I had to take that one out and do it again. Thankfully I did not have to redo the entire thing and I was able to figure it out. Once I got myself set up and sorted and ready I asked for help to start the weaving process and then I was off. I have to admit it was a lot easier than the pickup belt weaving that I had done a few weeks ago. The only difference is that these belts or whatever it was that I was making, will not be the traditional belt that you see on folk costumes better much smaller thing, which could be used to make key chains or other small items. I found the process of the waving quite therapeutic and I really enjoyed the fact that you could quickly see something being produced, rather than having to wait for an extended period of time to see your item come to life. There was this most incredible moment where Maret came and sat down with me and she got me to do the living part, putting it through the gate each time, and she was doing the turning of the cards. We did this for about 15 minutes with a somewhat broken conversation in Estonian, but it really made me feel so nurtured in this process and connected to my great grandmother. This was a very special moment for me and I was so grateful that she wanted to sit there with me and do this waving, because I feel like this is something that I may have done with my great grandmother had she been around. It was even more special to me because this is where my great grandmother was from, and I was waving a belt that was from a specific area that she was born in, Petseri. I can't even put into words how to describe this moment with her waving this belt together come on it was absolutely so special for me and i think i will remember this for a very long time and take it with me wherever i go. There is something very special about sharing in the handicraft traditions between generations and I think when it happens and you can nurture it, it should not be taken for granted and it should definitely be something to be cherished and valued, learning from previous generations and how to do these centuries old crafts. I really look forward to being able to continue this belt and having it is a very special keepsake that came from this memory.

​After lunch we started learning how to do Seto embroidery. At first I was really excited and thought that I could do this and part of it was learning how to read the patterns. Our teacher again, was dressed in some beautiful Seto Folk Costumes, and I really admired the detailing on her slaves and the braided headpiece that she had on that went down almost to her legs. It was beautiful and it is for married women, and it matched the apron that I had just purchased. Part of me really wanted to buy it but I thought I need to be a bit more sensible and wait maybe till next year and see if I still want it. I did however organise with someone to purchase the sleeves for folk costumes so that we could have two sets or I can have my own set. Now, we were doing the embroidery I started off well and having an understanding for the pattern was doing, and where i needed to do my diagonal stitch, but when the pattern started getting really complicated and further along I started losing my place and I could not figure out where to put the next thread. I wasn't getting frustrated or upset, but more just a bit disheartened at how difficult embroidery was, but also developed an appreciation and gratitude for those that do embroidery, especially on very fine linen and threads. The patterns themselves looked absolutely beautiful and were based on Setomaa designs, and I imagine they would look absolutely stunning if I was able to finish one. I did however, when I was in Setomaa a few weeks ago, buy the book that they were using for the patterns so who knows what will come with that.

​After we finished handicrafts for the day we went back to the hotel main building, and sorted ourselves out for dinner. It was really nice being able to sit with a number of the other ladies that were doing this handicraft thing, and enjoy a meal but also I liked that we sat and talked for some time after the meal. It's a really nice way of connecting and learning about other peoples stories and how they save the world. It really occurred to me how much I enjoy hearing about how other people live in other countries, and their stories, and how it shapes people to be who they are in each moment.
Until tomorrow,
Marissa xx

​So we started off in the hall where we went last time, but with the guide I learned that this museum was established in the early 1900’s and items for it were kept stored away during the Soviet Occupation, until a time came when they could build and finish it, in 2016, having it open to the public. It was built on an old air strip from the war time and the French Company Architects wanted it to look like some kind of a run way, which is why it is so long. In the first all, which is a permanent exhibition, there is an abundance of representation of how Estonian’s lived, or the “common Estonian” through the ages. It starts off in modern times and goes back to the 1500’s or so.

​We were then taken to a room with many kerchiefs. These were used in Russian times as a bit of a self expression and to add some colour to their otherwise dull clothes. We were told the Russians had no idea what these things were or meant, but they were almost like some secret messages between Estonians to express a range of things, and they have displayed them in such a beautiful way here in this museum.

​After the tour was over, we all separated and went on to discover other parts we had not seen yet. I headed to the Uurali Kaja, or the display and scenes of the tribes from the slopes of the Urals, with Estonians deriving from this area. I found it really fascinating to see how they had set this up and displayed their way of life. The stories they had written about these people were written in such a way that really demonstrated and showed how they lived, especially in the freezing winters and the very dark long nights. In the display they even had sound effects and lights on the walls and it just made you feel like you were going into that area, and it was even down below ground level so it felt even more so that you were venturing into their space. The clothes, the patterns and designs, the colours and everything in regards to how they lived, were fascinating. Their huts were small, so they must have been short OR they knew how to keep their huts warm. I did have to giggle when I didn’t have to duck to enter into their houses. They had an amazing display of their tools and how they were able to survive, essentially during the ice age and some of their customs and traditions. They did have one area dedicated to how they had marriage rituals and what that looked like back in their time. I find it interesting that they still have similar patters on some of the Estonian Folk costumes, even today. Red seemed to be a stand out colour for them and it looks somewhat similar to some of the Setomaa designs I have seen. That does make sense it might be connected to Seto people because they are also short, where as the rest of Estonia are statistically some of the tallest people in the world. I really enjoyed this display and their way of life was really interesting to see and I feel the way they put this together was incredible. I had no idea this was part of the very old history of Estonia.

We then continued our journey down to Värska. We arrived at the Värska Sanatorium, where we are staying. It is basically like a “health retreat” where people come to be fed, do some spa treatments, have a bit of a relaxing holiday, swimming in the lake, playing some disc golf etc and swimming in the pools. When we arrived, mum and I went to our room and sorted ourselves out for dinner. It was so lovely not having to worry about cooking, cleaning or where to go. There was plenty of food and it was pretty good. We were given these little swipe keys to wear on our wrists, which I quickly learned we need for literally EVERYTHING, other than getting into your room. So I put it on and it stayed there. After dinner Asta and I, a lovely lady I met from Lithuania, went to the lake for a swim. It was by far the warmest lake I have been in so far! When we went in, the bottom of the lake was muddy and felt interesting under my feet. It was beautiful in there though and there was a little warf where you could jump off, but I didn’t. We established, after speaking to another lady, there was a boat that leaves the dock every night at 7.30pm for 10 euro, and you could have a 1 and a half hour ride around the lake. We joked that it was going to go to Russia and then we looked at a map and saw that it was heading straight for Russia! We are staying very close to the Russian boarder and there are many Russians where we are staying. I have not heard much Estonian being spoken, mostly Russian, but most of the workers only speak Estonian here. I somewhat feel like I am in Russia, but I am in Estonia, it is a strange feeling but I am somewhat settled with it. After the little lake swim, I wanted to walk to the pool area, the path just looked so inviting, and so off I went.

​I started walking down the path, with beautiful Estonian forests on each side. I felt at peace, I felt at home and so connected with the Seto region of Estonia. I was wearing thongs and this whole time I have been here, I have wanted to touch the forest floor with my feet, so I took my shoes off and started walking on the grass area. It was so incredibly healing and connecting to this area, I felt grounded in this nature and really just wanted to stay here. I wanted to walk the small grass paths to who knows where, take my book and read it or take my laptop and write, in the middle of the forest. It was pure majik and I really enjoyed just being here and seeing the wonder and awe that was in front of me. This was a lovely experience and I am grateful I had the courage to just take off my shoes and do it. I think I was able to do this because I was alone. Sure there were people around me, but it didn’t matter if I wanted to take some time and just be present in the forest and I didn’t feel I was judging myself at all or felt fear of others judging me. It was wonderful.

It as a great day and I can’t wait to see what happens here and learn some wonderful new things. It should be fun.
Until tomorrow
Marissa xx

​We wanted to go to a post office to post home some clothes and the first little town we went to, did not have one, even though google maps said it was there. So we got to see a new little town we hadn’t been to before. It seemed like an equestrian area, as there were a lot of horses being trained at some stables. This was not something I expected. We then kept going to Laagri and found a post office and a small town and do the things we needed to do. We then headed off to Tallinn. Thankfully our hotel was on the same side of Tallinn we were coming from because we were told the entire centre has been ripped up with road works and I think it would have been a bit scarry navigating that situation.
 
Once we parked, checked in and sorted out or bags, I headed to the Baltijaam Turg (market) to see what that was all about. On the way I ran into Urmas and Kaija, who were coming to see mum to take some things back to their house and look after for me, for when I come back next year. When I got to the markets, there was an abundance of berries and mushrooms! The mushrooms I really like were half the price here!! It was insane and there were so many raspberries! There was so much joy in this moment, the abundance of colour and selection, I really enjoyed this moment. I then walked around and further into the market and found the food stalls and the “käsitöö” stalls. I did not like a lot of this stuff, and the antique area was not something I really liked either. It was nice however just wondering around there to see what was available and just being there. I did notice most people were speaking Russian and I was well and truly back north. Even when we were driving I could feel we were back north and I didn’t like it terribly much.

​I went back home with some Raspberries for mum and we handed back the keys for our car. We then headed to the outskirts of the old city, to an Italian place mum had been to a few times before. The calamari was really tender and the pizza was so good! We got to the end of the meal and I realised I hadn’t taken a photo but I quickly got one. I have to admit, it was somewhat nice being back in the old city again. It felt safe and I really enjoyed the short walk and wonder around there. It was strange being back in the city where you can hear a range of languages, not just Estonian. After dinner and on the way home, we decided to get some Pirukad for the morning, because we were not paying 18 euro each for breaky at the hotel, that is insane, when we could get Pirukad on sale.. which we did! After we arrived home though, we noticed the Pikk Herman tower with the sun light on it, it was so beautiful, right outside our bedroom window! I sat for a moment reflecting where I was again, in Estonia, in Tallinn, looking at very old buildings, I felt very lucky in this moment.

​It felt really nice being able to connect with the old town again and I really enjoyed being here and what it all meant to me.
Until tomorrow
Marissa xx

Today I simply took a day to recharge my batteries for the last part of our trip. I made some long over due calls to friends back home, did some life admin in regards to work and other things and really just took the time to rest, and catch up on posting stories. It is a longer process than you would expect, but I think I will thank myself in the long run, if I am honest. I think today I posted about 6 stories, one after the other. I did not take any photos or videos, so there is nothing to share. A small highlight of today was that mum cooked me dinner, one of my favourite Estonian meals, but using chicken. It is simply pasta, mushrooms, chicken, cream, and this delicious seasoning I love! It was so nice that mum cooked for me, even though at the start of the day she said she wasn't going to. I was very grateful. She even got us ice cream when she went to the super market.

I am glad I took the day to rest and sort a few things out!
Until the next story,
​Marissa xx

Today Mum and I had a very long awaited spa day. We had booked this in way back when we were in Sweden, and Oh my gosh I am so glad we did. On the back of yesterday and how we were feeling, I am so glad that we had the foresight to book this in for ourselves. It got to 10:00 AM, the time of our appointment, and we headed across the road to the Rose hotel. When we walked in it was really grand and there were roses everywhere, in the décor, in the decorations, and even in the pool. When we arrived we simply told the my names and they had already prepared our beautiful bathrobes ready for us to use. They were very neatly put together and it gave me such a beautiful feeling of being pampered and I was so excited to see what was going to unfold.

​Mum and I became somewhat lost on our way down to the spa. They did tell us the directions but we still weren't quite sure where we were going. We had to go through the change rooms, but we also thought it would be silly to put our summers on because we're going to get a massage, so we continued on fully clothed and not in our robes. We were greeted by these two lovely Estonian women, who could see we were very lost, and they directed us very quickly into two separate rooms. When I walked into my room, I saw there was this beautiful big bathtub with jets full of water. I was a bit nervous because I was under the impression there was an assumption that I was going to be pretty much naked in front of this lady. After some very broken English and Estonian I established that it was normal for women to be naked in front of other women in the Estonian culture. I knew this to be true but I just needed some reassurance. We spoke in broken English and Estonian and we established that I needed to get into the bath and before I was ready I needed to knock on the door. So she left the room and I sorted myself out. Of course I took a few little photos of the room because it was absolutely beautiful, and one of the most relaxing environments I had been in for several days to weeks. It smells like rosewater, and I really enjoyed it. Just as I was about to knock on the door, the lady opened it to make sure that I was OK because I was taking a little bit longer than she probably expected. Admittedly this is because I was taking photos. Once I got into the tub she turned The Jets on and put in some really nice smelling bubble bath. By this point I wasn't too self conscious about being naked in front of her and it was OK she made me feel very comfortable. She told me she was going to be 6 minutes, but I think she was a bit longer than that. By the time she had returned the bubbles had come up really high and was basically covering me. I thought it was really funny and we couldn't help but laugh, I wish she had taken a photo, I almost asked but I didn't. She used the shower nozzle thing to get the bubbles away and help me get out of the bath. This was an interesting experience and it kind of took me back to a time where I feel like it might have been when the noble women could be washed by their handmaids or something to that effect, and how normal it would be for someone to be washed. It made me giggle a little. So once I finished having a bath, she got stuck into giving me a wonderful back massage. It was so lovely, soothing, healing and all of the above. Pure majik. I finally started to relax, only at the end, typical, as my mind is constantly racing around thinking of things needed to be done. This is a challenge sometimes, and something I am working on. Once she had finished she got me to turn over and sit up, still mostly naked, but by this point I was ok with it. Then when she got me to lay down, she had put this warm mud patty under my back. It was so soothing and warm, I really enjoyed it. I stayed there for about 15 minutes then she came back and it was all over.

Once I went out of the room, I found mum, as the rooms were right next to the pool area. We went to get changed and had to decide which spa we wanted to go in first! We chose one that was not to hot, because mum isn’t a fan of hot spa’s. It was nice relaxing in the spa, just talking about the experience we just had, as it was very different to anything we had experienced in Australian spas. I then went to that really warm heated tile bed to read more of my book. I am almost finished it and really recommend anyone struggling with trauma and victimhood, to read it. It is called “The Choice” (I am sure I have talked about it before in my stories) by Edith Eger, an Auschwitz survivor. I have found myself reading this for sometimes an hour a day, and really wanting to engage in what she has to say. It is written beautifully and I feel has been part of my further healing and growth while on this journey, here in Estonia. I am grateful I have discovered this story and have the time and space to engage with it. Anyway, after I had enough of reading, mum and I ordered some lunch, as we decided we were not leaving. We had some Estonian garlic bread, chicken wings, chips and an “ice cream cocktail with coffee”, in other words, an iced coffee. It was so good and really let us just stay at this spa for a while. There were several spas, a big pool with many buttons to push to activate a range of things, and this really awesome chair where warm water falls over you. Mum spent a fair bit of time there. I was sitting in that chair at one point and imagined if I had a lot of money, I would love to have something like this for me and my friends to enjoy whenever. It was wonderful and I kept getting whiffs of rose water. I am not sure if that was intentional or just a coincidence. After some more time relaxing, we decided to leave and go to the markets that were in Kuresaare for the afternoon.

​We walked into there and of course we were met with more käsitöö. There was so much of it, and a wide range. I then came to the end of the walk way and saw a store with products I have been seeing all over Estonia. They were earrings, broches and necklace pendants and they were inspired from all different areas of Estonia. The lady had such a big variety of them with a range from each area. I had a small discussion with her, she was so kind. I did get a few that were relevant to me, both earrings and broaches, from Rõuge and Setomaa (Mum’s parents) and Rõngu (Dad’s parents). She was kind enough to give me a small discount and a little gift. Hopefully, these products will be seen in Australia soon, who knows.

​It was another lovely day and rest was very much needed. I really enjoyed the spa and so grateful I was able to plan that head, for right when mum and I needed it most.
Until the next post,
Marissa xx

​Today we started our day somewhat early, because we had to be at the ferry terminal at 9:40am to catch the boat to Muhu. We were up and wanted coffee, with the only logical place to get coffee at 8am being McDonalds. One would assume that McDonalds would be open and have a breakfast menu but when we arrived, the building looked closed, and it was, and I had a momentary brain fart and wanted to drive around the building in the “Australian” direction, rather than the direction you would logically go here. So we eventually found the drive through and had a look at the menu. I asked if they had McMuffin meals and they said they don’t have a breakfast menu…of course they don’t, no one does anything before 11am here. So once we decided what we wanted to eat, we ordered our coffee. I have come to realise the coffee here is somewhat weak, so I wanted to order a “large latte with an extra shot” and the response was “sorry we don’t do that”, well, Lachlan thankfully caught that on camera because that was hilarious and we lost the plot.. so then I ordered an expresso as well as my café latte, and put it in my coffee once I had it. There was plenty of room because they only half fill the cups here. I think they use a push button machine rather than make it how we are used to in Australia. We then went to sit out the front on the chair and some other tourists thought it was open but we told them it was closed and they needed to use drive through, so they proceeded to walk through drive through, and what do you know, it worked! There were two sets of, we think German, tourists who tried and succeeded. In Australia, there is no way that would ever work!
 
Once we had breakfast and dropped Lachlan off, we headed to Virtsu so we could catch the ferry to Muhu. When we got there, we went to the e-ticket gate and it recognised our licence plate, thankfully, because I had not gone close enough to scan a ticket. The way they get people onto the boat is incredibly efficient and we were on the boat and set for Muhu in less than 10 minutes, it was insane! The ride was relatively uneventful, but what I did notice that everyone was rushing to get breaky then eating it quickly. The journey was only 27 minutes.

We then headed to another käsitöö shop, that I remember from last time. It was full of Muhu related items. It was adorable and there was some material I really wanted but was still unsure of, the orange Muhu Rahvariide. They had some of the Muhu vests and lots of wooden items. It smelled like the wooden items in this store and I really liked it. They had the Muhu slippers and so many beautiful designed items. When we left there, without buying to much, we went to the Muhu bakery, but there were so many people lined up there because there is something very special about their bread. We then headed to the little market to see what they had there, and we got the most beautiful punnet of raspberries, they were so delicious. They also had a bucket full of kukeseened (chantarelle mushrooms) but they were very expensive, 16 euro for the bucket, or 35 euro/kg. We thought we better leave them there, even though I really wanted to have some while I am here.

​Once we finished here, we headed to the most beautiful little Talu in Muhu. When we drove up to it, it was like majik, the area was surrounded in stone walls, covered in green moss. It was really like stepping into a fairy garden. The roof was made of reeds and covered in moss. There were many little structures built around, and I later found out three of them were outside bedrooms. Everything was so cute and small and just perfect. I could live here, and there was a flush toilet and shower. We were met by Minnie, a very old dog, and Kadri, whom we met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She always looks so elegant and she was very excited to see Mum and I, sharing in how she lives here, in her fairy garden (my words, not hers). When we walked inside, there were fairy lights strung around the room and I commented to Kadri, this is something I would definitely do if I had a place like this. It was so adorable and sweet. The bedrooms were small with low ceilings and everything was made of timber. It just ha this majik feel to it. She was explaining to us that in Muhu there are little villages and there are several houses in each village. The villages are surrounded by the same stone walls, which are covered in moss. I thought this was really special and something definitely unique about Muhu. I always wondered what was special about this place, because we usually just drive through, but this time we had a wonderful opportunity to experience somewhat what it would be like to live in Muhu. Kadri showed us around her Talu, where some of the structures were very old and used in photographs for magazines and different things. There were old cellars and something which is iconic for Muhu is the cellars are built of white stone with some black stone used as details. There was also some ruins of a small stone building used for the Land Lady back in the day and then some wooden structures used as bedrooms. Kadri was explaining to us that back in the day young ladies would use these rooms on some nights as young boys were allowed to come into these rooms and stay the night. They would organise that they would be in one of the rooms on a particular night and then spend the night together. I really loved the romance of these stories and allowing young people to express themselves freely, especially at a time where sex before marriage and religion was somewhat prevalent. It was so sweet and I really liked this idea, where they could be away from their families and just enjoying each others company. When we were walking through the garden there were so many beautiful flowers and greenery. I couldn’t help but think, this is where the fairies live. I was so grateful Kadri invited us to her place and shared some wonderful stories and conversation with us. I am looking forward to seeing what comes out of this. It was stunning and I really hope I can come back here one day soon.

Once we had talked for a few hours, we headed to this little käsitöö Talu. When we arrived, even the sign was beautifully done with some hand painted images and words. We went into this ladies workshop and there were so many beautiful things she had created. She explained to us that she creates things she feels like creating and there was an abundance of käsitöö to enjoy. She was very into embroidery because a lot of the things she had to sell incorporated this. She also had little pre drawn images and kits where people could buy them and create their own bag, etc, and embroider their own images onto it, based on the stencil she had provided. I thought this was a wonderful idea. She showed us some beautiful Muhu slippers which she creates for order. There were some beautiful white ones which they use in weddings, I really liked them, as well as some red ones. She also showed us her Covid work, it was magnificent, sitting on the wall and she agreed to take a photo with it. It was tunning. She also showed us some lovely blankets she had done and working on. There was ne she is working on which was a tribute to Ukraine. The outside had their national flower on it, the sun flower, and dotted around it were little daisies which represented the children that have been killed by the Russians. In the middle was a flower that grows in Estonia that you can not kill. She shared with us that she finds it hard when she is working on this blanket as it makes her emotional, and rightly so, but what she is creating is absolutely stunning. There is so much passion she has for her käsitöö and I can really see how much joy it brings her. When she was talking about it, even though I couldn’t fully understand what she was saying, I could see and feel the passion she has for her craft, it was wonderful.

​Once we left there, Kadri got on her bike and we followed her down the road a bit further to a little village. This village was now a museum and could not be built on any more. It was displayed as a typical Muhu village, with the moss covered stone walls and the fairy paths, as I called them. The weather was not good, it was close to raining, but we continued on. The open air museum there was just so cute and next time we intend to visit it. We of course went into the little käsitöö shop and saw some more incredible things. They had on the left, as you walk in, a beautiful picture, which was created by Kadri’s mother. I am not sure if it was done in pencil, crayon or paint but it was stunning and I really would have liked a copy! Sadly it was not for sale. There was also a display of photo’s of the “Muhu Sky” with different variations of cloud formations. The thing that drew my attention was the three images of blue, black and white. I really liked how they looked. They were the same image but different colours and just looked wonderful, bringing a little moment of joy.

​As we started to leave this little store it started to rain and I felt bad for Kadri as she had to get back to her place in the rain, on her bike but she didn’t seem to mind. Mum and I headed for Saaremaa. I think we joined the traffic as a boat had come in as we were stuck in a long cue of cars, driving towards the island and the centre. It took about an hour and some heavy rain. What was irritating me was the inconsistent speed of the drivers up the front and they ranged from 70-110km/hr. The other thing that shocked me was how people over take. They would round up 3-5 cars at a time, in the heavy rain and it looked really unsafe. I did keep my distance because who knows what would happen! When we arrived, we had to wait almost an hour for someone with the key to our apartment and then discovered it was up 3 flights of stairs. I was REALLY tired and irritated by this point and I did say to the man, what is the point of asking for a ground floor place if it is not available, AND it should be made very clear on the booking that it has stairs, what if someone was in a wheel chair? Mum also had injured her knee too so this was really just pilling on the stuff. He was gracious enough to carry the suitcases up the stairs thankfully. That night mum and I decided to just sleep, we both needed some time to recharge because we were getting snappy at each other. The good thing was we both acknowledged it and apologised. So we went to the super market, got some soup and just had a chilled evening.
Until the next story
Marissa xx

​Today we said good bye to Argo and the girls and headed for Pärnu. The drive took about 2 and a half hours, along the country roads, through forests and small villages. Once we got to Pärnu, we had organised to meet with Lachlan and spend the day with him. He sent me the name of a café to meet at so I parked the car at the closest parking lot (or so I thought) I could find and we used google maps, on walking, to get there. My maps on walking are not very good so we ended up going around the block and through a park, which I didn’t mind, to get to where we were meeting Lachlan. When we got there, I have to admit, it was nice talking with someone around my own age and in fast English, without having to repeat myself. We had a lovely conversation around all the small interactions I have had and the network I have built here, for the Estonian’s in Australia to utilise and strengthen relationships between Australia and Estonia. It was really exciting to be able to share it with someone who has some of the same ideas and same visions as I do and it was nice to be able to connect him with some of the people I had already connected with.

After lunch we took a drive out to Tõstamaa and visited the sweetest little käsitöö shop. Firstly we ended up at this käsitöö place where they were making the clothes but she directed us to the actual store a few 100m down the road, opposite the police station. We saw some incredible things in this store and I bought myself some beautiful handmade gloves. The designer for the gloves was in a calendar with the story of why she made these particular gloves. It is these little stories that make it really special and traveling to the places where these things are made, makes it even more special. I really like this side of traveling around Estonia, where you visit the places things were made, meet the people that make them and then have a really personal piece of käsitöö you can take back home with you. There were so many special things in here, I would have bought more but clearly I could not.

​We then took the “Romantic Road” along the coast line back to Pärnu. It was nice and full of more forests but a different area than when we came there. When we got to Pärnu, we checked in and discovered we had great accommodation, right on the main street. It was a beautiful big room and so close to most things, except the beach. We went for a wonder up and down and visited so many Käsitöö shops. I feel like this day was all about visiting käsitöö shops!! There were so many cute things, especially in one store there were so many wooden things that if I lived here, I think my apartment would be full of it all. I did however, find a really cute pink leather glittery bracelet I really liked here and some Kihnu oven mits. There was a difference in price of almost 10 euro from one store to another, with the same gloves! I couldn’t believe it. We went to one shop that was seeing vööd and I did buy another one. The lady was telling me that the one I got was an original from the Rahva Museum. She found the information about this belt and showed me. It was one for Pärnu maakond and the design is very old. What I have learned that over time the belts change patterns and designs as people add their own influence but the one that I have, is an original design. I felt this was very special. We also visited this some kind of kunst ja käsitöö guild. It was a house with many rooms, all with different arts and crafts and people creating some amazing things. After the shops started to close, we headed back for some much needed showers.

​Around 11pm, after it was getting dark, Lachlan and I decided to leave so we used to bolt app to locate some scooters and make the ride back. Again, he was leading because it was just easier (for me) and I was grateful he could get me home! We took some weirdly long way, which we discovered the following day, but it was fun, especially as there were not as many people around this time and it was a lot easier to get around. When we got back to the apartment, we checked on the car, made sure it was still there but it was going to be fine as there were two security guards outside a night club ‘Aptek’, right next to the car. Once we got home, I had a pretty good sleep but mum and Lachlan said they were up a lot of the night due to drunk people singing or the music blasting. Thankfully I did not hear it.
Until the next post
Marissa xx

​We then arrived at Sangaste where we went to a manor house. We met with Argo’s sister and her kids. As soon as we arrived the kids started. They were insane just screaming, running and having the best time. I really liked watching them and seeing the joy in their faces as they were just connecting with each other and being themselves. It was really something special. We walked around the gardens looking at all the beautiful plants the Count of the manor had collected from all over the world and planted here to see if they would grow. There was an old Oak Tree that had been here for over 300 years. It looked incredible and still with new growth, it was incredible. The grounds were just kept so well and stunning, I could really see myself living there. When we were inside, there were some wonderful stories of the Count that lived here. He became famous because he started to cultivate wheat rye and by the time he finished he had made a generation of it that did not die, to withstand all the strong weather conditions, as well as making some really good Vodka. This Manor house was kept beautifully and really honoured this family and the contributions they had made. The rooms were grand and really a good representation of how they might have lived back in the day.

​It was a really lovely day and I enjoyed being part of Argo’s family for a short period of time. They were so welcoming, warm and kind towards us and really did look after us. I am so grateful we had this little experience in our holiday, even though there was no shower or proper toilet.
Until tomorrow
Marissa xx

​We then headed to Argo’s forest. It was a lot more hillier than I expected. The forest floor was super soft and it was a bit hard to walk around there but mum and I did a little. We were looking for mushrooms but Argo shot off so fast we couldn’t keep up! We were going nice and slow, looking at the forest floor, looking out for them. We of course had to have some kind of bug spray on because there were so many mosquitos! It also then started to rain and started to get heavier. The forest covering was somewhat helpful but in the end it got to wet and unpleasant so we headed back to the car, with no mushrooms. It was a bit to dry for mushrooms anyway. We then headed back to Argo’s Talu because it was to wet to be able to have a picnic. We had another feast for lunch, then we all took a nap and had a little rest. I was reading my book for a few hours and watched an episode of ‘House’. It was a much needed time of relaxation.

​After we had a rest, we headed to Argo’s mothers house. I had asked if it was possible to have shower there, as I REALLY wanted to wash my hair and I hadn’t for four days, this was to long for me. I was not prepared for the no shower. This was a new experience for me. Going to a new person’s house then straight away, being offered a shower. It was somewhat awkward but then again, it was something I needed to do, so I started to feel confident in asking for what I needed and giggled at the situation I was in. I was very grateful they were able to facilitate my need for a shower and to wash my hair, they were so kind about it and did not make me feel bad about it at all. It was really lovely. Argo’s sisters Reiner and Aira helped their mum, Marmo, prepare some delicious food. I really liked the old style traditional bread, and mum and I asked how to make it. Mum had heard about it many times but had never had it, but it was so good and I think it is something we can make back home. They served us some wonderful chicken which tasted like chicken. Mum commented that this is what chicken tasted like when she was a kid, grown slowly and fed well, to taste the way that it did. We had some AMAZING boiled potatoes, with dill and salt. They were home grown but had a bit of a sweetness to them. They also made some no thrills easily pickled cucumber. It was so easy and tasty!! Again, another recipe we will make I think, when we get home. They all drank so much Vana Tallinn and Wine, it was incredible. I was surprised at how much Argo’s mum could drink!! Almost one for one with mum!!! It was really beautiful having all the kids around, speaking a mix of English and Estonian, being cheerful and interacting with us all. At one point Nora and her cousin were handing out ice creams, it was super cute how they were doing it. They, at one point, were singing some beautiful Estonian songs I had heard at Laulupidu. It really brought some joy to my heart and I really enjoyed how kids of 9-12 years old were so thrilled at singing old Estonian songs, that have so much meaning and purpose to our culture. I really enjoyed it. After dinner we went to the little lake to do some fishing. We didn’t catch anything and I didn’t want to put the worm on so Rainer had to put the worm on mine. After some time, when we didn’t get anything, we went back to the house, BUT before we did, we saw a big beautiful rainbow over the house. We told the kids there would be some gold at the end of it and the little ones started to run towards it. But it started to go away quickly when the clouds came. Jasmin and her cousin had gone and picked some carrots from somewhere and Argo’s mum washed, pealed and cut them up. They were so sweet and delicious. We stayed for some more time, talking between English and Estonian and shared some stories about our families and how everything was so connected. I had a really good time with Argo’s family. We reflected, for a moment, that we are not related, yet we are welcomed into their family, because of our connection and friendship to their family, in Australia, Viv and Rein Valling. We all just seem to connect and look after each other in many ways. It really is a beautiful thing being Estonian and sharing in that community.

​I did have another adventure into the forest and really just enjoy being in there. So many special memories in different forest’s in Estonia, ones I will treasure and take with me.
Until the next story
Marissa xx

​We met and spent some time with Argo’s daughters, Nora and Jasmin. They were so sweet and Nora spoke very good English to me. We had a good time communicating with each other. What struck me about Nora was how cheerful and happy she is. I decided to give them their gifts, a kangaroo and koala, as well as some t-shirts. They really liked their gifts and the girls put on their shirts straight away, and I don’t think they have taken them off since we have been with them. After lunch we went to the Pesapuu in Rõuge and had a walk around there in day light. It was really nice seeing it but it was a bit windy so the top of it was moving around a little. Mum and I were glad we did not go up the top, because the floor of it was see through and it would have been really scary! We then walked down and around to the swing and mum actually got on it. There was another family there but they were happy with us being on the swing with them. I was surprised with mum going on it, she just started to get on it without any warning. We then walked to a suspension bridge that was in ‘Nightingale Valley’. It was really beautiful looking at the streams and hearing the sounds of the birds singing. It was so peaceful and it looked almost like a little rain forest. Well that is what Nora was calling it. Jasmin had the Kangaroo we gave her earlier, and she was not letting it go. I was hoping she would not drop it down in the river so I took it from her, just for that little bit. Then we continued on to the next little bit of the area which was these beautiful little huts built as a project by Tartu and Tallinn University as a way of living in a historically accurate way. They built this village using old world technology, including mud roofs to keep the warmth in. What I found interesting was the doorways were built higher and the doors were all the way to the ground. This stopped the draft coming in. It is such an ingenious idea, I don’t know why we don’t do it these days. This little village was historically accurate and there was a few nights in winter a few years ago where some students lived the did back in the Viking days. They reported it was minus 30 degrees outside but they managed to keep themselves warm enough. We then headed to the little stage area where Nora and Jasmin decided to sing to us and do some dancing. The acoustics on this stage meant they did not need microphones, it was done really well. They were singing abundance of Estonian songs and it was really amazing to watch these two girls just performing without a care in the world. It reminded me of Danae and I. They also started dancing Kaerajaan and made us sing the music to it. I showed Nora some of my Estonian Folk Dancing videos and she was impressed, wanted to learn how to do some dancing, so I told her I could teach her, yet it has not happened.

​When we were driving to the Pesapuu we saw a trout farm, so we took a little side trip to this place. When we got there we had a little fish and caught ourselves a trout. We didn’t get them to smoke it, as Argo was going to do this in his wood fire back at the Talu. Naturally, we all went to use the flush toilet. When we caught the fish though, Argo used his line and Nora had to collect it in the basket. We didn’t watch when the owner of the farm killed the fish. It was a beautiful little place and as we were about to leave, mum reminded me I had been there before, as a kid when I was 11 but I did not remember it. She remembered the water pump from the spring and Tiiu called it a witches well. This was the thing mum was looking for and wanted to see again. The girls filled up a bottle of water from the spring, it was so cold and tasted so good!

We then headed back to the Talu where we had a lovely dinner of some bread, cheeses and Argo had made a hapukapsas soup! It was so damn good, it had barley in it. I was not expecting it but I really liked it. We had some lovely conversations, and of course they drank, but it was an early night for me.
Until the next story,
Marissa xx

​We then headed to Suur Munamägi, a place we had been before a few times. Mum had a goal of climbing the hill one more time in her life and we did it. Google maps was trying to take us to a place but instead we followed the signs. We later found out, when we got to the top, that it was trying to take us to the car park at the top so that we didn’t have to walk. We had a slight giggle and felt the journey of walking up there was much more rewarding rather than simply driving there. At the bottom we were looking up and there were so many people there! It was a Sunday though so that made sense. We started out accent up the mountain and when we were half way there was a cute little shop. I really liked the little eggs in different places throughout this little journey. When we stopped it was lovely to just look at the forest, study the surroundings and really see what kind of animals were in there. I did at one point see a little mouse just doing its thing. When we came the first time in 2001, I feel we did not have to go up as far. We think the road that lead to this place was half way up and I remember this terrible drop toilet that had maggots in a pile out the back. Danae and I refused to go into the toilet so we went outside and made dad keep watch. That was an experience. So, mum and I continued the journey up the hill and when we got to the top, mum expressed a huge sense of achievement. She NEVER would have done this 6 months ago, but here she was, at the top of Suur Munamägi. It was incredible that she had done that and I was really proud of her. We went to the top of the watch tower there, and when we first got to the top there were not many people but after a few minutes there were so many! It was lovely being above the forest, looking down. I could really see how dense the Estonian Forest is and it was everywhere. Of course there were some areas with houses but there was an abundance of pine trees and so much beautiful landscape, so grounding and connecting. I really enjoy being in the Estonian forest and if it was possible, I would live here. Once we had a few moments and some photos, we started to make our way back down the mountain (hill – approximately 318m), and went to visit the cute little shop. There were so many beautiful little things in there, of course mum bought something, but I was restraining myself. There are so many opportunities to buy Estonian Käsitöö, it just brings me so much joy. Anyway, we got to the bottom of the hill, stepping very carefully as we did and then it started to rain, so we did time that well. We then headed off to Võru for lunch and a rest.

Later in the evening I met up with a boy, Heldur, someone I had met the previous day. He picked me up and we headed somewhere I thought was just going to be somewhere random but it turned out to be somewhere wonderful! We went to another forest but this one had some semi famous horns. They are designed in a way that if you sit in them, you can hear the sounds of the forest and just be there, enjoying the peace of the surroundings. When Estonian’s go into the forest, they sit there, reflect and enjoy some of the healing properties. It was so peaceful being in the forest there and we stayed there for a while, talking and reflecting, really enjoying where we were. I was so grateful I trusted him and got to have this experience. We then headed to Rõgue and saw the “Pesapuu” or the “Nest Tree”. He was telling me that when there is a birth in the town, the egg inside the nest changes colour to pink or blue if there is a birth in the town on a particular day, showing the gender of the baby. Estonia’s population is low, so it is a wonderful thing when there is a baby born. If there are more than one born on the same day, the egg rotates colours. It was so dark when we got there, the tree was lit up but the surrounding park was not, as Rõgue is very much in debt and trying to cut costs. We had a walk around the park and we got to a big swing!! I was so excited. We got on it and started to swing, it was like being a kid again. There is so much joy in behaving like a child and going onto a big family swing, not worrying about anything and just being in the moment. I also enjoyed taking some photos in the dark, as I could not really see what I was taking a photo of but the lake looked really pretty when I did manage to take some photos. When we got back to the car, Heldur suggested we go to Latvia. This idea absolutely blew my mind… it was such a foreign concept to me to just get in the car and go to Lativa! How absolutely random. We didn’t end up going to Latvia. It was a really wonderful night and I am grateful I had the opportunity to go to some places, especially the forests), that I never would have gone to without a local.

I was really grateful to have had these experiences and definitely not something I expected to have when I arrived to Võru.
Until the next post!
​Marissa xx

​Once we finished off at the Antique store, we headed to Vastseliina Castle. It was a castle built in around the 1300’s and parts of it are still standing today. Last time we came here we couldn’t get into the castle, but we did see the surrounding areas. When we went in, there were a range of rooms with different information about how life was back in the medieval years. Mum and I bad a brief moment of silliness and we started to have a sword fight. I wasn’t impressed she handed me the smaller sword of the two! I of course would like to say I won, but I don’t think it was possible. Mum and I walked through the rooms, reading some interesting information. I liked how they had a room dedicated to sex and pleasure in the medieval times. It was interesting what they thought regarding this, especially as it was attached to religion. What got us was the origin of the word ‘Dildo’. Originally it was said they used bread that was like a baguette that had dill in it as a dildo, so they named it a dildo. This made me giggle. I have taken some photos of other facts around sexual pleasure and torture, because some of it is unthinkable but also things you would consider these days to be absolutely insane. Apparently being beheaded was the most honourable way of dying. We then had a look around the castle, which had a stalks nest on it. It is the oldest recorded stalks nest in Estonia, dating back to the 18th Century. Stalks always return back to their nests each year to raise new babies so I thought it was pretty cool they still have this one. What I really liked about this area was the surrounding grounds. The forests, the streams and the nature. it was all so peaceful and green. I really enjoyed wondering around the area, considering what it might have been like to live in this period of time. They also have been restoring the castle and have put the bridge back where the original one was. I really like how they are trying to get things to back how they might have been back in the day when it was functional.

​We then headed to the cemetery where my Great Grandfather Osvald is buried. Luckily mum wrote down the instructions on how to get to his grave, last time we were here. We had to walk to tap 3 then 68 steps in, BUT it was Toivo who measured them so we had to account for that. It was nice when we were there, so peaceful with the wind flowing through the trees. I did have a small moment of sadness when it occurred to me that Osvald was buried alone. There was room around him for people but his family all left Estonia. He died when he was 44, in 1943, and was one of the Freedom Fighters. For this he received a medal, the Vabariigi Rist (Freedom Cross). This is a very honourable thing to receive in Estonia and is the equivalent of the Victoria Cross in Australia. The gentleman we met the day before, sent me an article, sharing there were 5 men buried in the same cemetery with the same honourable cross. It was still somewhat surreal being in this area, surrounded by forest and being where Osvald was laid to rest. The other wonderful thing in this cemetery is they have a monument and tribute to the forest brothers. I really like how they have created some beautiful tree statues amongst their head stones and written a short story about the significance of the forest brothers, in Estonia. It made me smile that they were still surrounded by forest, in this cemetery and the feel of it was so peaceful and just right.

​Mum and I drove back to Võru and had a chilled afternoon. I think we, well I was, were still very drained from all the emotions and experiences we had the day before. It was something very different and not what I had expected. I wonder what adventures we will get up to today!
Until tomorrow
Marissa xx

​I don’t even know where to begin today’s story, with some of the most incredible things happening today just by coincidence or by chance, and things that were not planned for just started occurring. Before I start telling you this story you have to understand that said Setomaa is a very special place in my heart and in Estonia. It is almost like its own country and has its own ways of living, different to the rest of Estonia. There is a particular element of majik and mystic to it and somewhere I feel absolutely at home. My great grandmother, Anette (my Mum’s Grandmother/Sivly’s Mum) was born in a place called Petseri. This place is still very special to a lot of people even though it's now Russian territory. When we spoke to a number of people today it was very clear that this area I had a lot of meaning and purpose, because there was this almost wonder and all that these two people from Australia have roots in Petseri. Simply through conversation we found out so many stories and connections that we never even considered when we first started our journey today. I have had days that have been highlights but this was something else. I have never felt so connected to an area before and this kept happening in so many ways. As you read through today's story please know that it was written with a lot of emotion and a lot of reflective thought, because I could not have even predicted what had unfolded. There was so many moments that were coincidental or had us looking for things that I didn't even consider until each moment that it was unfolding. And so we begin…

Mum and I started out our journey going to Setomaa. We put into google maps someplace in Väska, and started to drive. When we were driving I notice the landscape was becoming more and more dense forest and we had a little discussion around the fact that the forest brothers lived here for such a long period of time, and it made sense that they were able to hide from the Russian armies. As we started driving closer to the Setomaa region I was explaining to mom that I could just feel a certain sense of majik in the air. What you have to understand is that Estonians used to be very into magic, mystic and druidism, as well as paganism and nature. The people down South of Estonia still have elements of that through the culture and the way that they live. I started feeling more and more pace as we were driving towards Värska and I could start to feel my great grandmother being around me, almost guiding us to where we needed to go today. So we arrived at the Värska tourist information may be met a really beautiful woman who gave us some amazing ideas and pointers as to where we needed to go. We did have some ideas but this was incredible in trying to find a few other bits and pieces that we were kind of looking for. What amazed me that with anyone that we met that day as soon as we told them where our roots were from they were so interested in our story and what our names were, what our family names were, how we were connected all the things that brought us back to this area and they were absolutely wonderful and helping us finding what we wanted to find. Once we left the Information Centre, we be purpose built map of going to all the special places in Setomaa, we headed down to Obinitsa. The photos you see in this section are different areas of Setomaa and I was not sure wher else to fit them in. The train lines were significant because this is how people escaped Estonia, but also deported. There were various points throughout the day where we were very close to Russia, to the point where we were recommended to take our passports with us to prove citizenship. Luckily we didn't need them. The photo of the lady in the white folk costume, we found out was one of the original combination of colours for the Seto region, and it changed over time to what we wear now (seen on the front page of my website).

​On the way to Obinitsa, we saw the Puisa caves and sand dunes. I stopped to take some photos because I had been there before but looking at it from a different perspective. It was surrounded by forests but also there was big valleys of sand dunes but they used to mine out of the caves and make glass. There was such a peaceful energy around this area and it was quiet. It still amazes me how everything is still relatively preserved untouched by people, and it's just beautiful to look at. There is such a grandeur in these surroundings and it makes you feel incredibly small. We then kept driving on another ten kilometres or so, and arrived at Obinitsa. We went to the jewellery gallery where mum really wanted to go to that day, and we saw that it was closed. Something I have noticed that people do in Estonia easily phone numbers for you to call so that you can contact the people that run the shops. Mom was somewhat hesitant but I encouraged her to call the person so she did and he shared that he would be back in two hours. He also mentioned another museum that was close by that we should have a look at and we were a bit reluctant to but Oh my gosh I'm so glad we did. More on that later. So once we found out that we had to wait two hours we decided to go and have lunch at the Tarka Talu. It was a farmhouse that was set up and we were told does proper authentic Seto food. When we arrived there we were having a look at the menu and quickly realised that it was not in Northern Estonian language. It was in Seto Estonian. Thankfully there was a lovely young lady there, Johanna, who translated what the menu said and took our orders. When we were trying to decide what to have there was potatoes with chanterelle mushrooms as a source and I asked her if it came with meat. She said no it didn't because the people of Setomaa generally do not mix mushrooms and meat because the mushrooms are seen as a source of protein. I thought this was very interesting and I've never considered that as an aspect of eating but it makes sense. So we ordered the bristles and the mushrooms and I also wanted to try their pancakes with Seto cheese. We basically had a feast. As we were waiting for our food we were wandering around the Talu, taking some pictures and having a look at how they used to live. I still find it fascinating and I'm told there are some people even today, but live this way. Once we could have food I was amazed at how much of it there was, especially the potatoes. It was absolutely delicious and I really enjoyed the mushroom sauce that was on the potatoes. I really like chanterelle mushrooms and I haven't really had much of it since I've been here because I've only just been come in season, but I thought this was a really special meal and I really enjoyed it. Pancakes were incredible they were light and fluffy on the inside but the outside was really crispy and they were somewhat thicker but they were just done beautifully. Once we had our meal I was speaking to Johanna, and she wondered what our connection was to Setomaa. At the time I couldn't remember exactly where we were from but then I asked mum and when I told her where you are from Petseri, she smiled and was a bit excited, I think. Little did I know that sharing this little piece of information word and fold to an incredible conversation later in the day.

​We left the Talu, with still about an hour to wait until Evar returned back to the gallery so we went to the Obintsa Museum. There was a really lovely lady there that was so helpful for us in many ways, and I am sad that I did not get her name. She was so kind and set mom down to watch a 10 minute video on Leelo singing, which is a traditional way of singing for women, and man I found out, in Setomaa. It is almost like a callback chanting way of singing where the lead singer will say the verse and then the rest of the choir will sing the last line of the verse but they can also do it as a repeat thing and it just sounds absolutely beautiful. As mum was watching the video, I was reading through some of the customs and traditions of Setomaa. One interesting fact that I read that they had arranged marriages for quite some time even into the modern times, but what struck me was that most of them were 24 to 29 years old. I really liked this, and that the young men and women got to have their childhood and some of their early adult use to themselves. Of course this wasn't the case with everyone but the majority of people we're not married at the age of 12 to 16. I also read that Petseri was the heart of Setomaa for a very long period of time. At one point they had the highest population of Estonia in the highest birth rate, but they were also very poor. This statistic that they reported in the years that they reported it in, my great grandmother would have been part of that statistic, and this made me a bit emotional to think that this was the case and I just felt this deep connection to that area and to where I was in that current moment, an experience that I probably will never forget. I kept moving through the museum and then I saw it all…the Rahvariide. The thing that drew me the quickest and first was the Tanu. It is the headpiece that women wear with their national costumes end traditionally if you are a maiden, or a single woman, it is generally a lot more spectacular than someone who is married. I have never seen a traditional Seto Tanu, and I was so excited I had to share that with mum quickly, but I wasn't sure if I could touch it. The lady saw that I was very excited by it and she came over and she put it on me. For me, it was like wearing a crown. For those of you that know me, you know the crowns are very special and significant in my life in many ways for various reasons. I was so excited and felt in awe of having this beautiful Seto crown on my head. I didn't want take it off but I had to of course. I asked the lady if there is a place that I could purchase one of these because this is the last piece that was missing from my folk costume in Australia. It doesn't look like it would be something that is easy to make so of course if it was a possibility I would like to buy one whilst I'm here made by traditional Seto people. She had an idea where I could purchase one from and she made some phone calls since the messages and she discovered that the lady at the Värska museum had some for sale. I was subtly excited about the idea of finally having my own headpiece, or crown as I will now call it, but I didn't want to get too excited yet because I may not like them and they may not have one that I want. So we discussed with her about getting some photos to see if it was worth driving back up to Värska (35 minute drive), as we had just come from there. So we decided whilst we were at the jewellery gallery she would get information and photos of these crowns, and then we would come back and have a look and then decide if we were to make the journey back.

​So we headed back to the jewellery gallery and discovered that it was indeed open. When we walked in there we were greeted by a really lovely lady who was sharing with us that she is a journalist and a writer, and her husband makes the jewellery. It is our husband that we were most interested in. She was so kind and she brought out her own jewellery collection and spread it out all over the table to show us the beautiful work, and intricacies of this jewellery. She had photo albums of all the different pieces that her husband had made, and encouraged us to sit down, get comfortable, and have a look through the albums. She was very kind and let us touch her jewellery, put it on, and share in the delights of having this connection with Setomaa and its way of life. Historically, the people of Setomaa would wear all the jewellery at different events to show off well and it's traditional to put on as much as you can so it's vital to have an abundance of it. Her husband returned in about 10 minutes after we arrived, with his (I am not exactly sure what he is) off sider, Sean. Mum and Evar Started talking about different jewellery designs and mum started building a custom order based on a piece that she had seen and that she would like. Sean however, was really interested in stories. He was a very curious person and wanted to know the history and how he came to be there, what made this jewellery so special to us and what the story was behind it. It was really interesting being around him because he had a different kind of energy. I won't go into too much detail about it because that's his personal stuff but Needless to say it was interesting having a conversation with someone with Irish origin who is encapsulated by the Estonian way of life, I'm living here with no great plans. Once mum and Evar had designed the jewellery pieces that she wanted, he shared with her that he was hoping to have a finish by the time we go to leave Estonia, and would even bring it to Tallinn before we fly out if we needed to. He then wanted to take us to the other part of the museum which is set up in the old Sauna. In there was a shop with a lot of his handmade work as well as photos of his pieces of jewellery. It was incredible. In there I bought some ribbon that traditionally goes on the back of the crown, and the more colours and ribbon the better. I was not sure what colour I was going to get when I went to the museum so I bought colours that would go with everything. Whilst mom and I were looking around the shop and the gallery, which had more folk costumes from the Seto region, he was playing his accordion and singing to us, some beautiful Seto songs. I thought this was very special, literally being taken on a bit of a guided journey into the way of life of Seto people, including music and singing. This man had a lot of talent in many ways and he was really proud to show these to us and wanted us to connect with it. I was very grateful that I was having this experience and it was so not what I expected when we started today but I am so grateful that we did and I just couldn't believe it. Both mom and I were in or of the people that we had already met, and it's not the end of the story yet. What I did notice though if you tell people that your roots are from Petseri, this is something very special and something that I will treasure, now that I know this, and use it in a way that will really showcase the way that Seto people live, and built some wonderful new connections. Once we left the gallery, we went back to the museum to have a look at the crowns that were in Värska. Once I saw them I decided we had to go back there. But before we did, there was a gentleman who was in the shop just by coincidence, who had already connected with me on Facebook through Johanna. He had sent me some messages which I had a quick look at but because I was involved in a conversation I did not pay too much attention to, but he started explaining to me about a few different things that were in those messages, but in Estonian. Once I realised who he was and what he was kind of saying I put it together and understood. He and mum had a great conversation around our connection to this area and he wanted to know our family name and what happened. Mum shared with him that my Great Grandmother’s name was Anette Ellamaa and my Great Grandfather was Osvald Ellamaa. The freaky thing about this conversation was that he knew exactly where my great grand father was buried. Mum also shared with him that he had received a medal in the army, and this gentleman was very curious as to why he received it and the story behind it. This experience alone, today, really showed me the power of conversation and sharing little bits and pieces of yourself with people, and then some wonderful things can happen. There is a particular power in vulnerability and I'm starting to really see how that works. I was so grateful that this gentleman had connected with me and wanted to know more because he might be the key to unlocking more stories about my Great Grandparents and how they were living here in their history.

​We made the journey back to the Värska museum, and met a wonderful lady who could not have been more helpful. There was an abundance of Seto craft there, and I did have to restrain myself in many ways not to buy a whole heap of things but keep my focus on what I was really there for. She took the back part of the crown and put it on my head, yet I didn't know that this was in two parts. I was really glad that it was in two parts because it meant that I could get more of the colourful pieces to mix and match. Part of me really wanted to get three different front pieces because then I can put them on my wall and have them as a beautiful decoration, reminding me of the connection that I have to Setomaa, each day. I was trying on different pieces to see what I liked him what suited me but then I asked the lady, what is appropriate for someone that is divorced. She did giggle at me and said that any of the pieces would be absolutely fine. I found a beautiful pink piece that I really enjoyed and I bought this one first. I then saw a brown paste that had a lot of sparkles through it and had the cross design which is iconic for this region. When I put it on I thought to myself that I needed to get that one as well so I did. Then I remembered that there is a slight air of OCD to me, and I needed to get a third piece because I like things in threes. There were three different front pieces that I was tossing up between but in the end, mum help me decide on which one to get. We also discovered that it would be appropriate for mum to wear any one of these pieces but with a different back piece as she's married. Once I decided on the three that I wanted I was very excited and grateful that I was able to have this experience. I then started looking through other things in the shop and discovered that they had some beautiful authentic Seto apron’s for folk costumes. Mum and I looked through some of them and I found one that I really liked and so, as you can guess, I bought one. Once I had the crown and the apron, I felt this sense of completeness. They were the last pieces that I needed for my folk costume that I wear when I do dancing or attend formal Estonian and events. There was also this sense of deep connection to my great grandmother and this sense of pride that I'm able to honour her in this way and reconnecting with the culture and not forgetting where my roots are from. I don't even know if I can put into words how I was feeling in this moment and describe what I was feeling. It is not something I have ever felt before and I I'm excited and humbled at the fact that I am able to do this, travelling around Estonia, collecting what I needed to in order to complete this connection to my roots and to different ways of life.

​One thing that strikes me about this area is the abundance of forests. Every 100 metres or so I wanted to stop and just be in the forest and soak up all the energy. There's something very mystical about it for us down in this part of and I am so glad that I stopped and took some beautiful photos. Words cannot describe the connection I have to forests, in particular the ones in Estonia, and even more so the ones in Setomaa. I won't say too much on this part of the journey but let my pictures speak and I hope that you can see the majik that I do.

​Once we had gotten what we needed to here, we started our journey home. Both mom and I decided that today was a very big day and very unintentional with the journey that we took. This is different for me because generally I'm very intentional with my time and how I do things but I am glad that we took this unknown path today because we connected with so many different people. Today's experiences I will hold close to my heart for a very long time, and I cannot wait to see what unfolds in the future, based on the connections that I have made today.
Until tomorrow
Marissa xx

In the evening mum and I had some sausages with cheese (finally) and we were both craving something green so she made a really simple salad. Oh my gosh I don’t think I have enjoyed a green salad so much in my life. We had to make our own salad dressing because we realised that in Estonia, they use sour cream a lot for salad dressing rather than vinaigrettes so mum made one out of vinegar, oil, lemon, honey and mustard. It was so good I think I will have to make it when I go home! After dinner we were just chilling, I was writing and Raigo, Tiiu’s son, came in and asked if we wanted to go on some scooters. I wasn't sure what he meant and I thought it was the manual one’s. Turns that he met the electric scooters like you can hire. I didn’t have a chance to think about it and all of a sudden we were riding scooters. At first I was really nervous and didn’t think I was going to be able to go, I went really slow up the street but then once I had some confidence it was so much fun! Mum seemed to really enjoy herself too, her scooter was a bit slower than mine, mine went up to 75km/hr but there was no way in the world I was going to do that! I was surprised Mum did it but when we were riding them we were both having a lot of fun and so glad we said yes to this little opportunity. It was a different perspective riding these around Võru, seeing a different part of it that we probably never would have seen. I didn’t know there were so many nice parks and shopping centres. It was really nice going to the lake and going along the boardwalk, on scooters. Seeing the world from this perspective was interesting and I am so glad we did it. There was a moment when I was trying to get a video of Mum on the scooter and I didn’t leave enough room and she fell off it. Like a champ she did get back on and continued to ride around. When we come here it is usually to the old town area, where my grandparents grew up. Which reminds me, mum pointed out where my grandmother lived until she was 8 years old and we think we found the house my grandpa lived when he was a kid. They knew each other when they were kids and re found each other in Australia, how romantic. I am talking about mum’s parents of course. So we scootered around and Raigo took us to the house Mum thinks was her Dad’s. After we took some pictures there we continued on and then we came to another house and she thought it was that one, so we took photos of two old houses and we will compare the pictures when we get home. We drove around for a little bit longer then right near the end Raigo let me go on the motor bike scooter. I preferred this one, I liked it but I need a licence to drive it. We had so much fun!

​When we got back, Karen was there to give me a book. She had found the Kalevipoeg book that we were looking at in the museum, at a shop in Pänu!! I was so excited and grateful and she wanted to deliver this to us so that I had it. I can’t wait to read it, being in both English and Estonian, it should be a good read!
Until tomorrow
Marissa xx

​Today I rediscovered the importance of taking a break. Every day there seems to be something happening and going on and we forget to take care of ourselves. I had reached a point where I did not want any social interactions, I did not want to have to “bring it” to any conversations, I needed a day to re-energise myself, and trying to speak kindly to myself. I reached out to a few people who understand different aspects of me, back home, and felt reassured that what I am doing here is the right thing and it will benefit a wide range of people. I had to believe in that but also listen to my body when it needed some rest. This is exactly what I did. I put into practice what I have been learning to do and put in place boundaries to get what I needed in the moment. I needed to rest, spend some time alone because I am used to being alone most of the time when I am at home and being surrounded by people and having to engage in conversation, is not something I am used to anymore. Runi is the exception, we have some wonderful conversations and change the world, one cuddle at a time. There are no photos attached to this day, as it was my day to really just do some reflection, reading and resting my mind for a moment. Something I think I need to do somewhat more frequently or maybe spend some quiet time doing some käsitöö. I think when we travel we get so caught up in everything we are doing, we forget to take a break and rest. Listen to your body and what you need, and do it. Set that boundary and make sure you take care of yourself. This became abundantly clear to me yesterday, even while traveling this is really important. A day of rest.
Until tomorrow
Marissa xx

​Once we had done what we needed to do in the town, we headed to the Rahva Museum (National Museum). All I could say about this place, even the building, was WOW. It was the most impressive grad building I had seen in a long time. It was built on the old air force base from when Estonia was under occupation. It was a very long building and even the front foyer had a grandeur about it. We then went into the museum and started to explore. When we got our ticket, something I had learned previously with Karen, was that if you say you are a teacher, which I am, you get a discounted rate. So of course, I told them I was a teacher and I got the discounted rate. When we got our ticket she explained how it worked but I didn’t fully understand, but when we got into the first wing (there are 3) I started to understand how it worked. It really showed how forward with technology Estonia is. You can scan your ticket and you can change the information about the exhibition you are looking at into your language (Estonian, English or Russian) and you can scan it in another area and you have a “take home museum”. Basically you can use this unique QR code to log in to it at home and read the bits of information about what you scanned, at your own leisure. I thought this was a great idea because there were so many exhibits and so much information to take in when going through this museum, it is a really good way to get the information in but at a more favourable pace. Once we worked this out I was scanning everything. The way this museum was set up was done really well. There was a section called “behind the iron curtain” and in this area they talked about and showed things about what it was like living in Estonia between 1944-1991.
 
There was so much history and so many bits of information and iconic moments I was unaware of. Life would not have been easy for Estonians during this time, and I was impressed with how they had collected and preserved information to share with people today. The other part that really impressed me was around the time of the revolution. They had displays of when the university students were protesting fracking to see how far they could push the boundaries and this was the start of the revolution. The other exhibit that I really enjoyed learning more about was the Baltic chain. It was a chain of people from Tallinn to Vilnius and they had images of people from every part of that chain, in an interactive time line. They had some wonderful footage of the event and I could feel the emotions coming up when I was looking at this. The pride but also the emotions these people must have been feeling when they were doing this. When we were in Mulgimaa we were told that bus drivers would just go to towns and pick people up and take them to the chain and do this several times, so that people could be part of this incredible moment in history. To think they did this without social media and having all the people gather at the same time on the same day, is still remarkable to me. They also had some links and invited people to send in their stories and photos of the event if they had something to share, and build on this collection. I really like the communal vibe of this and really wanting people to share and be part of this story. Now, as you can see in the photos, there were so many incredible things they had preserved, including a very big Estonian flag. I was not to sure what year that flag was from or the significance but it was impressive. Just before this room, there was a room of medals. Mum managed to find the one her grandfather was awarded and we are not sure exactly which one it was but it was still really special to see one of the medals he was awarded for his dedication to the war of independence. This was a special moment and I felt connected to him and felt a sense of pride, when looking at these medals and this room.
 
They had so many wonderful exhibitions in this museum, including old ways Estonians used to live, clothes, bags, textiles and the tools used to make them. They had set up rooms of furniture, and stories that went with them, old jewellery, treasures, information on the old religion, how the black plague affected them, how they used to eat, cook and live. This was just one wing of the museum but there was so much packed into here and I was blown away at the amount of information they had gathered over the years to build this, for people to learn about it. The one exhibit that really resonated with me and that I spent the most time at, was the Rahvariide section. There was an abundance of old costumes from a range of areas in Estonia. They had it broken up into four sections, North, South, East and West. Of course they didn’t have every single design and pattern there, that would take up a whole wing, and I am not sure if they could even get that many. It was incredible to see the intricacies of the designs that were presented to us, and they even had differences between women that were married and women that were not in the same county. You could see that the vööid we're quite old but there was no date assigned to them, and some of the skirts had lost some of their colour but they did well to preserve what they had gotten to present in the exhibition. I was also really impressed by the different varieties of hats that the women wore as part of their costumes. Even today they're very well designed it takes a lot of time to do all the particular details for each county and you have to make sure that you're wearing it correctly and according to your marital status. This was the exhibition I was very excited to see and it blew me away how they have presented it and even having the skirts fanned out so you could see the whole design, was a really nice touch.