Day 35 - Family, Friends and Metsa

Today we started off the day by having a lovely little breakfast, well just me, and the girls took some time to get themselves together. Argo made me some really delicious bacon and eggs and shared a story that the eggs cost 1.50 euro. The lady who sold them thought this was to much for 10 eggs but Argo wanted to pay her more! I thought this was an insanely low price for free range eggs! Once we sorted ourselves out, a plan was made for us to all go to the forest and pick mushrooms! I was beyond excited!! We packed everything up, with two big baskets to collect mushrooms and another full of food to have a picnic in the forest! We drove first to this really cute little area where the Estonian Government looks after with a little hut and an area for firewood. The EMR have many areas around Estonia which promote people to go to the forest and just be, with some shelter and areas to eat. The idea is you go there and relax and be with nature. I really like this idea where people can go to areas, and there are so many, where you can go and camp, swim in a lake and have some kind of drop toilet. They are usually pretty clean. I marked this place on my map, in case I want to come back one day.

​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