Estonia: through the eyes of a Latvian

doah, Dace

2006-07-21T15:26:00.000Z

Of course, I forgot.
The lin is www.manietlabi.blogspot.com :)

posting elsewhere

2006-06-28T03:17:00.000Z

Hey, guys!
Just wanted to say that there is this other blog where I write about my adventures during this summer, which so far indeed has been great. The link is , sadly it is only in Latvian. I simply dont have any spare time to write the same also in English. Moreover, I hardly can find time for updating the blog in Latvian thus making family and friends know how I am going... but Im great, so much to see and so much to find out! Life is wonderful ;)
see you

the itinerary

2006-06-02T06:49:00.000Z

:)
Thanks for being interested in my plans. As some people have asked me about the trip, here's the rough view on my summer:
15.06-20.06 hanging out in Paris
20.06-01.07 NY and thereabouts
02.07-12.08 Latvian summer camp in Catskills,NY. Working there as a teacher :)
13.08-17.08 back to the NYC
17.08-20.08 party time in London
20.08-27.08 being back in Riga and telling the same story all over again ;)
28.08-sometime Tallinn...study, study, study...

Take care! ;)

summer break

2006-05-25T09:30:00.000Z

Dear everyone!
Sorry for the late post, but you have got to understand - I am back in Latvia and life here is perfect! So much to do, so many people to meet, so I just keep on postponing things till later. Seems I'm gonna do that up to very September which is when I go back to Estonia again.
Moreover, I'm going to the US for the whole summer. Probably I'm going to create a blog on my adventures over the pond, if so - I will let you know. But as concerns EstoniaFromOutside - till September! Have a nice summer! ;)

What about Easter?

2006-04-17T20:51:00.000Z

Totally and absolutely STRANGE! Today is Monday, the second day of Easter, but everybody here in Estonia works. And attends school. Not a bad thing, on the one hand... But on the other - I have no Easter mood at all!
Glad to see that shop windows weren't so much decorated with all these bunnies and eggs as it was last year in Riga (don't know how it was this year, though, I presume everything has gone even more comercialized)...
But what surprized me till bones was that there were NO Easter events in Tallinn, not any that I had heard off. No swings, no big, flufyy rabbits talking to children, no common egg coloring. Nothing! Just people looking at me and my friends strangely when we, with plactic bags in our hands, raved through the city, gathering greenery for our egg coloring session.
Do Estonians have some Easter traditions? I didn't observe any, so probably somebody can tell something on this topic?!

men = pigs?

2006-04-17T20:39:00.000Z

The big, bright snow has melted down... The sun starts smiling more warmly to people... When then if not now is the right time to go out for a walk?
So did I, together with a Latvian friend of mine. In a forest situated in Mustamae.

:(
The forest was full (I mean FULL) of trash and litter, and waste! Instead of getting a pleasure from my walk, I came home totally sad... MEN ARE PIGS, after all! :(
Sad but true... you just have to see that!
Brrrrr...

Taking easy

2006-04-11T19:43:00.000Z

Despite the fact that the weather here is really unpredictable, one thing is clear - the spring has arrived. The snow has melted and the sun blesses us with every day more.
For example, on the last Sunday... On the Palm Sunday. I woke up, and despite the fact that I had to do some preety serious and pressing stuff for school, I put on my sweatpants and my sneakers, and departed to Kadriorg to run about.
Lots of people out there. Mainly adults taking out their children. Some elderly people sitting on benches and talking about their tender age (I presume). And, of course, sports' people like me.
And one more quite blatant, I must say, group of people - those who by the time of my arrival, which was about 1pm, were already drunk... or close to that. Among them some elderly men and a bunch of Russian speaking blokes. Counted up to 15 such people who were whether sitting on benches or standing and, vigorously gesticulating, expressing their radical thoughts about governance of the country... On Sunday morning... On Palm Sunday... drunk like hell... pfff

waitin'

2006-04-04T19:59:00.000Z

When will spring finally reach also this country???

Miaow... miaow... MIAOWWWWW!!!

it's Friday time!

2006-04-01T15:42:00.000Z

No, not another Friday night story about some louzy people or place... though, if you think about it more thoroughly...

Didn't go outside this weekend - trying to be a model student and prepare duly for the coming final exams. The only thing I did on Friday apart from studying was going to the nearest supermarket and buying some Latvian cookies - to have at least a bit sweeter life ;)
At the cash-desk there were 2 guys standing in front of me. Both of the age of 14-15. Ok, maybe 16, but definitely not more! Guess what they were buying: sprite, gin (not the long drink) and some packs of cigarettes!!! The cashier didn't say a word, nor did she ask for documents that would prove the boys were 18!
I was shocked!
Not that things like this don't happen also in Latvia, of course they do, but... I don't know... hadn't seen something like this for some time!
It's time government did something about the situation, isn't it?

Dace - the smoked chicken in vinegar souce

2006-03-25T18:29:00.000Z

I am totally exhausted! Dead and tired!... after fighting with smoke and soot this whole day, man, something like this happened to me for the fisrt time!
In short...
Yesterday was Friday evening - time to go out. Tried to talk my flatmate into going out for a dance, but she refused, and now I say Thank Goodness! What happened last night at about 2.30am was that a fire broke out in the apartment of the neighbor who lives down from me. Luckily nothing blew up, still - the staircase looks like hell and, despite having left open all windows over the night, today every single thing in my room and apartment was covered with a layer of black soot. I can't imagine how the flat would have looked like if the girl hadn't stayed at home and accepted my invitation for Friday evening...
And that smell of smoke!!! It's SO annoying! It took us 7 hours to clean everything up! The place still smells of smoke, but luckily we found out 2 ways how to fight it. So, here, guys, if something similar ever happens to you (which I really DO hope is not going to happen) and you can't get rid of "something-is-burning" feeling, then, first, take vinegar and leave it in every corner of your dwelling place. Second - burn candles... these two help!
...besides 30 candles with reflection in vinegar bowls look pretty romantic in the dark apartment ;)

...speed, weed, and life control...

2006-03-04T12:57:00.000Z

While checking Baltic news in delfi, I came across this article: in the beginning of February the Estonian customs authorities seized more than 200 (!) kilos of hashish, the value of which could reach up to 30 million Estonian krones (which is about 1,8 million euros)...
Now I wonder where this amount of hash would have gone to :/

And I remember a friend of mine once telling me this:
-Friday evening. Went out to club Prive. I go upstairs and this guy comes over me, drags me aside and asks straightly: "maybe I can offer you a bit of hash? Maybe some pills? Something stronger?..."

Haven't showed up to Prive since then.
And don't wanna to.

*Dziesmai šodien liela diena

2006-02-09T11:28:00.000Z

*A big day it is for the song today

Yesterday I was writing an article about the Latvian Song Festival for the blog, called Nouvelleurope (The New Europe). You can surely check it out here! Probably a bit too poetical, but I couldn't help my mood while writing it ;)
What I found out while looking for the informative material and what shocked me a little bit was the fact that the first ones to organize this huge event of singing-together, were Estonians! I had always thought those were Latvians!
Anyway, just wanted to ask - when is the next Estonian Song Festival taking place, huh?

a social 'POOH'

2006-01-29T20:46:00.000Z

I'm dissapointed! - One of my favourite bars in Tallinn called 'Nimega Bar' has turned into a mouldy place with the general public that of the 18-year-olds, who come there to have 2 drinks for the price of one!
OK, I'm not so old myself to say that people who have just come of age are annoying, especially when drunk, still it was a shock for me to see so many of them in Nimega yesterday! Seems from now on there's no place in Tallinn where a bunch of girls can simply go for some tasty coctails while having their 'girls talk' and looking at those sexy buts of guys :))))))
;(

Run, Dace, run!

2006-01-27T10:53:00.000Z

Yesterday I came accross an unpleasant event.
Came home after having paid a visit to my friend. Came with the last trolleybus.
It all started when these 4 young Russian speaking guys entered the vehicle. Two of them were smoking, one of them had an opened beer bottle in his hands. All of them behaved VERY loudly and rudely.
I was absolutely alone with these guys. Not wanting really to jump out of the trolley (as there were no other that would take me home, moreover the distance to my home was a great one), I just put my hat and scarf more onto my face and looked out of the window.
Thank god 3 of the guys understood they were in the wrong trolleybus and staggered out of it.
When my stop came, it turned out that it was also the stop of the remaining guy.
I let him leave the vehicle before me and took a breath when saw that he's going where he had to go in a fast pace and not paying any attention to me.
But then I saw a white Mercedes standing ahead. The parking place seemed very strange - in the middle of a crossroad! So now I was the person to quicken the pace.
Passed the car.
The car started to follow.
And overtook me.
(Not a great feeling indeed :S)
Just moved forward, at the same time looking to the side at whether or not the nearby house has a fence...
The car drove away - in the next juntion turned left.
Took a breath, still, with my heart beating madly, rushed home.
Looked to the left when crossing the junction... nobody... just a car standing a bit further with the back lights on...
(Minus 25 Celcius outside, but feels like in midday in Spain...)
Just as I crossed the street and went round the corner where it is not possible to see the car anymore, just started to run.
Rush.
Fly.
I really mean it - quite sure that Michael Jonson couldn't have catched me!!! Luckily not too far to my place from there - usually it takes about 5 minutes, now it was not more than 40 seconds!
Tomorrow will buy a bottle of tear-gas!
Definitely!!!
:SSSSSS

weird

2006-01-23T22:25:00.000Z

You know what I just mentioned while checking this blog's trackback?
Well first thing is that I've had around 1100 visitors during these 3 full months of posting in this blog.
But the thing which I find weird is that none of them comes from Russia! You can check that out yourselves here! People are cheking this blog from such far countries as Bermuda, Chile, or Puerto Rico but so far there is none from our BIG BROTHER.
However, if you remember my posts called outburst and at the same time check this article in the Baltic Times, you may find that Russian secret services DO check my blog, moreover, they take it into account :DDDD

pure purity

2006-01-22T21:39:00.000Z

Estonians just can't stop surprising me.
Today decided to check my postbox - hadn't done that for some time. Put on my dressing gown and in slow motion went down the stairs.
Nothing. Nobody wants me. Whateve'
Again turn on my slow motion and crawl up the stairs. Suddenly this door flows open and the neighbor from the first floor starts hoovering the stair case.
o_O

ok, orderliness is a good trait of character, but have you seen somebody hoovering the whole staircase?

overcoming lazyness

2006-01-20T19:55:00.000Z

Dace's back! :)
Sitting in my room, wearing wollen socks, 3 jumpers and sipping hot tee all day long: Estonia has welcomed me back with temperature that falls below minus 30 degrees Celcius!
This spoils the plans of this weekend quite heavily - no enthusiasm to take shower, put a bit of mascara on those adventure-seeking eyes of mine (sounds pretty awk, but I dont wanna think about grammar right now), put on the good old jeans and leave for Friday evening dancing tour. Don't wanna go even to the nearest supermarket to buy some food - it is really so cold! Instead I've been eating pasta whole day long. But who cares apart from my poor stomach? Neeeeh... better pasta with litres of hot tea than showing my nose out of the house!

...be patient

2006-01-05T21:34:00.000Z

... only 2 days and 14 hours and I'm heading back to Tallinn.
I believe I'll continue what I've started, simply these 3 weeks I've been so busy and lucky to be at home!...

confession

2005-12-17T14:26:00.000Z

So, guys, here's what I've got to say: for the coming 3 weeks most likely you won't see too much activity here from my side! The day has come - I AM HOME! :))) And probably you know what that means, don't you?!

For example, yesterday I woke up at 1.30pm... Took some Latvian press and lied in the bed, and read the papers, and forced myself out of the bed just at 3pm - simply because I was starving! Went to the kitchen in my old, well-worn pyjamas, opened the fridge... man! :) Seems my mom had been waiting for me to come home the same way as I was eager to come home!!! The fridge shelves full of home made food, my favourite!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

So, I just took a pile of food, I mean -A PILE-, and went back to the bed... I think I could spent there the whole day, indeed... but some friends gave me a call and I couldn't resist meeting them... And going to the old town... Ahhhh... Riga's old town, no more of Tallinn! So beautiful, so familiar, so dear! Well, yeah... of course, drunken young people, foreigners gone out in the "girl-hunt", a bit messy... but who cares!?- it's my city!

Well, yeah... so, what I wanted to say with all this that don't expect too much activity from me these days!
And, btw, seems my activity in writing this blog can go down also when I'm back in Tallinn again, that is 8th January. For, to say the truth, I created this blog as a part of my Computer Assited Journalism class in University. The assignment was to create a blog and make at least 3 posts a week. Now, as that is over (I mean the "grade-hunt") I am free, if I want, to cease writing in this blog. However, seems I've found myself in all this, so... I think I will continue with what I've started. Maybe not so often as before, but most likely I won't disappear ;)

So, guys, be good and take care! Enjoy winter and give a hug to all whom you care about! The feeling's just amazing, believe me, I do not lie! :)
Life's beautiful, indulge yourselves ;)

whirlpool

2005-12-11T12:31:00.000Z

Just had an unpleasant surprise.
Having studied till 5am, just now (2pm) woke up. Decided to take a shower to refresh myself for the further studies. And guess what - we've no water at home! :( Can't even make a cup of strong black tee instead!
Went downstairs to see what's the problem (well, usually they hang a small note explaining the situation)... yeah, no water for the coming two hours. Didn't understand anything else (the note's written in Estonian).
Ok, I'm not against the water treatment facility's improvements, but why on Sunday? I mean, Sunday's the day when all the people stay at home, do the clean up, prepare the huge family dinner, take bath... Maybe some kind of emergency, still... feels really weird!

Paradox

2005-12-09T10:18:00.000Z

Interesting enough, but while, according to Elli, the average salary in Estonia is 7000 krones (450euros), while the paramedics` ambulance cardrivers get only 3500 krones, while teachers get 5000 krones and while firemen earn 4380 krones a month, there's no such day when I don't see a woman with a Luis Vuitton handbag or a man with Dolce & Gabbana jeans. Also such brands as Richmond, Dior, Prada, Gucci, and Armani are consistently often seen.

Seems that there's something dissonant...

Where's my award?

2005-12-09T00:12:00.000Z

Reading another blog, Viva Paltriness, I arrived to this consistently interesting post which states that this guy who's the vice president of European Commission in addition to his salary, which is not too low, as you may guess, receives a bonus of 45 000 krones (2 800 euros) a month just to not to be homesick...

Man... 2 800 euros for being homesick... Why don't they offer such a consolatory prize for simple Latvian students living in Tallinn? :) I mean, I'm so homesick that I've even created my own calendar with mandatory deeds I must do in order to get home next Thursday! The first thought when I wake up is Ah, one more day closer to the departure. The last thought before falling asleep is Ah, this day had passed, one more day closer to going home...
Man... only 6 days and 15 hours left...
Don't you think I deserve at least 3 000 euros a month? :)

...even worse

2005-12-08T23:28:00.000Z

Reading blog SadEst, I came accross this story. In short, this kinda intelligent English guy ruined the whole impression of him by acknowledging the fact that it's advisable for an Estonian girl to marry a rich guy in order to make her life better.

While there indeed are girls who practice this kind of deed, I wonder wherher there are girls who would react affirmatively on this:
once I and my best friend were heading home from Friday evening bash. As we were passing the Viru Hotel this very drunken English man staggered up to us and said straightly: "Listen, girls, come with me to my hotel room."
Usually we'd simply cast down out eyes and quicken our steps, but as he was alone and absolutely drunk, we decided that there's nothing to fear of and engaged in the conversation:

-why should we do that?
-you have to!
-why?
-you are from Estonia!
-And?
-That's what they do here to get money, don't they?

I mean... HUH?
Where from a man can have this kind of impression? Just incrediable!!! Just how stupid a man can be?!? Absurd!!!

Jingle bells rock

2005-12-06T08:10:00.000Z

Today I encountered quite a strange thing, I mean it was nice and sweet, still - strange... bearing in mind that Christmas is coming.

I was waiting for Viru Keskus (a shopping center in the heart of Tallinn) to open. Went into it, sat down and waited... and waited... and waited... and listened to the birds singing :) I mean, the bird twitter on tape is heard all over the shopping center :)
Sounded quite nice, even made me smile (which I haven't done for approximately 24 hours now), still... a weird feeling - it's snowing outside, it's freezingly cold, the Christmas is coming, but instead of Christmas songs we hear bird twitter.
I just wonder what soundtrack they'll have when the Easter approach ;)

title

2005-12-06T08:02:00.000Z

Btw, today I woke up 3 hours earlier than usual to look once more for the help with my bandage in Tallinn's hospitals.
They helped.

God exists.

update

2005-12-06T07:27:00.000Z

Last week I happened to have a mike and a camera and to go out in the streets and ask people their opinion on the the topic whether or not Tallinn becomes more popular as a city which tourists come to see not due to the beuatiful architecture but rather because of the legends about beautiful girls that are open to get acquainted with foreign men.
Or to put it straightly - does Tallinn become a city of sex tourism?

I received many different answers but the majority tend to approve the question. While some said they didn't observe anything of this kind or if they did then it didn't disturb them, the most interesting feedback I got from a taxi driver and a girl who works in a hospital.
The taxi driver said there's no such day when he wouldn't take in a local girl (girls) together with foreign guy (guys). Where they usually ask him to take them - whether to some kind of restourant, nightclub or hotel.
Furthermore, the hotel girl said it is surprising how many girls dare to visit the hotel together with tourists. The sentence I remember most vividly is "If, let's say, twelve Englishmen come to Tallinn over weekend to celebrate a stag party, then, when coming back to the hotel, on average 4 of them have girls with them."

Of course, there can be different views on this topic, after all it's the 21st century, the sex revolution has started a couple of decades ago. Every city of developing tourism faces this phenomenona. It's always interesting to meet different people from different background. Sex is healthy. And, after all, everyone is allowed to do all he/she wants unless it's illegal or openly pervert.

However, I feel a bit sad hearing this kind of observations and looking at this blog's trackback for the second time; here are some of latest queries to Estonia all over the world:

30 Nov, Wed, 10:59:00 MSN Search: young estonia girls
30 Nov, Wed, 18:01:14 Yahoo: tallinn sex
01 Dec, Thu, 18:10:51 MSN Search: estonia girls
03 Dec, Sat, 13:51:28 Yahoo: sex tourism tallinn
03 Dec, Sat, 23:37:34 MSN Search: estonia girls
03 Dec, Sat, 23:42:38 MSN Search: estonia girls
04 Dec, Sun, 02:56:08 MSN Search: Estonia girls
04 Dec, Sun, 14:55:39 MSN Search: girls estonia
04 Dec, Sun, 23:21:16 MSN Search: tallinn sex
05 Dec, Mon, 08:44:38 MSN Search: Estonia sex
06 Dec, Tue, 00:41:32 MSN Search: sex in estonia
06 Dec, Tue, 00:52:02 AltaVista: tallinn sex

to Luarvik

2005-12-05T21:12:00.000Z

Yesterday I wrote about how greatly my opinion of hospitals in Tallinn changed during the last weekend. To say the truth, it was not pleasant to admit I was wrong when I posted the "Time Cures" in October.

Today - I SWALLOW MY WORDS AGAIN, this time I guess this impression will stay forever.

I'm quite strong a personality, I cry very rearly and if do - that usually happens from great joy or pathos... or, of course, in great sorrow... But almost never when we talk of pain or simply hard life.

Today I cried. Because I spent 4 (!!!) hours of my life going from one hospital to another (altogether 6 (!!!) of them) hoping that somebody would help me, but EVERYWHERE (in 6 hospitals in a row) I got rejected!

As stated before I had this small surgery on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday I went to the same place to bind up the wound. Yesterday the doctor of that emergency station advised me to look for a family doctor, saying that if I'm going to stay in Tallinn for more than a year I definately need someone to take care of me if something happens. Besides that would come cheaper.

I can't name the first hospital (it's situated near Retke tee), but they said they didn't have family doctors at all... But to see a surgeon I need a shipping documend from a family doctor.
Ok... I was forwarded to Mustamae Polyclinic. They said they couldn't help as I live too far and forwarded me to a emergency station just next to the first hospital. In this place they said openly - we have so many clients that we have no time for you, people with more serious problems wait in lines.
So, in despair I decided to go back to the Central Hospital's emergency station which I had visited the three days before. To my huge surprise, also this place refused to help... I mean... I was so surprised... WHAT? How comes? Why did you help me the days before? - turns out this kind of help works only in weekends... HUH? I mean... WTF?
Anyway, they forwarded me to the building just next to them, the Central Hospital's main building. Over there all the doctors had already left... At 5.45 pm??? No doctors that could simply help me with the bandage??? Any doctor! A family doctor, a surgeon, ANY!!!
At this point I simply bursted into tears... And I don't really give a damn about what that receptionist lady thought about me that I simply turned my back and, without even saying a proper "thanks", went weeping out.
The number six in my "visit-and-get-rejected-in-every-hospital-in-tallinn" adventure was the children's hospital just nearby... I must say, I was not surprised anymore that there were no people AT ALL that would even say "sorry, we can't help, go to..."

And I don't really give a damn if any Estonian now is very critical about this post. I feel miserable and humiliated as a human being.
I'm afraid that my "something" in my stomach could turn into something even more "something" as now almost 2 days have passed without changing the bandage. But buying some kind of disinfectant on my own and proceed by my own in that open wound of mine... does not sound too promising and encouraging for me.
I mean... WHAT THE HECK I SHOULD DO NOW??????????

Time cures 2

2005-12-04T16:44:00.000Z

Some time ago I shared my experience with Estonian ambulance. That was rather a nasty story, I must say.
So, seems today I'm gonna swallow my own words: for the last 3 days I have been visiting Tallinn's Central Hospital myself, and, to my surprise, I was treated more than kindly.

It started with little pain just next to my poor bellybutton...and turned out to be some kind of lousy "something" under my skin :( But don't worry, I'm gonna live! ;)
Anyway, this "something" hurted quite a bit, so I decided to see a doctor (despite the fact that my insurance validity had run out of time).

Here now... I go this central hospital, quite critical about the situation and not hoping for too much help, as
1)people wait in queues for weeks to see a doctor, so why would I be lucky to see it the same day?
2)I'm Latvian. I don't speak neither Estonian, nor so good Russian as to tell them my problem
3)I've no valid insurance.

Not too encouraging, huh?

Still, I take my chance and... they send me to an emergency station where I got to see that doctor the very same half an hour. The doctor puts me right away on that surgery table, makes anaesthesia to my skin around my belly, takes the scalpel... blah-blah-blah... and in 15 minutes I'm out with a pile of antibiotics in my hand.
Returned to that same emergency station also today and yesterday - other doctors but the service the same.
Moreover, I was quite surprised about their working conditions, equipment, and premises... so modern and cosy (as cosy as a hospital can be)...

Thanks, I'm impressed! :)

intercepted

2005-12-01T20:59:00.000Z

Yesterday, while on my way to school in bus, I happened to sit in front of two Russian ladies. Though I had taken out Defoe's 'Moll Flanders' intending to read some of it while on my way, I just couldn't! The dialogue of the ladies took me over:

-Ah, what a luck that today the bus is not so full as usually. At least we can sit down like normal people, otherwise one has to fight for a seat!

-Yes, you're right, what happens in the public transport is everything but a nightmare!

-You know, once I was coming back home from the market place... you know - heavy bag full with vegetables, fruit and meat. Well, I put my bag on this seat and stood myself just besides.
Now then, in a busstop the door opens and this lady comes in and says "take away your bag, I WANT TO SIT DOWN!" [This she said so loudly that I think all the passesngers in the bus now knew she had to tell a great story].
But, you know, the floor was in mud... and this rudeness!!! I got so angry that I lifted up my bag and theatrically sat down myself. Just imagine...TAKE AWAY YOUR BAG, I WANT TO SIT DOWN...! Amazing... I was SOOOOO mad!

-Yes, I know what you mean... And the youth! They will never give their seat to you! Once I saw scene like this.
A mother with her six-year-old child steps in the bus. The child sits down and says to his mom: "You are big, you can stand!" And imagine - the mother admitted the child was absolutely right!
In the next stop this old lady with a cane comes in... Do you think the mother did something about it? NO!

Well... this was only a small part of what they said...
But let me think... though they were noticeably exaggerating, basically everything they said is true!
Young people will let older people sit down only if that is absolutely needed (if the pop seems really week and ill).
Heaven forfend if you sit or stand next to two or more children under 15... the behaviour is more than annoying! Screaming, yelling, jostle...
In Friday evenings it's advisory not to go to the back of a bus - unless you enjoy loud public that swear (usually in Russian) and smell of alcohol.
I don't know - maybe it is a feedback - but even the old ladies are unbearable!- they will always push you aside or give a dig in your back or side.

A characteristics of Estonians?

Mission accomplished

2005-11-28T22:26:00.000Z

A week ago an Estonian man crashed the flashing lights of a police bus.
The guy was trying to attack a lady so policemen arrested him and took him to the bus. In there he started raging and broke the flashing lights with his head.

What's the point, you may ask...
Well... Firstly, how many countries you know where police gets around in BUSSES?
Secondly - how could he break the flashing lights while being INSIDE the bus? :) Is that a special trick of Estonian police to place the flashing lights inside their vehicles so that the villains do not notice them from a distance?... :)

Help needed

2005-11-28T20:43:00.000Z

A few minutes ago I read this article saying that Russia strives obtaining Latvia and Estonia to fulfil the minority rights' protection recommendations made by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe.

Moreover, Moscow officials have admitted that two Russian ships in the economic territory of Estonia did an investigation of the possible Russian-German gaspipe track without the permission of Tallinn.

While the majority of Latvians in their comments quite rudely claim for Russians to pack their bags and 'go home', I wonder what Estonians think about all this!? Any comments? Would be nice to hear!

taken by surprise

2005-11-28T16:56:00.000Z

WOW, I'm shocked! Indeed - this chubby Estonian saleswoman made my day! Something like this happened for the first time while I've been living in Tallinn.
Previously I talked about the paradox that every Estonian knows the word for 'ice-cream' in Latvian (which is, of course, SALDEEJUMS :D). Yeah, by the way, last Saturday I found out one more possible reason why they know it - an Estonian man explained that during the Soviet era Latvian ice-cream was exported to Estonia in large amounts. As the ice-cream was from Latvia, clear it is that the label said 'SALDEEJUMS', and thus this is how they still know this designation.
Anyway, I was not going to talk about ice-cream.
Though, the surprize occured in a supermarket by a cash-desk. I didn't have any cash, so I paid with my credit card. It's always fun looking at the salespersons' face expressions when instead of their 'hansapank' they see 'hanza banka'. Moreover, my name is a jawbreaker not only for Estonians...
Thus, the salespersons usually don't say their 'aitah' (thank you), but simply nod their heads when returining the card.
Here now. I was waiting for the running nod or the scarce 'aitah' when a silent PALDIES (Thanks in Latvian) felt like snow on my head...

A stupid smile from me
A great feeling for me

Madly...

2005-11-27T22:16:00.000Z

It's the first Advent today. The great waiting begins.
I'm not talking about the buzz around Christmas presents. Being here in Tallinn I've learnt how to appreciate my family and friends left at home.
It's 1.30am, but I just keep sitting on my windowsill. In dark. Only one candle glows next to me. It snows madly outside. So pure. Just want to steal those wings of snow angels this night and fly home.

To kiss my dear while asleep...

Friday night fever goes on

2005-11-27T21:50:00.000Z

To make the long story short:
Friday night, a couple of months ago. Tallinn. Night club. This guy wearing a t-shirt with a kangoroo saying 'I love Australia' comes up to me and says in pure English language:
-You are very beautiful!
-Thanks!
-Your a*s is very sexy!
-Thanks, I know.
-I want to f**k you hard!

---------------------------------------------
Is this a compliment or disrespect in its highest display?

mirror, mirror on the wall...

2005-11-27T21:35:00.000Z

...who's the cripplest of the all?

Nothing more can I say after having spent this say in the all possible shoe-shops trying to buy winter boots. Y-U-K-!!!
Of course, every person has his/her own taste, however, strangely enough - I just couldn't find anything acceptable! And not that I'm very demanding, all I wanted was casual winter boots, black, no heal, no ornamentation. Simple.

Uh-huh... right... topknots, ribbons, spray, glitter, feather, red, pink, yellow!
Everything but simple.

good way how to spoil one's birthday mood

2005-11-27T20:44:00.000Z

Last Friday it was my birthday. Though instead of going home and celebrating with my closest friends and family I decided to stay in Tallinn. Firstly, I was a bit critical about my choice, but later it turned out to be pretty nice anyway. While this day I understood that I've grown up a lot and that I hadn't even mentioned the turning point when my values changed. I received 2 presents (sounds modest, huh?). But who cares for presents if despite being so far away from home I had approximately 100 people from Latvia calling, messaging and e-mailing...? And some 50 more out in the streets of Tallinn wishing joy and love :)
Ok, ok, here champagne worked quite well (for who could refuse a mouthful for the health of such a nice girl as I am?) ;)

Anyway... the day and the evening was MARVELOUS! The Queen-of-the-Day-Feeling stayed for round the clock. Until we got to a night-club called Bon-Bon. Hadn't been there before with the girls, still we had a handful of suggestions to go and check out this place. So - why not, just the perfect day and the perfect mood!
A small crowd in front of the entrance... we wait... we get to the entrance... going in... and the guards grab us.
-You can't get in!
-Why not?
-The club is full!

Ok... we wait... one minute... two minutes... five minutes... some 15 people come out during this time. An Estonian couple gets in, now enough of waiting, right?
-You can't get in!
-Why not?
-Only people with client cards can get in!

Mmmmmh...we still wait... one minute... some Estonians get in... two minutes... some more Estonians get in... three minutes... noone shows them any cards!!!

Guess who was the person whose mood had fallen close to zero?

satisfaction

2005-11-22T17:01:00.000Z

Going on with the Independence day topic...

As I had no oppurtunity to go home on these celebrations and meet my friends, family, peers - my whole nation, actually - in the celebratory parade, the President's address to the people, the great firework, and other events, I was absolutely glad when I found out about this Estonian-Latvian cooperational concert in honour to the 87th anniversary of Latvia’s declaration of independence.

It took place in Nomme Culture Centre (?) and both Latvians and Estonians took part in it. Although it seemed that there no other viewers of the concert apart from me, my mom, a handful of my friends, who had come to Tallinn to accompany me in the celebration, and the parents of the children who took part in it, the performance was just perfect! Well, probably "perfect" is not the word most suitable here, but at the moment nothing better comes into my mind.

A Latvian ensemble opened the whole event - ah, how good it was to hear some deep-felt songs of that most beautiful language in the world: Latvian! Imants Kalnins... Raimonds Pauls... you just sit there and give way to your soul which sings along aloud.
After, the stage turned into a dancing floor. Unfortunaly, not in a folk-dance dancing floor, but that of modern dancing - something between aerobics and breakdance. Here mostly Estonian teenagers performed. Not too correspondant show if we think about the true reason of the coming together, but, god is my witness - the whole event was just rampant with positive emotions and joy!

Thanks to Nomme Culture Center, it was more than nice! :))))

disappointment

2005-11-20T21:11:00.000Z

Come on, Estonia, this is no cool! On the 18th November, the Latvian Independence Day, I saw several private houses without Estonian flag in honour to this day! How comes?!?!?!?! :(

puzzlehead

2005-11-20T20:10:00.000Z

Today this Estonian guy took me by surprize! I was bloody hungry so, while waiting for my bus to come, I turned to this stall where along with chewing gums, beer, buns, and condoms hanged the title HAMBUGERS. A place not radiant with trust. Nevertheless, there was even a small queue. In front of me stood a guy - I bet his nickname was Mr.Muscle as his physique was indeed one big muscle! He ordered a hambuger for 10 krones and a... sausage. A wrapped piece of sliced sausage for 12 krones. Seemed a bit funny to me, I mean - he could have ordered 2 hamburgers or something if he was so hungry. Just out of curiosity of how was he going to eat that all up I followed him with my eyes. He unbound the sausage and... squated... and called for this little cute pussy-cat :)

Just imagine - squating Mr.Muscle eating his hamburger for 10 krones and feeding a fluffy pussy-cat with a sausage worth 12 krones! :)
awwwwwwwwwww! :))))

Where are the Greens?

2005-11-20T19:45:00.000Z

This weekend some friends of mine from Latvia came to see me here in Tallinn. As this was the second time they were here, naturally enough that there was no sense in showing off the city once more as if they had not seen the views already! So, I decided we could go to the Tallinn Zoo.

Guys, if you like and care for animals - don't go to this zoo! :( Of course, all of the world's zoos are some kind of prison to animals, but this is a sweatbox! Just imagine - a polar bear living in a cage not bigger than my room (and my room is not big) with masonry walls from 3 sides and the bars from the fourth. The ground is from concrete. And the only "amusement" is a pool of 3x2 metres with stinky water.
And the same with tigers, monkeys, foxes and others.

And how can we dear to call ourselves superior from everything alive?

this ain't actually funny...

2005-11-20T16:09:00.000Z

Just recently I watched a horror film about zombies who sawed up their victims for later use... pretty sick... Actually, I don't know why I mention all this crap here, but I guess the conjunctive moment here is the sawing:
In Tallinn they have arrested the maniac who during the last two months had sawed in approximately 50 trees in a cemetery.
The villain was caught in the act. He had a hand-saw with him. Most likely the man wanted the sawed-in trees to fall on the visitors of the cemetery.
He was Russian.

Well... here I would leave this post, as the info works pretty well also without my comments, but I just can't get along without publishing one of the comments I read under the original post in delfi.lv. Johnny writes:

"After some years of unsuccessful attempts, the Tallinn Police with the help of foreign assistants has finally caught the legendary villain Urmas who, since his childhood, had always caused enormous damage to the graveyard. . . To make a long story short - Urmas was a scoundrel never witnessed before on the carriageway of Tallinn.
The mission was carried out very carefully as the guy was skilful. Bloody skilful. For example - the last eight trees he sawed in during just thirteen hours, moreover, while trying to escape, Urmas managed to stain the Hebrew graveyard with swastikas and to trick aunt Martha who sold flowers. . .
Feeling their own helplessness, the Estonian policemen asked help to the Finnish and Icelandic special assignment teams. The conference finished with three real proposals: firtly, to catch the villain; secondly, to do it quickly; and thirdly, not to suffer damages.
The Estonian team dressed up both as flower sellers and graves and took their appointed places. The Icelandic team, to not to arise suspicion, acted the part of a tourist group that as if had come to look at the monumental architecture of the cemetary. The task of the Finns was to base their armoured cars in the nearby park.

The first two days passed without any suspicion, except maybe for two Latvian students in Tallinn whose way back home from their university led just by the graveyard. They were laughing about "the jerks who were trying for 3 days to sell old flowers" and about "the losers who were observing the monument three days in a row".
Then, at 1:30am, the sound of a motor-saw broke out from the cemetary: this draw the attention of the policemen at about 3:40pm. The flower sellers threw away the flowers and started forward with their automats. According to the treaty, the Finnish armour cars should have driven up, but as the Finnish patrol were tasting Vana Tallinn for the fourth day already, they did not hear the signal.

. . .However, Urmas succeeded to escape, but he was let down by his own recklessness - he went back to take his motor-saw and this time was arrested.

According to the Estonian legislation, Urmas was warned and imposed to penalty of 300 EEK."

:)))

trappy trackback

2005-11-17T19:51:00.000Z

Some time ago I already wrote a post on my views of Tallinn as a city of sex tourism. That post was totally based on my own experience and observations, and that's why I've always admitted that there's a likelihood I'm wrong. Probably I'm going to the wrong places, probably I have some kind of biases or probably I have just misunderstood what I've seen... whatever that may be!
Here now, this is getting a bit more serious. I'd call that a proof to my statements. Just check this blog's trackback! Nothing too special, have to admit :( , but here comes the most interesting part:

06 Nov, Sun, 16:34:59
tallinn sex
07 Nov, Mon, 06:42:34
Tallinn Estonia Sex
09 Nov, Wed, 14:28:21
girls estonia
09 Nov, Wed, 16:31:40
estonia girls
11 Nov, Fri, 12:24:17
estonia girls
12 Nov, Sat, 02:15:01
tallinn sex girls

ooooooookay! ;)

Condom vs Perse

2005-11-13T23:45:00.000Z

Did you know that in France there is a town of about 8 000 inhabitants, called Condom? A-ha, that's right - a pretty interesting name for a town for those who speak English. The town council of Condom have given up the hopes of putting up a sign that declares the arrival to the city as the sneaky tourists will always find a way how to take it off and bring it home as a souvenir.

But did you know that there's a river in Latvia, called Perse? Well, if you don't speak Estonian this will not mean anything to you, but those who do... ooops, I'm sorry for being a bit rude (for in Estonian, as far as I know, this is the word they use to call your but).
However, this is only one of the words that seems funny to those who understand both of the languages, namely, Estonian and Latvian. In Estonian the word plika means a young girl (?) while in Latvian that would mean a naked girl. Then, while in Latvian lentenis means a cestoid, in Estonian it goes something like flying leg (?)!
Oh, here's a good one: while in Estonian kuule means something like hey, listen, what do you think about... then in Latvian that stands really close to the designation of male genitals...

But what I enjoy most of these is the kindest word of all: THANK YOU or aitah in Estonian... I just can't help but call everyone whom I thank... sheep... for this is what this word means in Latvian :)

beeee-beeee

an outburst

2005-11-10T20:02:00.000Z

In Latvia there is a stereotype that there are a few Russians in Estonia. Before agreeing to this statement, consider 'a call to a friend' option...
I don't know how many Russians are here, but unambiguously many. And the same as in Latvia. Of course, I am not talking about those who peacefully live their lives, study, work, raise children, do shopping and sit next to me in the public transport and read a book. I'm talking about the striking ones, about those who, I admit, derogate the whole Russian nation in my eyes to the level that I really do loathe them. Those bold ones wearing sweatpants and leather coats, those swearing, nibbling seeds of a sunflower, and drinking pure vodka in busstops or stairways. You say rasist? Biased? Aight!

No doubt, it starts with the history - at least I will NEVER EVER, AT NO TIME, UNDER NO CONDITIONS, IN NO CASE, NOT ON MY LIFE, BY NO MEANS, NOWAY forgive Latvia's occupation in 1940. I will NEVER forgive the losses, strokes, and
bruises of my country and its people. I bet I'd say the same if I was Estonian or Lithuanian, for the 20th century Baltic's history is pretty alike.
I know I've said before that it seems really strange to me that Estonians won't speak to you in Russian even if they had studies this language for years. It's the 21st century, after all - the era of business and globalization... On the other hand - this is what I really DO appreciate! Having lived in a foreign country I know now myself that it is NOT impossible to learn the language of the country which you are living in. Even without learning, by simply being here, I - a Latvian, a person whose own native language has NOTHING in common with Estonian - have acquired it to the level that I can at least do the shopping and ask what time it is... You don't see the point? Well, I don't know how it's in Estonia, but in Latvia Russians claim they are being discriminated because of the different language!
?????????
huh?
wtf?

As the Latvian independence day is coming on 18th Novemeber, some Russian deputies are going to organzie a conference on "Democracy in Latvia"... I mean - WHAT?
In that conference they could take the ultimate, the crucial decision: TO MOVE TO KALINIGRAD or KAMCHATKA!

What's so cool about ICE CREAM?

2005-11-10T19:41:00.000Z

Believe me or not, but during all this one and a half year that I have spent in Estonia, I have met no Estonian who would have NOT known the Latvian name for an ice cream... It usually goes like this:

-someone asks me something
-Vabandust, ma ei oska eesti keelt (Sorry, I don't speak Estonian)
-then they ask which language I speak (-logical, isn't it? :D)
-Ma olen Latist (I'm from Latvia)
-Ah! Latvia! SALDEEJUMS!

:DDD what is the funniest thing about this is that they pronounce it with a "P" in the end... "[Ah! Latvia! SaldeejumPs!]"...

How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck, if a wood-chuck could chuck wood? :)

If Estonia had subway...

2005-11-10T19:14:00.000Z

Machine operator: "Atttttttttentionnnnnnn! The dooooooooor isssss cloooooosinnnng! Neeeeeeext staaaaatioonnnn..... Ohhhhhhh! Neeeeeeext staaaaaaatiooon!"

The way back home from school in the bus today was soooooo funny! The Estonian bus drivers always surprise me with the way they announce the next stop. Today the guy seemed to be lucky as hell, with his announcements he made even my bad day seem beeter. How? He almost sang through the names of the stops so melodiously as if he was a bull-calf just let out of a cattle-shed in the spring time... a bit clumsy comparison, but this is what it seemed to me... a very positive guy!

On the other hand I remember once it seemed to me that I had taken a bus to hell, for the bus-driver instead of announcing the next stop croaked it in the mike... sounded just like one of the Behemot's songs... You'll diiiiiiie, everyone's gonna diiiiiiiie!!!...
Ah, by the way, he listened to Rammstein while driving...
ooooookay...

What's up, Saudi Arabia?

2005-11-06T14:09:00.000Z

This is what I call sweet: "The parents of a baby girl born in earthquake-hit Pakistan have named her Estonia in honor of the emergency medics from the Baltic state who delivered her," writes Daily Times :) So, now there are 2 Estonias in the world :) A very nice act from the parents' side, and, of course, really nice that the girl survived, but I presume she won't be very glad about her name when she grows up...
Anyway, that's better than, for example, Papua New Guinea, Tadzhikistan, or United Arab Emirates, but still... "How are you, Luxemburg?", "What your plans for tonight, Cambodia?", "What's your phone number, Congo?"

The truth is out there

2005-11-06T13:04:00.000Z

Some time ago I shared my experience about Estonian public transport peculiarities... Have to admit that my observations have been erroneous, seems that I've underevaluated this nation... foxy Estonians... while I thought that 70% of them used public transport without fare, the statistics show it's only 7%... What is it? - 10 times less??? oooops! :)
Anyway, the amount of money reaped from the bilkers is quite impressive, namely, 2.19 million krones (~140 000 euros). Moreover, the following is not really funny, but I can't help laughing about it: the ticket inspectors have been attacked for 15 times during this year! Just imagine the view - one has no ticket but instead of paying fine, he/she tries to escape by attacking the inspectors... lol

Estonia vs Mozambique

2005-11-05T12:40:00.000Z

Hi-hi! E-stonia beats E-Mozambique! Not bad, Hans ! However, I must say the situation is not so dull. Actually, being wired-up is a great advantage in the nowaday rapidly changing, technology based society. Well done, Estonia! I take off my hat to this (if I had one :D)

boom!

2005-11-05T12:10:00.000Z

Wo-hooo! This is not getting any better... just sat down and opened my blog, wanting to write something positive about this country at last, when this is what I read in delfi.lv: a man has passed away in an explosion yesterday morning before 8am in Pae street. Maybe this seems of no importance (as explosions before 8am every morning is a usual thing for Tallinn :D), but what shocked me was the name of the street the explosion took place in: Pae! That's just round the corner from the place I used to live last year! I hope they are not following me... :)))

arrrgh!

2005-11-03T19:05:00.000Z

Damn! I'm just home from shopping and I'm absolutely furious! WHY ALL THE SMALL PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS IN A GROCERY ARE GONE AFTER 4PM IN ESTONIA??? W-H-Y-??? As a result my school bag now is full of their goddamn milk, which, by the way, they produce in red packing! Milk and red packing??? Maybe they'll sell black christmas-trees in a couple of weeks???

no sex, no future!

2005-11-01T19:03:00.000Z

I've heard that Estonian language does not distinguish between sexes, nor have they the future tense, correct me if I'm wrong. But basically what this indicates is 'No sex, no future'... alright, alright, this was a bit mean, I admit ;) Nevertheless, here's what I find really disturbing: Estonia may have highest HIV rate outside Africa! Ouch...! :-/

some family experience from Estonia

2005-10-30T22:09:00.000Z

When I first announced to my parents that I was planning to come to study to Estonia, they were pretty thrilled: "and how do you imagine to communicate with them?" was one of the most frequently asked questions.

- Dace, darling, let me tell you how your grandpa did when he visited Estonia even before you were born, - my dad started. - He had to go and see some kind of get-together of collective farm leaders, as far as I remember. Once, when he was running out of petrol, he stopped in a gas station to fill the gas cistern up. As he couldn't speak Estonian, he asked for this favour in Russian. They said they had run out of petrol. Alrighty... Sh*t used to happen in Soviet times. He drove to another gas station just across the street, and guess what - as he was waiting for his gas cistern to be full, he saw that in the other gas station, the one he had just left because of the "gas inaccessibility", the Estonian cars kept on filling up..."

- Yes, honey, I'll always remember how scared I was when I couldn't find your dad when he was doing his military service in Keila - my mummy went on. - It was terrible! I had come all this distance all alone from Riga to Keila to visit your father, and when asking the local inhabitants the further directions, they almost sent me to nowhere land! Thanks god, I came across other people who were looking for the same place, otherwise I probably would have been eaten by some forest creature..."

oh, yeah... now I see what they meant... oh, yeah, I do!

Estonia vs Portugal

2005-10-30T21:33:00.000Z

Just for your own contemplation: two short opinions on *South versus North*

Once a very interesting conversation broke out between me and a woman in her thirties who have spent 4 years of her life in Portugal. Though she is a Latvian and said the following about Latvian men, I dare to assign the same qualities also for Estonians, for we come from the same region despite all what they say. She said she didn't like Latvian men - they are shy, they always complain about their hard life, and they are afraid to get cloaser to woman to get to know her.
On the contrary, Southern men are ready to work wonders only to get the woman they desire. The bad side of this argument, though, is the fact that as soon as they have captured the woman, they lose any interest in her. Moreover, in Portugal men do not pursue young girls, but appraise experienced women whom to build relationship with.

On the other hand, just recently I talked to a young Portuguese guy, and here is what he said: "I'm lucky to be back here, in Tallinn! Here I feel special and have undivided attention from girls, it's nowhere the same as here. I don't know what is that thing which works in my favour exactly here and in no other couintry in the world, but I'm really glad of possessing it! Estonia just kicks ass!"

yours sincerely, Urmas

2005-10-30T21:00:00.000Z

"A human body consists of 90 percent of water.
An Estonian body consists of 90 percent of brake liquid."
...or a little bit on experience of dating with an Estonian (not to be taken seriously) ;)

She met this guy in a club. A handsome guy - this type of guys usually have no problems with making new female acquaintances. They danced for the whole evening, exchanged their phone numbers. She was waiting for him to call or send a message for 1 day... 2 days... and gave up all the hopes ("Damn guys, if you don't kiss them in the first evening, they'll never let you know about their existance again!").
Nay... she was wrong: after two and a half weeks (!) she finally received a message with an invitation to cinema. She decided to accept it. They spent a great time together... apart from the fact that he even didn't touch her... (!)
...and when in the very evening he saw her off and invited to another date, she refused (guess why, doah!)...

what are the rest 10 percent? :)

*you are the genius of beauty

2005-10-30T19:35:00.000Z

... a sweet compliment isn't it? Actually one of the sweetest I've ever heard - it was said to one of my best friends. No doubt that she's an absolute beauty, but somehow I do dare to question the context of it.
It's a well-known fact that if the easiest way to a man's heart is through his stomach then the easiest way to a woman's heart is through her ears: the more sophisticated is the way a man can say "you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen", the more likely is that she'll... let's put it as respond you (to not to be too cheesy). But nowadays girls have to be really critical about what they hear: at least if you're in Tallinn, you're beautiful, and the man who says it to you is a foreign.

Sad but true: Tallinn and Riga are the cities of sex tourism. Both in Riga and in Tallinn the foreigners arrive already knowing the names of the clubs in which it is easy to get acquainted with local girls. No doubt, the Baltic girls ARE beautiful, and this is the main reason why foreigners come here in crowds to have fun. In Latvia the problem is that we don't have unified politics for tourism development, while Estonia with its "Welcome to Estonia" have paved the way to the fame of a sex tourism country. The best advertisements for Estonia have become those stories told by tourists at their own countries about the easily and cheaply available beautiful girls.
Of course, I DO NOT assert that the whole Estonian/ Latvian female population can be regarded as... girls with ligh-minded behaviour... but if you have been out in the city on a Friday or Saturday evening, you know how it works: a foreign guy comes up to a lovely girl, says something like "you're the genius of beauty", offers some drinks (and as far as I know the girls usually order something not too expensive - if the Baltic prices for foreigners can be termed as high), and the afterparty goes on to continue in a hotel room...

Some public transportation peculiarities

2005-10-30T19:10:00.000Z

While Latvian Television News Agency on 31st March writes that Estonia has bought 62 km of Latvia's railroad for approximately 1 million lats (almost 1,5 million Euros), I keep on wondering why they do not do something about their public transportation system?!

Yes, I admit - I do steal my rides in Tallinn's public transport as frequently as my conscience allows me to. But what calms me down is the awareness and observations that 70-80 percent of Estonians do the same. For in Tallinn the "buy-a-ticket-in-a-stall-and-punch-it-voluntary" system is still around from the dim and distant past (well I remember being a small girl when my mom in Riga did this for both of us, as I was too short to reach the ticket puncher). They have some control environment, and the fine for moving around without a ticket is quite high, still... during this period of almost one and a half year that I've spent in Tallinn, they have caught me only once. But even then I didn't have to part with 600 krones (38 Euros), which is the fine: a bit of acting and naive blue eyes, and the kind ticket inspector would let me go...

blink, blink...

Viva la Vabadus! :)

2005-10-30T17:47:00.000Z

The portal delfi.lv states that on 14th July, 2005, an Estonian tourist was arrested in Riga. The reason for doing this: he climbed up the Freedom Monument... to make a photo of the broader city surroundings...
:D

"He must have climbed pretty slow if even the lazy Latvian policemen saw him," says man liekas in his comment.
"He must have mistaken the monument for Suur Munam (Great Egg Hill)," ridicules keizarins.
Letins claims for "WAR!:)"

What can I say? - maybe it's worth climbing up their Raekoja? A nice view it is... isn't it? ;)

Time cures

2005-10-30T14:29:00.000Z

What's the slogan for the Estonian emergency ambulance? - Time cures!
Some time ago I experienced that this was not a joke as people in Latvia usually take it...

I was out in the town with some friends of mine having fun in a Friday evening. As we are heading towards our final destination, we came across a Latvian stag party. There is no need to say that both they and us were happy to meet people of the same nationality. The guys were so happy that one of them spontaneously lifted up one of the girls - a bit clumsy, though, as he curled up on the ground having dislocated his knee :(
Without any doubt we took or cell phones and rang up 112 - the ambulance.
Some 5 minutes passed while they found somebody who spoke English or Russian... alright...
Some 10 minutes passed while the ambulance car arrived...
Some 5 minutes passed while they understood what has happened (as if that was of too great importance - after all they saw the dislocated knee, isn't that enough?!)
But even that was not the end of the drama: some 15-20 more minutes passed while they filled in the documents (and what if somebody had stabbed the guy?!)...

Finally the guy was taken to the hospital. But afterwards I was told that all this scenary repeated for the 2nd time... only in the hospital... Pardon - what was the slogan of Estonian ambulance?...

Welcome to Estonia?

2005-10-30T13:37:00.000Z

This is the first thing one sees when entering this country. It is found everywhere, I even got this sign on my reflector - a very successful campaign, I'd say. Moreover, I remember that HOSPITALITY was the thing that Estonia advertised in Eurovision Song Festival - the little clip before Estonia's representing song in this festival showed a long queue of people wanting to visit this country (while Latvia used such thing as pickled mushrooms for representing out national course, and, for example, Switzerland made use of their Swatch clocks)...
But how is it in reality? What's the authentic level of Estonian hospitality?

A couple of weeks ago I was waiting for my friends to arrive in the central square of Tallinn. A very usual Saturday evening it was. I was standing just next to the city's town hall, listening to how beautifully the bell-tower announced it was 10pm. On its last ding-dong I saw a really drunk man heading accross the square (nothing too unusual for Tallinn's weekend scenery, to boot). However, he caught my eye, for it was apparent he was not local, as his skin and hair was rather darkish. So, there I was - in the heart of Tallinn, looking a smashed foreign guy trying to remember what walking straight means.
He didn't succeed :( Instead, he fell on the ground. As I was standing and wondering what to do, namely, whether to try helping him out or not, these two guys run over him. "Alrighty," I thought. "Won't have to strain myself, he must be heavy, after all. "
Uh-huh...
I presume he seemed too heavy also for those two guys as instead of lifting him up they grabbed his wallet and run away. In the central square of Tallinn! On Saturday evening, when the streets are full of people! And noone even emoted or showed some king of interest... apart from the reflector hanging loosely by my side, swinging in the wind, and saying "Welcome to Estonia"!

What it all is about...

2005-10-12T11:54:00.000Z

Estonia... fair landscapes, blue sea, lots of dolomite and, on top of all, Tallinn: the city most representing this country. It welcomes thousands of tourists every year - some are enticed by the amazing architecture, some by the cheap goods (in comparison to the rest highly-developed countries), and some by the stories about the lovely girls... A true fairy tail, it seems to me. Moreover, Estonian beer is pretty good... Thus, the majority of tourists leave Estonia (Tallinn) with a deceitful opinion of having got to know the country. However, life in here does NOT consist of inexpensive goods, tasty beer, gothic, and foxy chicks...
I have been living in Tallinn for more than a year already, the incrutable roads of acquiring knowledge have lead me here. During this period I have learnt things that usually slip by to tourists. About them - in this blog!