November has its own beauty. It neither golden autumn nor white and clean winter. November is foggy, grey, rainy and brown…
November 2nd is All Souls’ Day and November is All Souls Months. We believe that there is a period when the souls of the dead are moving around and visiting their former homes, Now is the time to light the candle and put it on the window. Show the way to the souls and commemorate deceased loved ones.
Reading and movie suggestion:
best of all will convey the mood of November in Estonia book by Andrus Kivirähk ” Rehepapp”, a bestseller of the last twenty years. Rehepapp captures the essential of the Estonian soul. The book is quite blatant parody, but like all good parody it has a grain of truth in it. Look at movie trailer.
Pühajärv (“Holy lake”) is a lake in Estonia, near the town of Otepää.
There are many lakes with the name Pühajärv (‘Holy Lake’) in Estonia. The one located in the Otepää Upland is the most famous of them. The picturesque coastline and five islands of Lake Pühajärv make it the biggest and most beautiful lake in the Otepää region.
Close to Pühajärve
- Otepää is the most well-known winter sports centre in the Baltics and the Winter Capital of Estonia. Otepää got its name, which in Estonian means “bear’s head” after the shape of the castle hill. Otepää is first and foremost known as a ski resort and here you can enjoy cross-country and downhill skiing, as well as snowboarding and snowtubing. During the summer you can hike along the paths of Otepää nature park,
- Sangaste Castle. The castle was built earl Bergs, rye breeder – “Estonian rye King” Castle in the Vinzor style
- Valka and the Estonian town Valga are twins, separated by the Estonian/Latvian border
In Estonia
- Practically all Estonians speak or at least understand English. Generation +40 speak and understand Russian. Because of the similarity of languages Estonians are able to understand Finnish. Children learn German, French and some Swedish or Chinese at school
- almost everywhere you can pay with a card. ATM -s are in bigger places and petrol stations.
- and yes, this is not fairy tale. almost everywhere in Estonia is Wifi
In South Estonia:
- swim in a forest lake after smoke sauna. Visit Pühajärve SPA and resort
- Berries and mushrooms can be picked from July until the first snow falls. And yes, this is very ok, eat wild berries picked from the forest.
Best Souvenirs to buy from Estonia
- Kalev chocolate, liqueur Old Tallinn/Vana Tallinn, Balbiino ice cream and Tallinna spiced sprats (Tallinna vürtsikilu)
- Handicrafts made of linen, wool, wood, juniper or limestone. Haapsalu scarf.
(NB! In Tallinn Viru Street you can find a lot of amber and Matrjoschka. Amber is from Lithuania and Matrjoschka from Russia. Both countries are beautiful and with rich culture and interesting history. I suggest to visit Lithuania and Russia :)) - for children, everything about and with Lotte.
Estonian Food you Must to Try
- visit Estonian supermarkets and buy some Estonian dairy products: kohuke, kodujuust (cottage cheese), hapukoor (sour cream). Buy Kama and rye bread, handicraft beer
- In restaurants ask for quark cake, soups with dumplings, meat balls or cabbage. Semolina cream, quark cream or bread cream. Local lake fish. Drink kefir, kvass or local beer. Värska mineral water. And Estonian tap water and forest spring water are clean, pure and drinkable.
Culture:
- check and google timetable for Viljandi Folk, Pärnu Weekend, Jazzkaar, PÖFF or Laulupidu.
- buy movie about Estonian history: ” Nimed marmortahvlil”, ” Tants aurukatla ümber”, ” “Tuulepealne maa”. Or ” Malev”, this is comedy and pseudo history, but very good summary about Estonians.
- Music: Pärt ja Tüür. Tõnis Mägi, The Sun; Metsatöll and TradAttack. And read my blog posts. I gave a lot of links for good Estonian music.
