Reaching for Estonia
Leaving Riga, our next stop was in Gauja National Park.
Especially, the part of Turaida castle and the park around it was very beautiful. There was so much to explore, so much to re-adjust pre-assumptions and insights. Loved it!
The little church, the terrain where women sing, the old castle itself. And also the view from there!
Litvian folk music: Christian Baron Dainas’ collection of 218000 songs.
Before we left Lithuania, we stopped for lunch at a farm. The farmer’s family prepared lunch for us. First we learned how they make roof plates. The daughter plaid some pieces on a kukle, a regional instrument. Just amazing!
And what a meal! What a passionate explanation from the lady of the farm about growing your crops, selecting the ingredients and preparing the dishes! What a menu!
– Bread, garlic butter, cheese with dill
– Soup
– Tomatoes, cucumber, pickles,
– Mashed potato’s with pork,
– Sauce with mushrooms
– Pearl barley with nuts
– Blueberry pie and coffee at the end.
Never have been a beer drinker, but that regional beer was unexpectedly refreshing.
Afterwards, we tasted honey a week old, a month old and a year old. Same bees, same region – what a different taste!
We couldn’t miss the border with Estonia: a big mall and other signs at the Lithuanian side (Valka), we were prepared to cross to Valga.
Tartu
Universal city. Founded by the Swedish king Gustaf Adolf in 1632, the Dorpantensis University is buzzing the city. It was the main city of the bisdom and also had Hansa status.
We only had an hour or so to explore. Took a quick round, had some coffee at a lovely bakery and a quick snack at the local market. Seems to be not a big, but interesting city.
Our night-stay was in Rakvere. Went out on my own to shortly explore the town and finally, find me with some other travellers in a local bar, sipping a cocktail before I went back to the hotel.
We slept in a kind of villa, behind the main house, in classic – I would have said – Russian style. Even the inside had some Russian’s 70s charm.
