Tallinn Tales: Finally, it is colder in Tallinn than it is in Minneapolis

I am typing in our cozy apartment, the sun is shining- but we discovered in our early-afternoon exploration adventure that it is REALLY COLD AND WINDY outside. This week has been a time of increasingly bigger forays into this city that we now live in, alternating with work and preparations for teaching for Barbara (class schedules here are usually alternate weeks, so last week was very relaxed and laid back...next week I will be teaching all my class...some class periods being 4 hours long!!) and more getting oriented for Bruce.

Our new explorations have included:

Well to start, Bruce is investigating all the local book stores and coffee houses (kahviks) which should take him most of his time here to complete. Tallinn is a city with much coffee, book stores and cultural events in general (opera, ballet, music, theater, alternative dance performances, art openings...and it is not even the warm season with tourists.) He is also trying out local bakeries and searching for good dense chewy bread. (Locally there actually is lots of good bread: dark rye and darker rye- but most of the baked goods at local coffee shops are rich, multi-layered and include some combination of chocolate, butter, creamy stuff and fruit. How people here remain skinny I will never know.) We are starting to locate favorite bread stores and have also found some coffee places that will be wonderful in the spring, all of them are bookmarked in our minds for return visits.

We took a bus (my second ride, Bruce's first) to Kadriorg park and KUMU the new and impressive Estonian Museum of Art. The bus was fun and tickets are on the honor system (although if you are caught with out a time-punched ticket you get charged a hefty fine). So, we dutifully punched our tickets and the bus meandered through areas of town that we have never seen before. We passed through a very upscale section with colorful wooden houses and and an area of old block concrete 'soviet' bunker style apartment buildings. Finally arriving at the KUMU stops, with the museum designed so it merged into the hillside, barely visible from the bus stop.

KUMU is located in Kadriorg park, a large park on the edge of the city center. It is, we are told filled with lilac and chestnut trees in the summer, but now it is covered in snow. The museum is an impressive collection of Estonian artists including many whose style reflected a mix of European impressionism and Estonian folk traditions. Plus one who wing was filled with art from the Soviet times.

Peter the Great- Palace in Kadriorg

After the museum, we wandered back into town, past a palace built by Peter the Great of Russia for his wife Katherine and a similar slightly smaller building next to it which is the 'official residence' of the current Estonian president. Both beautifully ornate pink buildings are surrounded by trees and expanses of snow.

The only synagogue in Tallinn

We then continued toward town, passing a recently build synagogue. (It was designed by Finnish architects and is quite modern and beautiful- inside and out). We plan to attend services at some point, although it seems to be a small congregation, with mainly Russian members who are newly discovering their Jewish heritage.

We also attended an art opening, curated by one of the students in my class and a dance event of two local rising choreographers. So we are hobnobbing with the local arts scene and learning more about the artistic voices of Estonian youth.

Other adventures followed on other days: Bruce had his first full day of exploring alone, with out Barbara, discovering many new sights and book stores. Why without Barbara.....well Barbara was presenting at a local Music Therapy conference held in celebration of 20 years of existance of the local Music Therapy association. At the conference, I had a wonderful time teaching and meeting local Music Therapists who are doing some exciting work in settings that range from schools to homes for orphans to creativity programs. I taught in English but had translation help from some wonderful young women. One of the high points for me was at the closing ceremony of the conference where three musicians/Music therapist improvised a surreal and celestial soundscape, using voice, bells, chimes and large golden cymbals to weave an amazing tapestry of sound and vibration. By the end, everyone was vocalizing in multiple harmonies together. (Music and choral singing is an important part of Estonian culture. It is how they maintained their sense of identity throughout the Soviet era and how they moved toward independence. Everyone sings easily here and in multiple part harmonies. I am in heaven !!!! (and of course I join in.)

Snow on one of the walls around Toompea

Barbara- cold but how cool is the color of the house?

Today, we explore just outside of the old town near an area called Schnelli pond. It was on the side of the old city that is near the port and the bay, so it was cold and windy. But this weekend there was an area of snow sculptures built for kids to play on. As we approached from a distance it looked like mounds of snow covered by multicolored ants, but as we got closer we saw the various constructions were actually crawling with brightly colored children and surrounded by parents dragging their omnipresent snow sleds, used to drag kids around town. We paused, took a few photos with frozen fingers and then headed into town to return home. On our way we discovered the best bakery so far. (OK so lots of other older couples and young families had already discovered the bakery before us...it was filled but the ladies behind the counter were friendly and helpful in translating the types of bread they were selling (including, rye bread, dark rye bread, rye bread with oatmeal flakes, rye bread with seeds and spices....you get the idea.) After buying a loaf of bread we headed home to drink tea, get caught up on work and just hang out.

Signing off with photos of the kids and snow: