The True Estonia

This was initially written as a reply under a YouTube video, but the text was published here first.

Estonia is true in every place Estonia is at within its current borders :-)

There are certain spots and landmarks that one gets a feel of like a local:

The Tallinn Old Town. Raising of the Estonian flag at the Pikk Hermann tower on 24. February Independence Day and 20. August Reindependence Day (restoration of independence).

The Parliament building, which has only one open-door day. Opposite that, the Russian Orthodox Church, which few Estonians visit, for good reason.

The 24. February Independence Day military parade and small air show. It's still cold. The "parade of the penguins", which is the President's reception with politicians and dignitaries that same evening.

The Tallinn central business district and Linnahall (of Tenet). Kadriorg and the Kadriorg Park, with squirrels. The Singing Grounds (Lauluväljak) during the concert of a major star, or a massive song festival.

The traffic jams on Tammsaare tee and Järvevana tee during peak hour, and because the city is continually carving up road on main streets and replacing it with the new shiny. (I think the Centre-led city always invents new ways to carve up road on main streets so as to distrub traffic.)

The 'mäed' (hills) with apartment blocks in Mustamäe, Õismäe, and Lasnamäe. The Laagna tee canal of Tenet in Lasnamäe. Pirita and Štromka (Stroomi beach).

Going to a Prisma at night and buying liquorice and salmiakki candy, kõrsik, and Georgian Tarhun (either Zhedazheni or Natakhtari). For those not in the know, Prisma is a Finnish big-box grocery chain, which has several stores open 24 hours a day.

Kopli and Kalamaja. The Russian cemetery adjacent to the Tallinn Central Hospital (Keskhaigla).

The Rocca al Mare open-air museum with all old and rustic buildings mostly from the 19th century and earlier, and the model kolhoz (collective farm) residential apartment block with each flat showing a decade of the Soviet era.

The Museum of Art / Kumu, the Museum of Occupations / Vabamu, the Museum of the Seas (Meremuuseum), the Fat Margareta, the Seaplane Harbour, its submarine, and icebreaker Suur Tõll.

The ferris wheel at T1, and the near-emptiness of T1 itself. It's got a free toilet and free Wi-Fi, and a free old book exchange rack (tho not vintage). It's lovely.

The free public transit in Tallinn for registered city residents, and the sometimes-free bus transport in the regions outside cities. Contactless rider cards, with a system developed by Estonian company Ridango.

In Tallinn public transit, you'll have seen people of all nationalities and colours. The best part is, that people almost never bother one another, and almost never talk to strangers.

Excursions on the retro and vintage buses of the Timeless Buses collection during Museum Night (Muuseumiöö). The Museum Night as an event in and of itself, which happes only once a year.

By car: the Tallinn−Tartu road that never completes as a four-lane highway, which has been a local meme for many years, if not decades already. Traversing that road by car is an adventure in an of itself, and not without danger.

The similar path on the often-overcrowded "carrot" train / porgand 🥕, and the venerable Tartu train station. ERM aka Eesti Rahva Muuseum / the Museum of the Estonian People.

The Americana of Tikupoiss near Viljandi, and the American Beauty Car Show in Haapsalu.

There's the Rummu quarry (karjäär; private property, btw), its pristine water and the adjacent abandoned prison.

Then the Narva fortress/castle and museum, the open-air old vehicle museum (Maanteemuuseum), the mining museum (wrt oil shale) near Narva (I think there's an underground trip even).

Most of the beaches and shores across the country. I've heard, that Nõva is nice.

All the bogs and marshes and their beauty, which you can traverse on boarded-up paths. Mukri raba. You will encounter other hikers.

The forests, and the picking of berries and mushrooms there. Don't pick anything you don't know, and better have a friend who knows mushrooms well, plus consult a local mushroom book or lexicon, but those are in Estonian. Usually, avoid eating berries until they're cleaned and washed, as those may carry stomach parasites.

Beware the thousand Estonian bears, plus wolves, elks, wild hogs, foxes, and other wild mammals. Some may have rabies, and the government / forest service / RMK regularly drops anti-rabies feed. There may be viper snakes.

Beware the ticks, as they are the most insidious and the most dangerous of all. Also anyone who trades with timber and makes frequent calls to buy your forested property cheaply, if one happens to have any.

The delicious and a bit pricey onions of lake Peipus (Peipsi sibulad).

The often-rainy and sometimes-chilly *Jaanilaupäev* + *Jaanipäev* in the countryside, with a thousand mosquitoes who think that _you_ are their best meal that evening, and not anyone else. You'll need an anti-bug spray, gel, or stick ahead of the event.

Into the night, a warm bonfire with friends and family and lots of gossip, if and when other villagers (local friends) are made welcome to join. It's warm only because the people are huddled close to one another, like bats in a cave.

Have various disinfectant on hand to dispense on your person and to others before eating, though people usually rely on napkins.

Never throw plastic or trash into any fire, because it's toxic, and the fire may have been intended to grill food.

Eating onion-laced šašlõkk grilled on a UFO grill oven (well, it does look like a saucer) ontop of coal fire, complementing it with white or vegetarian salad, and marinated pickles 🥒. Eating the previously-collected and later-washed wild strawberries 🍓, raspberries, and other berries, plus rhubarb cake (rabarberikook), and drinking fizzy drinks well into the morning. Beware of ticks and drunk people, so pick your company.

Then there are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Vormsi, and Kihnu.

Watching Kevade, Suvi, and Sügis with friends and family.

When losing a friend or a closed one, a funeral send-off at Pärnamäe chapel/crematorium, if in Tallinn. I hope you won't have to attend, as send-offs of loved ones can be very personal. Though this comes as part and parcel with long-term living in Estonia, if you have close ones.

Discussing and signing inheritance documents via videolink and ID card online, at the same time with the notary, with family members scattered across the globe. (that is, if there are no inheritance disputes.)

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and the films from all over the world, including South Asia.

Christmas with gingersnaps / piparkoogid. Easter with a specially-prepared Pas'ha meal (пасха, originates from Russia).

The True Estonia is the friends and family you have around you on most of these events.