Our diary Days full of wonderful events 23.09.04, 08:01 We have experienced so much since we were last able to put some information on the web. Everywhere we are met with great hospitality and generosity. We had a sample of the bog forrest in Soomaa National Park as we visited the park's center and did a canoe trip at the invitation of Aivar Ruukel who has run tours there for ten years. A visit to Tackendorf on the coast of Pernu bay enabled us to participate in local celebrations, as we were invited to participate in the staffs annual party. We enjoyed harmonica playing and Estonian singing, and Ari who is a singer sang Icelandic songs, played the piano and taught the women how to dance a country and western Line-dance.
A walk through the bog forrest the next day was much appreciate, and we enjoyed the drive from the coast to Haanja county in the south. Our host there Margit Utsal had been waiting for us all day, and we were taken directly to a storyteller's place to enjoy her environment, stories, place a dreamstone in her labyrinth circle and have dinner at her place.
Margit and her team, Guido and Innar, spent the next two days with us traveling through their part of the country, introducing us to tourism, eco-farming, family parks, as well as tourism attractions and the culture of the land, whether found in museums, food or life.
We particularly enjoyed our visit to Setomaa and the surprise Rieka Horn had in store for us, when after a traditional lunch she had her children and their friends sing for us, and invited us into their circle to dance with them in a song/dance.
The visit has been so saturated with information that we are now taking a break in Tartu, just to assimilate it, write our diary and update the webpage.
We just want to extend our gratitude to all our hosts who have not only shown us their accommodation, but also introduced us to their culture and way of life. |
