Discovering Moments: Estonia 03/08/2011

Highlights:

A night in the bog, visiting summer houses in the countryside, many different fish meals, private tour of the presidential tour (yes I was in the president’s office within about 1 hour of arriving in the country, unfortunately no the president was not there), a summer party at a stunning country house/estate with amazing hosts, feeling at home in the old town of Tallinn, catching up with people I met in Iran and who later stayed with me in Brisbane (Tom and Marika) and an amazing road trip.

My Frozen Night

We leave Tallinn much later that anticipated as we had been given an impromptu and somewhat random tour of the presidential office, something which we could not pass up as it is typically not available it is just that Tom and Marika had a contact within the office. As we head out of the city, the buildings quickly give way to open fields. The yellow/orange of the hay and grain are a stark contrast to the lush green of the trees that divide the fields. Occasionally a red timber farm house with white borders crosses my now hypnotic stare out into the Estonian countryside. I take a deep breathe feeling as though I inhale the space that I am witnessing and it cleanses my being.

Our first stop is an old manor that has been converted into a restaurant. I have no idea what to expect and when we pull off the road onto a simple dirt track, in what feels like to middle of nowhere, my thoughts are that the manor will be somewhat simple – a stop along the road. We stop in the dirt car park, closely followed behind by a cloud of dust. As we get out of the car we are greeted by a grand old oak tree which slightly obscures the view of the manor. The sun has started it’s descent in the sky and soft yellow beams of light steal their way through the grand old oak’s branches. The exterior of the manor has slightly faded paint and we walk up 5 concrete steps to a double wooden door. As we walk through the doors I am watching my feet as there is a small step to pass. As I raise my eyes, time pauses for the briefest moment for the scene that is before me halts everything else and that moment is dedicated to the manor. The front room of the manor has been renovated to the dining room. However, rather than undertaking a complete restoration, the ‘faults’ have been maintained which gives such a warm feeling which is accentuated by the high ceilings and sense of space.

To my left is the door to the kitchen, aromas emanating, surrounding us and inviting us to take a seat and dare to select just one dish. The setting sun is streaming through the big windows giving the wooden floors that extra warmth that compels me to softly run my hand across it. On the walls the slightly faded paint is occasionally interrupted by cracks in the plaster but it seems they have appeared just in the right place as they add to the ambiance of the room. In the corner of the dining room a record player is delivering beautiful music, the selection seems perfect for the situation. We take our seats and all order the same dish made from local ingredients, with mushrooms being the focus. When it arrives I am reminded that simplicity and trust in the natural flavours of the ingredients can deliver a truly divine experience. As we leave, I am so grateful to have had this experience.

We are now back on the road heading for our destination tonight, an observation tower situated in a bog. None of us have been to this place before and there is an air of anticipation hanging in the car. As we pull into the car park, the sun is now making its final descent for the day. A little urgency is present as we head down the trail due to the fading light, however we are not rushing. The initial part of the trail passes through a farm before we cross into the forest. The forest is now fairly dark with a certain air of gloominess but in the distance it appears there is a pearl glowing, showing us where the forest gives way to the bog. As we walk through the forest my excitement grows with each breathe of the crisp clean air.

A narrow wooden walkway has been constructed to allow safe passage through the bog. With each step I am reminded that I am floating as the walkway gently sways. Our sleeping quarters start to loom in the distance now silhouetted due to the low light. It is a simple wooden structure that is about 7 m high and open to the broad sky above. As we settle into the platform we survey the surroundings from our vantage point. The beauty of the place is equalled by the silence. The sky is reflected in the open pools of water which are bounded by the peat that has a rich pallet of greens, browns, reds and oranges. While sharing a simple meal and conversation we notice that mist has started to rise out of the pools. The mist is hanging in the air subtly suggesting that the bog has a secret or two.

Disappearing over the horizon the sun throws one last dazzling burst of red across the sky. While the sun has disappeared there is still a certain light to the night, something that I have never really experienced before but is common in northern summers. We continue to share in conversation but as the temperature starts to drop we begin to realise that we are in for a cold night.

As we settle for the night and true darkness falls around us we are greeted by a sky full of dazzling diamonds and occasionally we see one dancing across the sky. My sleep that evening is sporadic at best for the cold has a firm grip of me and the wooden platform could not be described as a soft sleeping surface. After about 3 hours of dark, the light begins to return to the night. Peering out of my sleeping bag which covers me like a cocoon I can see that the mist now covers most of the bog. After another hour the first light begins to illuminate the bog and we begin to glimpse her in all her beauty. Initially I feel as though I am high on a mountain looking down on the world as the mist is surrounding us. Then in but a moment, the mist has shifted revealing the path that appears to disappear into a floating forest in the distance. Again another shift in the mist combined with a change in the light, which reveals pools of water backed by a purple/blue sky. I was beginning to struggle to process the scene that was before me, such was the beauty.

We sat mostly in silence that cold morning watching as the bog shared her 1000 faces with us, realising that there may have been but a few to share this experience. With every shift in the mist and change in the light a new smile crossed our faces, a new joy emanated from deep within us. I truly had just witnessed something magical. Tom and I share some words that despite the cold of the night, every second had been worth it. As we leave the bog we pass a researcher taking some measurements and soon realise why we had felt the cold, that evening in the bog it was 2 degrees. However, while my physical self had been cold for a brief period of time, that is not the memory that burns fiercely within.

The following photos are taken at Endla Nature Reserve (the Bog)