From the Summer Capital of Estonia

As a first weekend adventure while back in Eestimaa, a visiting friend and I headed to the western coastal city of Pärnu for a couple of days. Known as the süvipealinn (summer capital) of Estonia, it is a quaint small town with a beautiful town center of colored wooden buildings, cafes, and shops that also has a long strip of quiet sandy beach. My previous visits, although they ocurred in summer, were not exactly summer-like or swim-inspiring, and I wanted a chance to revisit in better light. This time, we hit the town spot-on and it easily felt like a lazy place for a swim or stroll. Highlights included an Estonian ecological cafe that we visit twice for scrumptious rolls, fresh salads, soups, and cakes (a must-eat location if you decide to go! regrettably I do not have the name of the restaurant, only that it is on Pühavaimu across from the Piccadilly Wine Cafe) and an evening spent watching the sea, learning to knit, and sipping beer by the beach.



The next day, we were not so lucky with the weather as the skies were "Estonian gray" and dripping with rain almost all day. We headed out by ferry boat (2.5 hours) to Kihnu, an island about 40 kilometers off of the coast, that is famous for it's inhabitants traditional dress and proclivity for riding motorcycles with side cars! Although the rain prevented a full exploration, I definitely plan to return to Kihnu someday. The woods have the most lush carpet of undergrowth and feel very untouched -- a great place for potential camping. The local museum was a trove of the history of life on this small island and its unique costume, weavings, and patterns for socks and mittens. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the lighthouse and some other sights before catching the afternoon ferry back because of the rain and lack of transport. Next time a bicycle and camping gear are definitely musts.