Soviet Statues

Yesterday I finally made it to The Estonian History Museum in Pirita, somewhere I've been meaning to since I first came to Estonia. I actually went there when I was studying in Tallinn, but it was closed, and have never made it back until now. The museum had a good exhibit on the 90 years of the Estonian Republic, but what most interested me was the Soviet statues placed around the back of the museum. Far out of sight, without any signage, you can see Lenin, Stalin and a range of more obscure Estonian communists dumped in random piles.

Dumped Statues

This is the sort of thing that many tourists would love to see, but Estonians just don't realise it's value. We got talking to a security guard, who said that there are plans to place them all in a park nearby, but they are just waiting for funding from the government. The security guard was there because one Estonian activist has recently removed some Soviet monuments and dumped them there. This is risky business given the consequences of moving statues in Tallinn in the recent past!

Stalin - Once stood proudly near Balti Train Station

This is typical of Estonia's complete lack of interest in preserving their Soviet past. I know it wasn't a pleasant time, but it is a part of their history, and for me its sad that the country sweeps its communist past under the carpet.

Lenin - removed from tartu and dumped here. At least he's standing

Communist Mural inside the museum. From 1987, did
anyone actually still believe at that stage??!"!

Corruption in Estonia

This weeks edition of the economist has published an article about corruption in Eastern Europe, in which it singles out Estonia as "probably the cleanest country in the region." It was interesting to read this. I don't have experience about corruption in any other Eastern European countries (except the one time I got fined in Sarajevo for not validating a tram ticket and had to pay a cash fine, which I knew was going straight into the dodgy inspectors pockets) but I would believe that Estonia is not a particularly corrupt place. Real Estate and local government seem to be two areas that are a dodgy as hell, but otherwise most activities seem pretty clean cut. A friend of mine wanted to participate in an auction of a property repossessed by a bank last week, but was prevented from bidding. He was persistent enough to discover that there was one bidder, who was going to buy the property for about half what it was valued at. The solicitor acting for the bank, who should have been seeking the highest price possible, was doing everything possible to prevent my friend placing a bid. Obviously the one bidder was giving the solicitor a kick back. One wonders what the bank would think if they learnt this, and the Economist!

Alcopop

The recent decision by the Australian Government to increase the excise on "Alcopop" drinks managed to make it into the news here in Estonia. While I'm always happy to see Australia in the news here, do I really want to see it depicted like this! The picture below accompanied the article! I wonder who this girl is and if she knows she's being used as an example of a drunken Australian teenager!?

Expats on TV

Sirli has always wanted me to go on Estonia's version of Deal or No Deal, because she thinks that as a foreigner they'd put me on as I'd be an interesting contestant. It would be a laugh and we might win some money. I'd prefer not to make a fool of myself on national television, even if it is a nation as small as Estonia! I have an image of myself repeating "Mida? Mida?" (What? What?) to every question i was asked. Plus I also find number really hard in Estonian, and they're a pretty important part of the show. So I don't think I'll nominate myself just yet.

In estonian Idol (Eesti Otsib Superstaar) An english guy just got knocked out in the semi final (I think, I don't really follow it closely enough to know what stage they are up to). He was pretty good i thought, but got knocked out anyway. I thought some of the other contestants were awfull, but I guess you can always rely on the general publics inablity to know talent. You can see an interview here, and I must say he plays it perfectly. Estonians love it when foregners give them praise, in that regard they're worse than Australians. I think if he keeps saying how wonderful Estonia is he'll become famous in no time. (it's not that hard to be famous in Estonia, even I made the pages of a gossip magazine!!) It's good to see that he is now Timothy Yarman!




Perhaps I could try out for this show. Do you recognise it?????

Some New Vidoes

I've been using Animoto to put Vidos on the EstAdventures website. I figure I may as well put them here. Enjoy.

Milan

I've just returned from 4 days in Milan. Rather than post photos I thought I'd just post this Animoto video.

Russia and the World

The BBC World Service has released an interesting series about Russia's relations with the rest of the world. The latest instalment focuses on the relationship with Russia, particularly in light of the "Bronze Night" riots in April last year. It was interesting to hear the Estonian President Toomas-Hendrik Ilves speaking English. I've heard him make speeches in Estonian before, but was surprised to hear how American his accent was when speaking English.

Independence Day at Toompea

Today marks the 90th Anniversary of the declaration of Estonian independence. As Sirli and I did last year, we went to Toompea castle , which is where the Estonian parliament is located, for the ceremony. Basically it involved watching the flag being raised on Tall Hermann Tower and singing the national anthem . Historically the flag flying atop Tall Hermann has signified the power who rules Estonia, so it means something to Estonians that they can put their flag up there now days. The weather was quite mild this year, which was a relief as I thought I had frostbite last year!

Outside Toompea Castle with the Estonian flag.

Sirli with the flag, Kaarli Church in the background.
The flag in the foreground is an example of the type
of flag that is put up outside every building today.

If anyone is bored, here are some interesting articles just published about Estonia.

1. The normally Russian favouring BBC may finally begin to see it Estonia's way.
   
2. A good article about Independence Day.
   
3. A very interesting article from the Telegraph about cyber crime/terrorism, and the role estonia is playing it its prevention. If you read any of these, read this one.
   

Independence Day

Tomorrow is the 90th Anniversary of Estonian Independence. Rather than me blabber on about what it all means here is a link to a good article which sums it all up pretty well. It's a bit of a strange source... The Kuwait Times!
Happy 90th Birthday Estonia.

Fresh Perspectives

Having just arrived back in Tallinn after 6 weeks in Australia, there are some things which stand out in great contrast to Melbourne after a bit of time away. They are things I always realised about Tallinn, but had stopped taking notice of as I became accustomed to them after living here for so long. Here's what I've noticed:

1. The streets are dirty! Not with rubbish, but actual dirt. I've never figured out why that is. Tallinn has street sweepers, but I guess just not enough. And using little old ladies to sweep the streets only removes so much dirt!
2. It pays to be young. I went to the supermarket and there was a 60 year old man collecting trolleys. In Australia it would be a 16 year old, or possibly someone with a disability who has been kicked off welfare! In Estonia old people do menial work. Young people run large corporations. Baby-boomers may rule OZ, but not Estonia.
3. People aren't friendly. Well they are, but not to strangers. Not in an outgoing way. No one smiles at you in the street. I was a bit shocked by this after easy-going, happy go lucky Australia.
   
4. Waiting staff are really good. HANG ON, WHAT???! I'm sure that when I left Estonia the staff in restaurants were all rude, incompetent bastards. Since I've been back, everywhere I've been the service has been outstanding. In fact much better than any restaurant I ate at in Australia. (Piece of advice - avoid the Wood Oven Pizza Restaurant in Mercer Street Geelong like the plague.) However, the down side is that eating out doesn't seem that cheap. Last time I came back from Australia I remember thinking how cheap restaurants seemed compared to Melbourne. Not any more! I guess that's what 11% inflation does. Well at least I don't live in Zimbabwe!
5. It's cold in Winter.
   

Delivering Grain to Geelong

Today I went in with Robert to take load of Barley into the "Bunker". I took the camera with me, here a some of the pictures.

Robert's truck, waiting to unload next to the heap.

Driving onto the grid.

Tipping the grain out the back tail-gate.

Tipping, with the Barley going onto the heap up the conveyor-belt.

Harvest

A few pictures taken on Boxing Day harvesting oats. Back on the farm ion Shelford.

Jenko in the header

Brydie Harry and Jared, towing a fieldbin with the ute.

Robert in the new truck, tipping the trailer.

Estonians are the Europes third worst drivers - Forbes

Estonia is the the third most dangerous country in which to drive, according to a recent Forbes report. The even worse skills behind the wheel of their Baltic Brethren leave the Estonians in the bronze medal position. Lithuanians are Europe's worst drivers, and Latvians the second worst. One point to consider is that Forbes used a picture of a car tipped over during the april Bronze soldier riots. It was interesting that The Postimees newspaper concentrated on this fact rather than the fact that Estonians can't drive for shit! I think they need tp get their priorities straight!

Estonian Armed Robbery Gang

For some reason this story really interests me. English police think that there is an Estonian robbery gang, who use budget airlines to fly around the world and launch high value raids. 48 hours later they're back in Estonia. Seems like a good scam to me. Less chance of being caught if you're several hundred kilometres away. However, it seems police have eventually caught up with therm. Read the full story here.

Corruption in Estonian Football

It seems that there could be a few Estonian clubs caught up in the latest football (soccer) betting scandal.

Video - Snow Covered Tallinn

Hail Storm in Tallinn

I was sitting at home today when there was hail storm. At first I thought it was snowing, but the size was just too big. It was making lots of noise as it came down.

Müürsepp Update

Martin Müürsepp, the Estonian basket-baller playing for the Melbourne Tigers has been picked in the NBL All-stars team.

Alcohol in Estonia.

With a high inflation rate in Estonia, prices for most goods are catching up with those that I experienced in Australia. One of the most obvious exceptions is alcohol, which is still pretty cheap thanks to low taxes (though this is set to change in the coming years).
So I was surprised to read about the following bootleg scam in The Baltic Times;

Yet another operation in which criminals have been pumping bootleg alcohol from Russia into Estonia through a hose underneath the Narva River was discovered and shut down on Nov. 12. The Estonian Border Guard said that Russian customs workers in Ivangorod caught a local man red-handed pumping hundreds of liters of alcohol through the hose. The incident is at least the fourth such operation to be shut down since 2004.

Just Imagine if you stumbled across that hose sticking out of the ground. It'd be a great party, till the smuggler found you and your corpse wound up at the bottom of the Narva river!

Estonian Music

2 recently released songs in Estonia.

This one by a group called the Bedwetters recently won the New Sound of Europe prize and the MTV European Video Music Awards.



This second one is possibly the worst song ever recorded. It is by an Estonian weather girl, and it so horrific I can't stop looking at it. Like a car accident!