A Ferry Over to Muhu and Koguva Ethnographical Museum, Estonia
Today we drove towards the Gulf of Riga heading for Muhu and Saaremaa islands reached by a short ferry ride (video) from Virtsu on the mainland, but first a few stops. Number One at a Latvian petrol station with convenience store so those who still had Lats could get rid of them. The second in Parno across the border in Estonia for those who needed Estonian money. There was an ATM and currency exchange inside RIMI Supermarket with time to buy lunch makings. Once again, ex-Marine and I bought life's essentials. Great sweet rolls and a bottle of wine.
The 12:00 noon, 30-minute ferry ride over to Muhu Island was a snap. However, it's not easy to locate the proper deck and door that vehicles are parked on. All ferries sell food, liquor and one, on our return to the mainland even had an area for children to play in. A little more Estonian trivia:
- Estonia is the only one of the Baltic States with islands;
- According to Signe - Estonians are clever and successful because they quickly change their focus when an opportunity arises and that's why Estonia now has the highest standard of living;
- Juniper plays an important role in drinks and ceremonies on Muhu Island. It was coincidental that the same holds true on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau in China that we had visited earlier this year; and
- Muhu, is sometimes called "the Kansas of the archipelago" with people passing through, but no one stops.
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First stop was at Koguva Ethnographical Open Air Museum...View image, Estonia's best preserved living village with all the buildings under historical protection. The oldest buildings date from the 18th century. A local tour guide took us around and through Tooma farm, the home and birthplace of writer Juhan Smuul. The most interesting bits, in the opinion of TravelsWithSheila.com, were:
- A "smuggler's celler." The villagers smuggled salt from Sweden to salt their fish, and hid it so they wouldn't have to pay taxes;
- A mossy, old trough outside the "summer kitchen" was used to scrub the wooden dishes with sand, not water;
- The long farmhouse where the family lived in the winter. The entire family slept in one room at night...View image, and up to 20 family members would spent the day in another small room, huddled around the stove. A museum worker...View image... was baking bread in this gigantic stove (that would probably take up my entire kitchen) while we were visiting and did it ever smell fantastic. Ceilings were built low to keep in the heat;
- The "summer kitchen" doubled as a brewery because it was difficult to get good beer and the kitchen always stood apart from the main house because it was too easy to burn down a wooden house with a thatched roof.
- Interesting old photographsView image...of this free-holding family...View image;
- The statue on the farm grounds of Juhan Smuul...View image... with a very funny story (watch the video below);
- The old well......View image. Farm houses were built very close together because the limestone ground made it difficult to farm or dig wells. It took three summers to dig this one well for many families to share;
- Farm buildings with farming equipment...View image, and a colorful textile exhibition with traditional orange wedding blankets...View image, clothes, caps...View image, costumes...View image, and embroidery.
This visit turned out to be a lot more interesting then either of us had anticipated.
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