Rather low-key day. Drove from Liepupe, Latvia to Pärnu, Estonia with a little detour to Viljandi (3 hours / 155 miles / 250 km). Pärnu is a lovely seaside village -- unfortunately in the midst of preparations for a music festival (held the weekend after I was there), so much of the beach access & promenade was closed off. Fortunately I had a nice view of the water from my hotel room -- so I spent most of the afternoon reading in the sunshine.
My stop in Viljandi was so-so. It's described as one of Estonia's most charming towns -- but I wasn't overly impressed.
The Hedon Spa & Hotel was interesting -- lovely rooms, spa, and restaurant, but rather generic & impersonal. Note: I highly recommend the mud wrap & sauna treatment.
Pärnu brief history: There was a trading settlement at Pärnu before the German crusaders arrived, but the place entered recorded history when the Pärnu River was fixed as the border between the territories of the Ösel-Wiek bishop and the Livonian knights in 1234. The town, joined by rivers to Viljandi, Tartu, and Lake Peipsi, became a Hanseatic port in the 14th century (sinking water levels have since cut this link). Pärnu had a population of German merchants from Lübeck origin till at least the 18th century. It withstood wars, fires, plagues, and switches between German, Polish, Swedish, and Russian rule, and prospered in the 17th century under Swedish rule until it had its trade devastated by the Europe-wide blockades during the Napoleonic wars. From 1838 it gradually became a popular resort, with mud baths proving a draw as well as the beach. Only the resort area was spared severe damage in 1944 as the Soviets drove out the Nazis.
Some Estonian food tidbits:
Buckwheat Porridge w/Berry Jam (amazingly delicious!) - an imported grain that has been well-adopted by Estonians. According to folk medicine, buckwheat has a lot of healing properties, for example it is believed to improve digestion, strengthen blood vessels, and increase muscle power.
Kama is one of the most iconic Estonian foods -- it's a mixture of roasted barley, rye, oat, and pea flour -- and it's used as an ingredient to make various desserts. Estonians also mix kama with buttermilk or kefir and eat if for breakfast (which is how I had it -- so good!)
Kohuke is basically sweet curd cheese covered in chocolate glaze. I know it sounds kind of weird -- but I thought they were delicious. My favorite was the original -- it's also available with various flavors & fillings.
Next up was two nights on Île de Ré . Home to glorious beaches, vineyards, salt marshes, and authentic French villages, Île de Ré has been the second home of fashionable Parisians for generations (kind of like the Hamptons or maybe Cape Cod). The island is described as the epitome of understated French chic -- there is no garish glitz and glamour of the Côte d'Azur -- instead there is an elegant nonchalance, a low-key sophistication that only the French can do so well. The island is accessed via a 2-mile toll bridge across the Atlantic. The bridge was built in the late 80s -- it's been paid off, but they haven't lifted the toll -- looks like they are trying to keep the "riff-raff" from La Rochelle/Rochefort away . Île de Ré is essentially a 20-mile-long flat strip -- perfect for exploring by bicycle -- which is exactly what I did! After I checked in at the hotel and dropped my car off -- I walked into town and rented an e-bike for my stay. Note:...
One of the Baltic's most alluring regions, the west coast of Estonia encompasses forest-covered islands, verdant countryside, and seaside villages slumbering beneath the shadows of picturesque ruins left behind by pagan Estonian warriors, German knights, and Soviet military planners. I stayed at the Pädaste Manor on Muhu island. There isn't much on the island -- I think that there is only one other restaurant beyond the two at Pädaste Manor. I spent two nights at Pädaste -- and absolutely loved it. I had a beautiful room in the manor house -- just a 30-second walk from the restaurant (very convenient given the amount of wine that I drank at dinner!) And the manor grounds are just gorgeous -- I really enjoyed walking around and exploring the area. I spent the 14th on Muhu -- and then all of the 15th driving around Saaremaa (Muhu is connected to Saaremaa by a 2.5 km causeway). On the 16th I took the ferry back to mainland and drove up to...
Selous Game Reserve is a vast (19,000 square miles) wilderness area lying at the heart of southern Tanzania. It is Africa's largest wildlife reserve, and home to large herds of elephants, plus giraffes, buffaloes, crocodiles, hippos, wild dogs, lions, and many bird species. Bisecting the reserve is the Rufiji River which cuts a path past woodlands, grasslands, and stands of borassus palm . I stayed at Nomad's Sand Rivers lodge. The lodge has eight spacious, open-fronted cottages built from stone and thatch. I stayed in a riverside room -- so up on the banks of the Rufiji River -- with an absolutely stunning view. I stayed at the lodge for three nights and I went on two morning drives and two afternoon drives -- and skipped an afternoon boat ride. The lodge was just gorgeous -- so I spent a beautiful afternoon lounging around the pool listening to the hippos (and reading). Selous has the reputation for being the last true stronghold f...
Comments
Post a Comment