May 8, 2019 – Walking without a donkey

I took the bus (#72 cost 1 euro) from Massiaru to Pärnu. There was snow on the ground. May 2019

dav — Taken the next day when the sun was shining! Pärnu Bus Station

cof — From the bus station I went past a beautiful Orthodox church, Pärnu

cof — My first stop was a Supelsaksad cafe /kohvik – it was bitterly cold and the hostel was not admitting us until 2pm, Pärnu

cof — Then it poured torrentially so I went to the Uue Kunsti Muuseum ‘New’ art gallery up the street. There was a donky outside to welcome me, Pärnu

I loved the textile exhibition – reegel ja rituaal (rule and ritual) by the Estonian Textile Artists’ Union – a lampshade as if it was covered in dust and what looked like spiders webs, penguins made from felt, and a herring on a T shirt!

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Above from left to top right and then bottom right: Sometimes a herring is just a herring by Krista Leesi; Sume (the lampshade) by Triin Talts; Good Ideas To Hatch by Erika Pedak.

cof — Sama Muster (The Same Pattern) by Marilyn Piirsalu, MONA (Museum of New Art), Pärnu, Estonia

cof — Giant’s Lantern by Kristiina Tuura at MONA (Museum of New Art), Pärnu, Estonia

Helsinki based, Tuura made this work from recycled rubbish, and found objects with school children and immigrant students. It pays respect to hundreds of years of tradition of lantern making in Syria.

There was a great and on-going sound of music and revving which I later realised was a motorbike rally. I had never seen so many leater-clad bearded folk in one place when the event ended and they all descended on the town to eat!

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Pärnu is the riviera of Estonia where the rich come to the beach. It has typical wooden buildings of a much grander style though than I was sued to in the villages.

dav — The back of the school (below) and the side of the Gunpowder Magazine Gym, built near the bastions to fortify the city, Pärnu

rhdr — Local school (red brick) with Estonian flag flying, Pärnu

cof — G W Richmann b Parnu 1711 Constructed the first lightening rod in Easter Europe at the same time as Benjamin Franklin and unfortunately it killed him in 1753. Sculptor Riho Kuld, Pärnu

cof — August Jakobson memorial 1904-1963 professional writer, chief editor various publishing houses, Chairman of Estonian Writers Unions. ‘Vaeste-Patuste elev’ was his breakthrough novel, then ‘Tuhkur-hobune’ depict the life of workers in Räma, a district of Pärnu

I walked back through the Munamaumlaute Park iron where children were happily running and playing in the sun between showers, and where for the first time I could not see the view because there were leaves on the trees.

cof — I stayed at Hostel Louna. I was the only one in this 8 bed room for the first night and for the second I was joined by two women – one from Lithiania and the other from Lativia. We have some nice chats! Pärnu

Hostel details: great staff, no bunks, all clean, fresh laundered covers and towel, hot showers, big windows with lots of light, very good value for money (11 euro a night), great location, kitchen small and could do with improvement, my room was on a busy main road. Beside Tallin Gate and 2 parks, one with fountains, about half way between the bus station with shops, Pärnu museum, churches and tourist areas; and the leafy suburbs, painted wooden villas, above cafe, Museum of New Art and wonderful beach.

Both mornings I was able to do my T’ai chi on the beach – a very long and sweeping strand on the edge of the Bay or Gulf of Riga across from the Isle of Gotland and Sweden. Neptune kept watch!

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I found a pine cone and stood like a tree remembering the garden at Massiaru. A man walked out of the sea. I didn’t see him go in. The same happened on Orkney. I tried being barefoot, but the second day I wore my boots – too cold! Despite having my swimming costume on it was 4 degrees with a bitter wind, so, no! I also tried very hard not to glance at the people looking at me when I was supposed to be concentrating!

I discovered that if I orientate myself towards the sun to start with and move through the sequence (140 + or – moves), I come back to a new front it has moved by then – obvious really.

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Features of the River Pärnu.

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I also enjoyed the Pärnu museum crafts exhibition.

Near the hostel is Jenny Kruse, a second hand shop extraordinaire (avatud = open), Bum Bum a loud beer joint which serves food, a Chinese Medicine clinic, and the famous Tallin Gate.