Spring recommendations for what to do in Estonia #1: Buluthan

Buluthan from Istanbul, Turkey, soon 28 years old, moved to Estonia for his master’s degree and has now lived in Estonia for 3,5 years. He’s also done an episode on podcast “Found in Estonia”. 

1) I strongly recommend everyone to be outside as much as possible. Just because we cannot visit malls and enclosed areas, does not mean we cannot be outside. I think Viru Bog, with its closeness to Tallinn, is a really sweet spot for a nice outdoors activity. 

2) Another idea and something I also love is camping. With proper equipment it is actually very enjoyable to camp even during winter. And, well, since it is Estonia we are talking about, you have to grill. Tallinn is surrounded by forests that are already covered by RMK (State Forest Management Centre) and through their website one can find out where to go for their next camping adventure. 

3) Winter swimming. An absolute must. Not only does it give a nice sense of achievement, but it is also healthy if done regularly. There are some Facebook groups for folks that like this, but you can do it yourself, too. Just grab your biggest towel, swimming gear, some gloves for swimming as well as swimming shoes to keep your hands and feet warm and you are good to go! Some people do this in Pirita where there is also a sauna that you can rent to run back into after swimming, and some people do it the harder way by just going to Noblessner and just swimming. An even better idea is to mix these all up. Go for a hike, camp, grill, then swim in a lake for a minute or two, and grill again. I’d say this is quite an Estonian way of enjoying the outdoors, I really do recommend it. 

5) In April (depending on the temperature early or late), there is this magical little veggie that pops up for a short period of time called karulauk (ramson). A very good friend of mine first took me to collect the leaves when they came alive in spring 2 years ago and if you are a person that likes garlic and onion tastes I strongly, REALLY strongly recommend going for it. They are basically leaves of a plant, and super delicious and healthy. You can basically do anything with it; cook it, make it into a paste for long time use, mix into salads. The taste is very strong though, so proceed with caution. Also, there is this another plant with a white blossom that looks a lot like karulauk but is poisonous, so make sure you take a local friend with you that knows what to look for! (NB: Also, note that ramsons growing in the wild are protected so you can only pick enough for yourself or purchase them from a local who is sure to grow them in their garden.)

6) During those days when we cannot go outside, I recommend cooking. I know, cuisine is not one of those things that come to mind when we think about Estonia but I think curd cheese cake (kohupiimakook) is an absolute star for an easy yet delicious local treat. I also love the traditional black bread, herring, egg and onion sandwiches quite a lot but perhaps they are not for everyone. 

7) If you are stuck in your home and are looking for a local movie to watch and learn how the past in Estonia affected people, I recommend ”Risttuules”, ”In the Crosswind”. It is one of those movies that affected me very deeply. But mind you, it is quite emotional. Here is the trailer with English subtitles and film can be bought and seen here on Netikino.