Pärnu

We were so excited when our good friend Triinu (who we work with) wanted to show us her home town, Pärnu. On the 19th of March we caught a bus 2 hours south to see the summer capital. We stayed at her parent’s place, which was equipped with its very own sauna house. There was also a convenient frozen pond to jump into which made the experience so Estonian. Unfortunately Leah didn't listen to Arvi's advice and climbed out like a beached whale and got some more nasty bruises and cuts from the ice. Another incident to prove Leah and ice DO NOT mix.

ready to jump into the frozen pond during sauna

Leah paying her respect to vana vana onu, First President of Estonia Konstantin Päts  

After a relaxing night sleep after sauna, we headed out. We went to a monument of Konstantin Päts, the first Estonian President. We found out from Kanni and Anne the previous day that Leah is somehow related to him through a complicated sequence of marriages, uncles, cousins and in laws. So Leah now calls him vana vana onu. We went exploring at Rannametsa-Tolksa Study Trail (some bog, swamp, forest thing) just outside of Pärnu, or as we called it 'Shrek's home'. The scenery was beautiful, snow covered terrain with thin pines sticking out everywhere.

At the top of a looking platform

Leah, Triin, Triinu ja Arvi

Then off the see the beaches of Pärnu. We weren't exactly sure what to expect but it was amazing. The whole ocean was frozen. We walked out about 100 metres and there was still thick ice as far as the eye could see. There was even some tire tacks from where cars have driven out on the ice, crazy people!

only in Estonia

sooo much ice

'this isn't a beach'