Last day in Saaremaa

Weather has been great up until yesterday and I have been living in shorts and t-shirts but had to rug up as the weather has become wet, windy and cold. Had a very enjoyable time on the north coast at Saka and visiting Maree's cousin Ene in Kohtla-Jarve and her elderly aunt nearby in Kohtla-Nomme. We drove along the north coast to Narva on the border with Russia and visited Narva Castle museum - Narva Castle was founded in the 13th century. We climbed the 50m high tower for a view across the river border to the Ivangorod Fortress in Russia. Also did some shopping for Robert in a very modern shopping mall and had lunch in the mall at a cafe where food was costed on the weight of what was on your plate. We travelled back to Saka via Narva-Joesuu at the mouth of the Narva River which was a popular seaside resort for well-off Russians during the 19th century and served privileged Soviet Russians during the 20th century. It still has a certain faded charm but the beach is now not so crowded, even in summer, as it is cut off from its former Russian clientele by strict border controls. On return from our day in Narva we were treated to a traditional Estonian banquet in Ene's apartment - very delicious. We also toured the Kohtla Underground Museum that celebrates the region's industrial heritage with its tunnels, miniature mine trains and functioning machinery. Oil shale, a parraffin-rich rock, was used widely as a domestic and industrial fuel until recently, and was a major cause of pollution.

Narva Castle

Ivangorod Fortress in Russia

This is even before the vodka !!!

World War 2 Soviet tank memorial near Narva