Last few days in Estonia

Three generations of Laats.

Last days, by Vyv
Thursday July 8, Saaremaa to Tallinn:
We visited the home of Mae Heinmets (dad's first cousin on his mom's side) in Kurressare. Most homes are still heated through long cold winters with wood burning stoves that are also used for cooking. Everyone has a vegetable garden. The homes we visited were smaller than we are used to, and much simpler in decoration and design. It made me think that we certainly could live happily with much less.
We visited the Kaali Meteorite Crater on the way to the ferry. The main crater is 110m wide; there are 8 others in the area.
We also stopped in the town of Haapsalu to visit a Rehab Hospital; Sylvia had met the director and therapists of a brand new gait lab at her meeting in Brussels last week. While she was touring the facility, we walked around the pretty seaside town.

Friday July 9:
On our last full day back in Tallinn, my second cousin Sirje joined us in the bus for a driving tour of the suburbs of the city.

Photo - Luis in the Convent at Pirita - where we toured the ruins of a large convent.

We visited Pirita, where some locals who have been financially successful since the 1991 liberation live. There were many new homes situated near the sea with green space and fantastic Finnish influenced architecture. Also in Pirita we visited the site of the sailing events of the 1980 Moscow summer olympics. We stopped in Kadriorg, a beautiful park

Photo - in front of the Kadriorg Palace and Gardens.

where the presidential palace, government house and national art museum are located. We had a quick tour of Sirje's apartment in a communist era building down town.

Photo of Kitu Ernst from Sirje's photo album.

Our last evening was spent at a restaurant with extended family, 23 in total. It was another surreal experience; to share blood lines with most of the folks in the room who had experienced lives so different than our own based on the actions of my grandpa, Albert Ounpuu, 65 years ago. We could see family resemblances in their faces and there was a warmth and connection in the room.
Photo of most of the group at dinner.

Jonas' family.

Photo - Cousins out for dinner - Ernst and Maia, his first cousin, daughter of Grandpa Albert's sister.

On the walk home we stopped at Reet's (dad's wife) apartment house. Reet's dad was with the Bank of Estonia in Tallinn, and they lived right down town in a beautiful old apartment building. Her home was much like she remembered it. We snuck into the guarded building when a resident left and went up to the 5th floor door where Reet lived. We debated about knocking to go in and see with the offering of a rose - but it was alreay 11:00 PM!!! See Reet at appartment door below.
Photo - outside of the Eesti Pank - workplace of Reet's Dad.

Photo - Balcony from Reet's appartment in Tallinn.
Photo: Reet standing in front of her childhood appartment door!

Saturday July 10
Back to our lives in Canada and the US but a little bit changed forever with a new awareness of my roots. Thanks to Taffy for suggesting the trip, and to Dad for the planning and facilitating. It was amazing.
Dad and Reet spent an additional day to drive south to Reet's birth town and will fly home to Toronto on July 12.