EV100 here I come!

With celebrations already underway for the 100th birthday of the Estonian Republic, I thought I should get myself organised and book my flight to Tallinn for the big day on February 24! I know it's only August but I have to be realistic, flights will only become more expensive as time goes by and good accommodation will most definitely become scarce.  Now I can relax knowing everything has been taken care of. 

I arrive on February 22nd which is an important date for me, it's my grandmother's birthday amongst other things. One thing I am particularly looking forward to during my next trip to Estonia is exploring the new Estonian National Museum in Tartu. Judging by the photographs I have seen online the exhibitions look absolutely fantastic and I can't wait to see them for myself!

No trip to Estonia is ever complete without bringing home at least half a dozen loaves of delicious rye bread. It's sacred to all Estonians! Let's see how many loaves I manage to fit into my suitcase this time! I'm striving for 10+!

The Estonian Stress Buster

The Estonian Stress Buster is on a mission to help stressed-out people across Europe with the awesome power of pure nature. Using facial recognition technology he identifies stressed out individuals and employs the sounds of nature and a pop-up forest to bust their stress. For the permanent cure, the Estonian Stress Buster sends people on a trip to Estonia!

Great ideas keep coming out of Estonia! I love it!

Estcoin - A proposal to launch the world's first government ICO

The proposal to issue crypto tokens would make the Republic of Estonia the first country with an Initial Coin Offering (ICO).

‘Estcoins’ could be managed by the Republic of Estonia, but accessed by anyone in the world through its e-Residency programme and launched through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). The tokens can not be counterfeited and the government oversight means they can not be used for illegal activities.

As an investment opportunity, estcoins could benefit Estonia and be attractive to investors from the day it is launched. In time, estcoins could also be accepted as payment for both public and private services and eventually function as a viable currency used globally. If there is support for this proposal, then the next stage before the ICO would be to provide a white paper that outlines the value of estcoins and how the investment will be used to develop our digital nation. It is likely to begin as a pilot project that can be scaled up based on demand.

This is an interesting concept with much appeal. More information about estcoin can be found here: Estonia could offer ‘estcoins’ to e-residents

Victory! Estonian Ott Tänak wins Deutschland's ADAC Rally

If you are Estonian and love motor sports then you'll be thrilled to know that Ott Tänak won the ADAC 'Rally in Germany yesterday. The win couldn't have come on a better day - Estonia's Day of Restoration of Independence. It was a great win and he has made Estonia proud. Congratulations'!

More information on the ADAC Rally can be found here: Tänak gewinnt ADAC Rallye Deutschland 2017 &  Ott Tänak wins second WRC in Germany

Today we celebrate the Day of Restoration of Independence! Head Taasiseseisvuspäeva!

Today Estonians across the globe commemorate the restoration of their country's independence. On this day I think of the brave men who fought for Estonia's indenpendence, those who suffered during the occupation and those who had a vision for Estonia's future and worked tirelessly to make it happen. I thank you.

On this day, the beautiful blue, black and white Estonian flag will proudly be display in my home and the words of the national anthem will never be far from my mind. Elagu Eesti! 

National Anthem: Estonia - Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm

Estonians are encouraged to return home for the EV100 celebrations

In 2018, the Republic of Estonia will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The centenary programme began in April 2017 and continues through to February 2020 to mark all of the most important milestones in the emergence of Estonia’s statehood. All Estonians living abroad are invited to visit Estonia during the celebrations. It will be a great time to reconnect with family, see how our beloved homeland has developed and fill our hearts with national pride. I will definitely be back in Estonia next February.  There is no place I would rather be!

Estonians worldwide are invited to come celebrate Estonia's centenary!

Test yourself - How much has Tallinn changed?

Tallinn changes and develops constantly, and even in a few short years, some places can change beyond recognition. In order to show how much has changed in the capital, this test features a collection of images from Tallinn's recent and more distant past. They are set in a comparative test with modern photographs. Put your memory and logic to the test!

To take the test, please click here: Kas tunned need Tallinna paigad aastakümnete tagustelt fotodelt ära?

Tammsaare's "Truth and Justice" currently filming in Mõniste

If you love Anton Hansen Tammsaare's epic work Truth & Justice then you'll be pleased to know that a new film version is currently being filmed in Mõniste Municipality, south-eastern Estonia. The film is based on volume one of the five book series that was originally published in 1926.

The cast of the film adaptation includes Priit Loog as Andres, Priit Võigemast as Pearu, Maiken Schmidt as Krõõt, Ester Kuntu as Mari and Simeoni Sundja as Juss.

"Truth and Justice" is scheduled to premiere in February 2019.

More information (in Estonian) can be found here: Tõe ja õiguse - filmimine on raske nagu eestlase elu 

Muhu Island - One of 8 Places in the World Where You Can Get Some Peace and Quiet

Great to see Muhu Island feature on the list! It's a truly beautiful place.

Muhu Island, Estonia

Just 45 minutes from Saaremaa, the country’s bigger island known for its spruce trees and beer, Muhu feels like a fairytale with its old trestle windmills and squat wooden houses. The centuries-old Pädaste Manor, the only five-star hotel outside Tallinn, offers gourmet cuisine, a wood-burning sauna and private horse rides around the island, says Tepper.

Here's the top eight locations from the Travel and Leisure website:

Burgenland, Austria

The Cotswolds, England

Muhu Island, Estonia

Beara Penninsula, Ireland

Lofoten Islands, Norway

Pylos, Russia

Scottish Highlands, Scotland

Pueblo Garzón, Uruguay

To read the full article, please click here:
8 Places in the World Where You Can Get Some Peace and Quiet

Erik Thomas Kirkman perfectly captures Estonia's natural beauty

Feel inspired to visit Estonia by watching this breathtaking video by Norwegian filmmaker Erik Thomas Kirkman. The filmmaker visits Estonia several times each year to spend time with his wife's family who live near Haapsalu. Estonia has become his second home. 

It's hard not to fall in love with Estonia's natural, unspoilt beauty. The more you visit, the more you will want to go back.

VIDEO: Cleveron's drone delivery service at Viljandi beach

Driverless buses made Tallinn debut on Saturday

Introduced as part of the Estonian presidency of the Council of the EU, Easymile driverless buses began operating a limited route in Central Tallinn just after noon on Saturday. The buses are free to use and available between the Mere puiestee (Mere Avenue) stop and Tallinn Creative Hub. Operating hours are from 8:30 a.m - 5:30 p.m, Monday to Saturday. The trial shuttles are scheduled to remain in service through to the end of August and then will be returned to France. During the first three days of operation, the buses had a few close calls but nothing that required an emergency response.

Source: ERR News

More information can be found here: No major incidents with driverless buses in first three days