Sunday 26 November 2023

Estonian Latvian Jokes

Estonia and Latvia share a border of about 339 kilometers and also have deep historical, economic and ecclesiastical ties going back centuries. There has always been light-hearted banter between the two nations which is no less prevalent today. Estonians poke fun at Latvians as it is rumoured they have six toes on each foot, and Latvians stereotype Estonians as being slow because they like to think before they act.

Here are some typical Estonian / Lativan jokes.

A Latvian wants to renovate his living room, but doesn't know how much wallpaper to buy. Then he remembers that his neighbour, an Estonian, has exactly the same living room and that the Estonian just recently made repairs there. So he asked the Estonian how many rolls of wallpaper he had bought.

"Twelve rolls," the Estonian replied matter-of-factly.

In a couple of days, the repair will be completed by the Latvian, but there is still a lot of wallpaper left over. Scoldingly, he goes to the Estonian again and said: "I had four rolls of wallpaper left over from the repair!"

The Estonian replies matter-of-factly: "Everything is correct. I also had four rolls left over too".

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Two Estonians are walking along the road. Suddenly someone says: "Look, Jaan, a dead bird!"

"Where?" the other looks up to the sky.

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A group of five Latvians arrive at the Estonian border driving an Audi Quattro. The border guard does not let them pass saying "you cannot enter Estonia, there are five of you, but your car is an Audi Quattro, one of you needs to go". The Latvians start to protest and demand to speak with a supervisor. The Estonian border guard says "no problem, but you guys need to wait. He is dealing with three Lithuanians who are trying to sneak into Estonia in a Fiat Uno".

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An Estonian arrives home early from a business trip and discovers his wife in bed with a black lover. For a moment, as if getting angry, he sits down in a chair and with great relief, wipes the sweat from his brow and sighs from the bottom of his heart: "Thank God it's not a Latvian!"

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What does LV mean on license plates of Latvian cars? – Extra toe (Lisavarvas).

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Three Estonians are fishing.  At 7am the first one says - "no fish". At 2pm the second man says - "still no fish". In the evening the third says - "of course, there are no fish, because you chat all the time".

(Latvians joke that Estonians are not very talkative).

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A Latvian is in a bar telling a man about the time he was making fun of an Estonian for being slow.  "What happened?' the man then asked. "The Estonian beat me up the day after". The Latvian replied.

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What happens when the dumbest blonde from Estonia moves to Latvia? The average IQs of both countries improves significantly. 


Thursday 23 November 2023

2023 Estonian Book of the Year Awards

At the end of 2022, Rahva Raamat turned 110 years old, and announced the launch of a new annual book award - Aasta Raamat! This is how they acknowledge works and select the best books of the year. To find the best, they put together a broad-based jury from the Estonian literary and media scene. In addition to the jury's selection, the favourite among Estonian readers was revealed in the - People's Favourite category.

 
The winners of the 2023 Book of the Year are:

Best fiction book by an Estonian author: "The Lost Tribe" by Mehis Heinsaar     

Best translated fiction book: "The Book of Restlessness" Fernando Pessoa (Leenu Nigu)                

Best non-fiction book by an Estonian author: "Lembit Ulfsak" Eero Epner                                      

The best translated non-fiction book: "Travel impressions of the old Baltic countries" Seppo Zetterberg (translator Sirje Olesk)                                                                                                          

Best youth book by an Estonian author: "The thin ghost stories of Tallinn's old town" Jaak Juske

Best translated children's book: "The Guest of the Little Mouse" by Riikka Jäntti (translator Dea Oidekivi)   

People's Favourite: "SAUNA". History, culture, health, construction" Urmas Hõbepappel, Liisa Hõbepappel, Silja Nellis, Siim Nellis  

 

Monday 20 November 2023

The Tallinn Christmas Market opens December 1st

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. All the bright lights, colourful decorations, music, food, drinks and gifts really warms the heart.  Christmas Day may only be for one day in the year but the festive season lasts well over a month. One of the best ways to experience Christmas cheer is to visit Christmas markets. The best Christmas market I have ever been to - by far - is the Tallinn Christmas Market. It has such a wonderful atmosphere, it truly has it all. Music, live entertaintment,  carousel, Santa's house, reindeer and then there are all the stalls. It's got everything you could possibly want in a Christmas market. 

The Tallinn Christmas Market opens on the 1st of December 2023 and runs until the 7th of January 2024.

 
The world's first public Christmas tree was erected on Tallinn's Town Hall Square by the Brotherhood of Blackheads in the year 1441. Now it's a tradition seen all over the world.  More information about about the Tallinn Christmas Market can be found here - Tallinna jõuluturg

Sunday 19 November 2023

Today is International Men's Day

International Men's Day is celebrated this year on Sunday November 19. According to a social study conducted in 2022, two out of five Estonian men feel happy most of the time. The survey found that 5% of Estonian men generally felt happy all the time and that did not change significantly as they got older. Relationships and family life have a profound impact on a person's emotional wellbeing. More information about the survey can be found here.


Secrets of the Viking Burial Ships in Estonia

In this episode of Vikings: The Lost Realm they take a look at the secrets of Viking burial ships. This gripping Vikings documentary uncovers startling truths of Viking burials in Estonia and challenges known history. You can watch it here.


Tuesday 14 November 2023

Tallinn's Viru Street throughout the years

It's always fascinating looking at these old photographs. Many things change over time yet some things remain the same.

Sunday 12 November 2023

Similarities Between Hungarian and Estonian

Hungarian and Estonian are both Finno-Ugric languages that share the same origin, but how close are they? In this video the commonalities between the two languages are explored with Betti (Hungarian speaker) and Markus (Estonian speaker). Very interesting!

Friday 10 November 2023

New Documentary: 'Fearless Estonia'

A new documentary has been released showing how Estonia stands up against Russia's threat and what Finland could learn from the experiences of its neighbour. The documentary features many quality interviews with Estonian politicans, military personnel and victims of communism. A must watch.

You can watch the documentary here.

Thursday 9 November 2023

National Geographic includes Tartu on 'The Cool List 2024'

The highly respected publication, National Geographic has listed Tartu, Estonia’s second-largest city, as one of the 30 most exciting destinations to visit in 2024. 

Why is Tartu on the Cool List?

Estonians have long considered Tartu to be their country’s cultural and intellectual heart, due to its top-notch museums, lively cafes and the country’s oldest university. Little wonder, then, that this UNESCO City of Literature has been selected as one of three European Capitals of Culture for 2024. Tartu and the wider southern Estonia region are marking the occasion with a year of events, from classical concerts and film screenings to edgy outdoor art installations. One of the highlights will be Kissing Tartu, a nod to the city’s Kissing Students fountain.

Also appearing on the Cool List 2024 is Norway's Nordland, Australia's vibrant Victoria and Madagascar's Andrefana Dry Forests.

Tuesday 7 November 2023

The Estonian Year of the Sauna

2023 is the Estonian Year of the sauna. The year long celebration is a great time to enjoy everything the sauna has to offer and learn more about the sauna’s history and culture.  

Estonian sauna culture is about 800 years old. What originally began in Finland thousands of years ago, later became popular in Estonia and the two countries have since been connected in many ways. A long sauna culture is one of them. Saturday is considered sauna day in Estonia and a good sauna usually reaches temperatures between 90 - 100 degrees. Estonians cannot live without a regular sauna!

Interesting fact: The word sauna is the only Finnish word that is used in the English language.

There are many benefits of the sauna, such as improved cardiovascular health, stress relief, and improved skin health.

Sunday 5 November 2023

Old Estonian photograph of the Baltic Express

I love looking at old Estonian photographs. Even more so when they were taken by members of my own family. This photo of the Baltic Express was taken by my great-grandfather Arthur Lestal who was a professional photographer by trade. I collect his works and thrilled whenever I discover a new image. My great-grandfather often wrote on his photo postcards which makes it easier for me to identify them. This photograph of the Baltic Express would have been taken sometime during the 1930s.

Thursday 2 November 2023

Today is All Souls' Day / Täna on Hingedepäev

November 2nd is Hingedepäev in Estonia. The day on which the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead is at its thinnest. According to Estonian folklore; grey, foggy weather is a sure sign the souls are coming to visit. Today we remember those who left us and light a candle in their memory.