Lennart Meri's legendary work "Silver White" translated into English

Lennart Meri's legendary work Silverwhite:The Journey to the Fallen Sun has been translated into English for the first time by Adam Cullen and published by Hurst Publishers. The book will be released in May 2025 and can be pre-ordered online from Amazon, WHSmith and directly from Hurst Publsihers.

"Silverwhite: The Journey to the Fallen Sun" is described as a "captivating exploration" of Estonia's earliest history and interactions with peoples of the Mediterranean and the Near East.

Although "Silverwhite" is grounded in classical literature and extensive historical, astronomical and geographical fact, Lennart Meri – foremost a writer and filmmaker – weaves his travelogue with poeticism. This epic work can also be read as a thriller: millennia ago, an enormous cosmic rock crashed into the Estonian island of Saaremaa. Through this extraordinary historical event, Meri brings together a curious cast including ancient Greeks, Arabs and Estonians.

Lennart Meri originally wrote "Silverwhite" (Hõbevalge) in 1976.

Mulgi puder added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list

Mulgi puder is a traditional dish that is consumed daily in the Mulgimaa region of Estonia. It was recently added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. Mulgi puder a delicious dish that is easy to make.  Simple put sliced potatoes in a pot and pour pre-soaked barley on top. After adding a bit of salt, the ingredients are boiled until soft and then mashed. Mulgi puder is accompanied by pan-fried pork knuckle, which can be added to the mash or served on the side, or with vegetables.

Who will represent Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025?

The 15 finalists of Eesti Laul were chosen last week. The contestants will battle it out in February next year and the winner will go on to represent Estonia at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland. A clear audience favourite at the moment is the song 'Tule' by Räpina Jack feat. Kaisa Ling.  You can watch the video clip below.

 

 The 15 Eesti Laul finalists are:

An-Marlen – "Külm"
Andrei Zevakin feat. Karita – "Ma ei tea sind"
Anna Sahlene – "Love Me Low"
Ant – "Tomorrow Never Comes"
Elysa – "The Last to Know"
Felin – "Solo Anthem"
Frants Tikerpuu – "Trouble"
Gem98 – "Psycho"
Janek – "Frozen"
Joelle – "Eyes Don't Lie"
Minimal Wind – "Armageddon"
Räpina Jack feat. Kaisa Ling – "Tule"
Stereo Terror – "Prty Till the End of the World"
Tommy Cash – "Espresso Macchiato"
Tuuli Rand – "Rem"

Estonians are the third tallest people in the world

Estonians continue to rank as the third tallest people in the world. It is hard to beat people from the Netherlands who have topped the rankings for many years now. The average height of an Estonian man is 183.3 cm, and 168.7 cm for women.

The tallest man who ever lived was Robert Wadlow (1918-1940) from the United States. He was over 8 feet tall and stood at 2.72 metres.

Tallinn is a winter wonderland at Christmas time!

Bolster your health the Estonian way this winter

Winter came early this year to many parts of Europe. The low temperatures and reduction in sunlight means we need to take extra care of our bodies to ward off any nasty infections. Bolstering our immune systems is vital during this time of year so increasing the consumption of vitamin C and green leafy vegetables with fat soluble minerals is essential. 

Traditional medicines have been used in Estonia since ancient times. There are many valuable plants found in the Estonian forest which have been tried and tested and are known to strengthen the immune system. Blueberries, cloudberries, sea buckthorn, rose hip and birch tree juice are some of the best natural remedies Mother Nature has to offer.

Fermented cabbage (hapukapsas) is also a very important dietary staple for Estonians during the winter. It has multiple health benefits including fibre, vitamin C, improves digestion and protects against inflammation.

Every Estonian has their own home remedy for curing various ailments. We all know honey and lemon tea is good for a sore throat but there are many more. For me, I strongly recommend eating a chunk of  ginger each day to eliminate leg cramps (while sleeping) and for a annoying cough I find eating 3-4 mandarines (in a row) provides relief.