If there is one place I've been keen to visit recently it's undoubtedly the Estonian pavilion at the Expo 2015 in Milan. For months, Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds had been tempting me with highlights of cultural events and I soon found myself planning a road trip to Milan. My youngest brother came to visit from Australia last week and I thought a trip to Milan would be the perfect opportunity for us to catch up and have some fun at the same time.
The Expo 2015 in Milan runs from 1st May to 31st October 2015 and has 145 countries participating. Fascinating pavilions from numerous countries can be found at the Expo but I was very surprised to find that Australia did not feature among them.
After reading so much about the Estonian Pavilion it was great to finally check it out for myself.
The Estonian pavilion known as “Gallery of Estonia” is designed to present Estonia as a young, dynamic and rapidly developing country in northern Europe. The pavilion features more than thirty Estonian companies, Estonian music, Estonian design and a street food restaurant called "Rye Restaurant" serving Nordic cuisine inspired by local nature. The pavilion is a melting pot of high-tech and low-tech, presenting Estonia as a dynamic country where ancient traditions and unspoilt nature meld with technological innovations such as digital signature and e-residency.
The Estonian pavilion consists of three floors.
The ground floor has the Rye Restaurant and power generating swings.
Gift shop.
The first (middle) floor is an exhibition showcasing themes which are important to Estonia.
It also features Estonia's innovations and achievements.
Estonia is the largest exporter of wooden houses in the EU.
These timber booths contain a wealth of information about Estonia and its people.
The top floor of the Estonian pavilion is dedicated to nature.
Here you will learn about Estonian flora and fauna.
Visitors are encouraged to sit down and enjoy the sounds of nature.
Wildlife videos can also be viewed.
The Estonian Rye Restaurant is located on the ground floor.
The Estonian sport of kiiking has proven to be a crowd favourite.
Kiiking in action. Not for the faint hearted.
On 16th September 2015 Kaspar Taimsoo became the new Guinness World Record holder for kiiking. He broke the record at the Estonian Pavilion.
If you can't make it to Milan to visit the Expo, this video is the next best thing.
For more information about the World Expo, please click here: World Expo 2015
