Rail Baltica set to connect Estonia to Central Europe

The Rail Baltica project is a vital undertaking that will create a rail link between the Baltic countries and Central Europe. The new rail corridor was set to open next year but due to financial delays, it is not expected to debut until 2030. Once operational, Rail Baltica will finally re-integrate the Baltics into the European rail network and create a modern, high-speed rail link travelling through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to Poland. The line will enable high-speed trains to run up to four times a day from Tallinn to Warsaw at a speed of 250km/h.

The Rail Baltica project marks the symbolic return of the Baltic countries to the European family - until the Second World War the Baltic countries were already connected to their European neuighbours with 1,435 mm wide gauge. When the three countries were occupied by the Soviet Union, their rail infrastructure was changed to be in line with the the wider Russian gauge of 1,520 mm rails.

More information about Rail Baltica can be found here.

A tribute: 80 years since the Great Escape (Suur põgenemine)

To mark the 80th anniversary of the June deportations by the Soviet Union, The Estonian Institute of Historical Memory (Eesti Mälu Instituut) ran a photo and video competition.  People were invited to submit material to the competition titled "Eesti mälumajakad / Estonian Beacons of Memory". The below video by Ingrid Ma is one of the winners of the compeition and is dedicated to her mother and grandfather who were two of the many thousands of Estonians who fled in 1944. More information can be found here.

 

 

 

Estonia's current well-being statistics

New data has been released showing Estonia's current well-being statistics compared to other OECD countries. It's an interesting read. Further information can be found here.

Estonian film "8 Faces of Lake Biwa" wins Jury Award at the Hanoi International Film Festival

An international co-production between Estonia and Finland, "8 Views of Lake Biwa" has won the Jury Prize at the seventh Hanoi International Film Festival in Vietnam. 117 films from 51 different countries entered the competition that saw Estonian actress Tiina Taurait also win Best Actress.

8 Faces of Lake Biwa is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Max Dauthendy. The story is set in the Old Believers' fishing villages near Lake Peipus. 8 Faces of Lake Biwa has been selected as the Estonian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.

Aerial view of Tallinn in 1924

Parts of Tallinn looked quite different before the Soviets bombed the city in 1944. The Kalev sports stadium is no longer at its original site near the New Market; the Viru Keskus stands in its place today. Many houses were bombed in that area, including my great uncle's house in Gonsiori Street. That street  was actually shifted after the bombing when efforts were made to rebuild the city. The road where Gonsiori street is located today is not the exact spot where it stood prior to 1944. My great-uncle's house was probably located where the Tallink Hotel stands today.

To get a better view of this photograph, you can zoom in here.

Rare new species of mushroom found in Estonia

A few weeks ago, Tõnu Ploompuu, a botanist from Tallinn University came across a rare mushroom in Tornimäe, Saaremaa. The mushroom is believed to be the Parasola kuehneri, a species of mushroom that has never before been seen in Estonia. The mushroom is currently undergoing testing for verification. 

The Parasola kuehneri can be identified by it's blue hue and is believed not to be seriously toxic.

Head Isadepäeva! Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day in Estonia and to celebrate, let's look at a few facts. According to date from early 2024 there are 307 637 fathers living in Estonia, which is more than half a thousand more than last year.

How many children does a typical Estonian father have? 37% has one child, 41% has two children and  22% has three or more children. 

There are 1820 children in Estonia who share the same birthday as their father and there are 781 fathers who will celebrate their birthdays on Father's Day this year.

Happy Father's Day to all!

New Toomas Hendrik Ilves documentary "Rebel with a Bow Tie" in cinemas from 31 January 2025

Tallinn's Christmas Market opens on November 22

Tallinn's award-winning Christmas market (Jõuluturg) is set to open on November 22. Located in the heart of the Old Town, Tallinn's Town Hall Square will be transformed into a fairytale village full of splendour. With sparkling lights, music and the authentic scent of Estonian Christmas food in the air, the Tallinn Christmas Market is sure to delight all. Visitors can enjoy live performances, taste traditional Estonian food or buy unique Estonian handicrafts. The Tallinn Christmas Market will be open every day from 10am between 22.11.2024 - 27.12.2024.  It's a must see!

More information can be found on the Jõuluturg website.

First snowfall of the season pictured in Narva

A resident from Ida-Virumaa captured this image of the current weather conditions in Narva. Unlike other parts of Estonia, the ground in Narva is completely covered by a white blanket of snow. Winter has come early in Estonia!