Very Drunken Play with Dogs

Took a taxi home at some ungodly hour our last night in Parnu, Estonia.  All I can say in my defense of what seems to be my excessive fascination with a dog's butt and my attempt to seduce and make-out with a 60 kg. dog all while filming myself is...that's what happens when you start ordering one LITER beers after you have already had WAY too much in the first place.  Oh well...another GREAT night!

(and no, the dog didn't even call me the next morning...I feel so used)

http://youtu.be/Y_09_GajJmQ

Bar and Sculpture in Parnu, Estonia

Random attempt at a photo of the bar we closed down (after the sun set on a 'white night', which meant it was sometime around 2 am on the morning after) and a sculpture we found just outside.

Our host told us this is the largest bar in all of the Estonia and it was enormous full of rich, dark wood interior, a second floor with all manners of animals and horns covering the walls, an uncountable number of giant tables that could seat 10 or 12 people.  And that doesn't even cover the entire area outside and even the stage out back. (you can probably spot these in the videos from the other related posts)

Traditional Estonian Dancing...by US!!

Kristel, our host, was explaining her philosophy that you only live once, and you must try EVERYTHING.  Next thing we knew...we were up and dancing along to the traditional musicians and the two FAR SUPERIOR female dancers.  (note my expression on the first video when Kristel drags me out onto the 'dance floor' and the size of my one LITER beer mug)
We have already registered for next season's 'So You Think You Can Dance'.

http://youtu.be/tOaizbQ-ucs

http://youtu.be/G8JwvaBU70E

http://youtu.be/ob06kCKsAe4

Jihye's First Suntan/Burn

After our walk out into the sea today, Jihye has gotten her first tan/burn of her life.  We are so proud!  Looking good!!

Traditional Estonian Musicians

We were so lucky to visit the bar on the same night that a group of about 20 musicians were there.  They seemed to be celebrating and commemorating a tour together.  The leader gave an interesting speech in Estonian, translated by a woman into English, and he toasted groups from Estonia, Poland and other countries.  The group spent the entire night drinking merrily, celebrating joyfully, and almost non-stop varying groups among them held a jam session.  Sometimes three...other times five...yet other times up to eight or more would grab an instrument (some of the members would rotate through different instruments) and play wonderfully traditional music.  Was it Estonian?  European?  I have no idea.  But we loved the sound of it, it fit the place and mood, and we were able to both enjoy them and let them slip into the background...all despite they were sitting five feet away from us.

http://youtu.be/YBrRBMbqhGY

http://youtu.be/Uk3qodSYyxg

Beers and Bartenders

Here are the delicious dark and sweet beers we had and our all-too-handsome bartender Andreas.  We spent most of the night at this bar outside with the musicians (as you can see in another post) but we did meet him at the very beginning and after we came inside for another beer once the mosquitoes became too overwhelming for us.  Andreas was pretty witty and quite intelligent and he even taught me a bit about the Estonian language, in particular the 'o' letter with a squiggly line above it that sounds like the 'flat' 'euh' sound in Korean.  He told me it had no relation in the English language, but we did find the Korean equivalent.  Great guy...wish him the very best!  Thanks Andreas!

(and yes, if you ever read this Andreas, both the women I was with thought you were VERY VERY handsome...  ;)~

The Partying Begins!

Kristel and Jihye after the younger ones had left...uh-oh!

Round 3 w/ the Kids in Parnu, Estonia

A group shot as the adults have our third beer of what would be a loooooooong night and the younger adults have a cola.  Quite the views from the third floor outdoor seating at this cafe right next to the 'popular' downtown beach here in Parnu, Estonia.  Cheer!
(and you can see the whole 'gang' here: Jihye, our host Kristel, her daughter Margaret, and her great boyfriend Renar (sorry about the spelling...and our stabs at pronouncing it) we were a bit surprised to find that he basically lived at their house and spent every minute when he wasn't working hard at his job at their house.  But he is incredibly mature and we really enjoyed getting to know him.  Be careful on the bike this summer!!)

Sauerkraut Cravings/Food at the Festival in Parnu, Estonia

Thought the menu listed it at about 2 or 3 Euro for a lunch plate, so I kept pointing at the foods and piling my plate as high as I could.  Added a draft beer for good measure.  Only when she rang me up at 10.50 Euro did I realize that EACH FOOD was 2 or 3 Euro.  Ouch!

At least she gave me a break and gave me 10 Euro change for my 20 Euro bill.  Doh'!!

Climbing the Marker

Why you ask?  Simply because it was there.

Jihye on the Furthest Rock

A couple pictures and a video of Jihye making it out onto the furthest rock into the Baltic Sea.

http://youtu.be/g2E4AmW4Vdk

Sailboat Passing By

Just a sailboat gliding past us where we stand, no big deal.

Helpful Kid

Got this kid to pose for me out in the sea in the Gulf of Riga.  Thanks random kid.
Also spotted a lap dog that had made his/her way out here to the very end of the rocky road.  Made our expedition all the less impressive.  Thanks lap dog.

Photographer Host

Our host out near the sea marker with us.  She was incredibly active with her camera, snapping photos nonstop all day long.  She was even posing us all over the place.  If we could only get our hands on all the hundreds of pics, she had some really great and memorable ones of us.

The Furthest Rock

Here I am carefully getting out onto the 'other' furthest rock.  Everyone else was climbing out on the easier side, I felt it necessary to slip and slide my way out the other way.

Arriving at the sea marker and Jihye posing

Video of us arriving a kilometer out to sea, and a couple photos of Jihye enjoying the views.

http://youtu.be/MSitXGTzYkI

Stone Carved in 1927

All along the path out to the marker there were numerous stones carved, often including the year in which they were chiseled.  This was the oldest marked one we notices, circa 1927.

Heading Out into the Sea

Our host was excited to take us out onto a long, long rocky breakwater that led over a kilometer into the sea.  Was a long walk, cooled by a steady breeze and cold beers.  Well worth it!

http://youtu.be/wyj9BqonwDs

Children's Play-area at Festival in Parnu, Estonia

Photographs of the fun play area for kids at the festival in Parnu, Estonia.  The jumping-bungee thing looks like a lot of fun.

Festival Food Stand and Other Festival Goodies (or Heaven)

Could write several novels about the foods and drinks available at this one festival alone.  Briefly: smoked salmon, meat skewers (each individual skewer had about three steaks worth of meat on it), sauerkraut, sausages and meats of ALL KINDS including: elk, moose, boar, and boring beef, chicken, and pork just to name but a few, roasted potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and endless vegetables, so many varieties of breads I lost counts, so many varieties of cheeses I gave up trying to remember them, countless beers, wines, liquors, and combinations of all three, and of course an operating chocolate fondue fountain.  And a man I believe is the national Estonian festival food taste-tester.

Hungry yet?

http://youtu.be/Pg3YHoRWYAQ