Category Archives: Estonia

Journey to the Center of Europe

Zur deutschen Fassung. It is July 15th, 2022. The early hours of the day are still morning-pleasantly fresh, although it will turn into a very hot day. There is even a bit of a drizzle in between. The kind of … Continue reading

Posted in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Europe, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Travel, Ukraine | Tagged | 9 Comments

“Sovietistan” and “The Border” by Erika Fatland

Hier gibt es diese Rezension auf Deutsch. Do you also have so many travel guides at home for countries you never made it to? I still got a Lonely Planet guidebook for Central Asia, which I bought in 2007. Apparently, … Continue reading

Posted in Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Books, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Korea, Norway, Poland, Ukraine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Hiiumaa, the real Adventure Island

Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Berichts. I have been on lots of islands, some of them far away like Australia or Easter Island. After paying a lot and polluting heaps of air to get there, I was wondering if it’s really … Continue reading

Posted in Cold War, Estonia, History, Military, Photography, Travel | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Random Thoughts (17)

Now I know why it’s called CATalonia: it doesn’t know if it wants to walk through the door or not. Shouldn’t nobody sign no contract that they ain’t read before. (I am now giving legal advice in country lyrics, at … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Law, Lithuania, Politics, Spain, Time, Travel, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Where is the center of Europe?

Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. Reading the book Black Earth, I became aware of a village in Ukraine that was calculated and named as the geographical center of Europe in 1887: Dilove. “Really?“ I wondered, not because I would begrudge Dilove the … Continue reading

Posted in Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Europe, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Photography, Poland, Slovakia, Travel, Ukraine | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

How rich is Estonia?

You can tell that a country is abundantly rich and has a prospering economy when there are signs next to the toilet that tell you “Don’t throw money down the toilet”. (Seen and photographed at Tallinn Airport in Estonia.)

Posted in Economics, Estonia, Photography, Travel | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Why Eastern Europe cannot accept more Refugees

Dear Western Europe, it seems you are in sulk about our unwillingness to accept more any refugees. It hurts us to hurt your feelings, so please allow us to explain things from an Eastern European perspective. We are certain you that … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Estonia, Europe, Human Rights, Hungary, Islam, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Politics, Slovakia | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

The Revolutions of 1989

1989, those were the times! With each broadcast of the evening news, the world changed so quickly that most people already lost track back then. Now, 25 years later, only a vague recollection of falling walls, fired shots and popping champagne … Continue reading

Posted in China, Cold War, Estonia, Europe, Germany, History, Human Rights, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Politics, Romania | Tagged | 8 Comments

Peak Oil

(Photographed on the island of Hiiumaa in Estonia.)

Posted in Economics, Estonia, Photography, Travel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Towers of Tallinn

As many churches and castles with beautiful towers you may build, one guy is going to dwarf them all by building a huge chimney.

Posted in Estonia, Photography, Travel | Tagged | 5 Comments