Viljandi Folk

Let's pretend it's August and I'm posting this in a timely manner...

Zetod & Lenna Kuurmaa - rocking it in traditional Seto clothing

Towards the end of my trip, I went on a mini-road trip with my friend Remi, who I met the previous summer at Kotkajärv. He picked me up in Tallinn, we drove to to the town where he lives near Haapsalu (west coast). I ended up driving his standard car for a bit on a dirt road, and then all of a sudden I was on the highway and he was asleep! Thankfully, I didn't need to pass anyone and I didn't have to break because of a car coming at me in my lane... (No joke, the drivers are insane when they try to pass, I thought I might die a few times..) Remi and I ended up in Viljandi for the folk music festival (my second time) where I met up with my uncle's family the next day. Unfortunately, I sprained my foot the first night I was there, which slightly impeded my ability to dance in the mud pits that the festival grounds turned into because of the rain. It was still amazing! Ok, I did try to dance to Zetod with Lenna Kuurmaa, it was the last night, but it was so packed! (Always composed Riho the classical composer was even getting into it.)

Highlights: Paabel, Zetod, Aleksei Arkhipovsky (crazy balalaika player), Svjata Vatra

Joyful people coming together to enjoy the mud.

After Folk, I scrubbed the mud off of my shoes, headed back to Tallinn and then flew home. Flying over the suburbs of Toronto was hard, I had culture shock coming home.