In the morning, Ruta had made "Hirze" (I don't have a clue what it is, so I can't translate it into English.) It was ironic, because I had been questioning the Fischers the night before, about a sweet, thick, grain thing with milk that they sometimes made for breakfast, and which I adored. They didn't remember such a thing, but thought I might mean "Hirze." -Which I didn't understand, of course. But, here was Hirze, which we had for breakfast. (Not the sweet, baked, yellow way with milk, but still alright.) Then we went to the Bus Terminal in Tallinn.

Our plan was to leave our luggage there, and go do a few things around town. Then, in the afternoon, we were going to a small town in the East, to see lake Pepsi. Then, the next day, we'd look at some other towns in the east, and late at night, catch the big bus, taking us to Saint Petersburg. So... we left our luggage at the Tallinn Bus Terminal, which was priced a little high, and they gave us a card with a number on it.

Then, we were going to the offices of one of the local landscape architects. We'd researched it on the internet before coming, and we were going to see how Pamela's profession was, there in Estonia. So, we took a bus, out of town, to ... nearly nowhere -and couldn't find the place properly after that. At least we had a nice bit of a walk in the sun, and eventually, in a residential area, we saw the right number, on the right street. So, the two dogs lying in the yard let everyone nearby know that we were there, looking at this house, and trying to decide if we'd got the wrong address completely. There was no sign or anything to suggest that it was the right place, and it wasn't as if we were going to go in there and knock at the door, with the two dogs in the yard. (There was a fence between the yard and the road, you see.)

While were discussing what we should do, someone at length came out of the house, and walked up to us, to see what was going on. And I went into my Linguist Mode, (which always means there's a struggle with words coming up,) and tried explaining to this person that we were looking for a Landscape Architecture business, -try saying THAT in Estonian! (But I think it worked, because we'd looked up what that term was, in our research of Landscaping in Estonia.) So, it turns out that this was the right place. It was just our luck though, that this person was a bit of a no-body, who worked in the office, (could it be the son? perhaps.) The Chief was away at a project, or a meeting, or something, but if we wanted to come back next week, there would be time to meet then. (ah... great.)

But, then, between his broken English, and my fractured Estonian, we found out a little more general stuff: such as what the market is like. Pamela was surprised at what a large percentage of their work is for private gardens. And... that's all that I can recall about our little adventure to find out about Estonian Landscaping.

Then we went back to the center of Tallinn, and I went to an Amber Shop, while Pamela picked up some post-cards for us to send to people. Have I said yet, that Pamela's birthday was going to occur while we were in Petersburg? So, I had planned to find some nice amber for her. Also, we were getting some for her Grand-mother, who was having her Birthday just as Pamela got back to Germany. And there was one other nice piece, which I got, just because the prices in Estonia are very good for Amber. I'll give it to... whoever has a birthday that I forget until the last moment. (or, until after the last moment.) But, Pamela didn't want to help me decide what she'd like, she told me a number of times that I didn't have to get her anything at all anyhow. So, I had to make these decisions alone. (And is anyone curios about what I got? Well, two small, round white amber earrings, set in tear-dropped silver, and a broach of green-amber, also set in minimally decorative silver. And I'm pleased, and warmed, and delighted that the ear-rings are the ones that Pamela always wears now. I feel so special to her. She makes me so happy. Ahhh... Joy.)

Then... we bought a couple of concert tickets for a baroque concert that was happening just after we'd be getting back from Petersburg. And then... we walked, quickly, and without delay, to the bus station. And ended up having a complete four minutes before our bus left! Wasn't that nice? It was a little rushed though, to be sure. So, we got on the bus, and off we went... and went... and went. It was a four hour ride, to NO WHERE. There's this little village, called Alajõe, which is on the lake. And I'd had a number for a hostel there, and had made a reservation for us two. And it was really, a bit of luck that this bus went there, and directly there. Because there's only four busses a day going through Alajõe; two towards the end of the line, (even more the middle of no where,) and these same two coming back.

So... we wanted to be sure to get out at the right place, so I'd gone to sit up at the front, near the driver, when we were near the right time to be there. And I asked him where, and when it would be, and he promised to let me know. WELL...

We got to Alajõe, the village, but there wasn't a bus stop there. There were four passengers at the front of the bus, who were telling the bus driver where the bus stop was. (I think he was new on the rout.) And there was a bit of an interesting detour, this way, and that, around the village, with all four of them giving directions at once. They seemed to know something about the place, so I also asked them where this hostel was, and good thing I did, because it was about a fifteen minute walk from the center of the village. Now... I want to make it clear, what their discussion about the bus rout sounded like. They were all Russian, (The East of Estonia having a very large Russian Population, this wasn't at all surprising.) And they all spoke, every word, with an aggressive, testy, tired voice. And everything they said sounded argumentative.
"He should turn here."
"And then he'll have to go left down there."
-And then, in exactly the same, argumentative tone, "Yes! That's Right." -but said in such a way, that if you didn't know the language a bit, you'd be sure they were disagreeing.

Well, as it was, we were let off right at the driveway of our hostel... which was a couple of two-story buildings, some camping areas, and a high sand-dune, (A huge hill, by Estonian Standards!) dividing it all with the lake. And we were so glad to be there, at last. (Remember that it was a four hour drive? through the middle of nowhere? Part of it, was gladness that we'd been let off right there, or how else would we have found it?) We asked about where we might go for dinner, and they said they could prepare it there, which we thought was best, because the village was a bit of a walk, and once there, would anything be open? So, while the girls were preparing the dinner, we went for a little swim in Lake Pepsi. This is one of the biggest lakes in Eastern (North eastern, perhaps,) Europe. It's the border between Estonia and Russia, so of course there's loads of history about it. I was surprised to find out that it only gets as deep as five meters. I think it must freeze right through in the winter. (You have to see the broken hills of ice at it's shores in the winter. It's quite neat.) Well... I guess it doesn't freeze RIGHT through, but if it's two meters of ice, then there's only three meters of water, at the deepest parts.

Our dinner there was not special, but there was nothing wrong with it, and then we went to the village, to see about getting a bus the next day, to get out of there. That's when we understood that there's only TWO a day; One rather early, and the other in the late afternoon, (which would leave Pamela feeling rather anxious about getting our Bus to Russia.) And all it said there, was that it was going towards such-and-such. So we'd have to go in that direction, and then find out what bus to take north, to get to Narva, (the town on the Russian border, where we'd be getting on the bus to Petersburg.) There were two helpful men standing there though, who discussed between them, what the best way would be to get there. Russian men though. Who were discussing it in the same Russian way;
"They could take this bus."
(angry,)"Yes. And then they'll connect in this town."
(fed up,)"That's one way to do it."
(argumentative,)"They could connect in this town instead."
(loud,)"It's Possible! You're right!"
(over assertive,)"I think the first way is better though!"
(disgusted, and angry,)"Yes! I'd agree with you about that."

Lovely. Really lovely. Pamela and I were ever so glad, that just before we'd come to the village, there'd been a man in the hostel, offering to drive us to Jõhvi, which is a big town near Narva, that many many busses go through. He was leaving early in the morning, which is why we didn't take his offer right away, but we'd seen that if we took the bus, it would still be leaving very early. So, on our return, we told him that we'd be delighted to get a ride with him at eight in the morning. It was fairly late in the evening by then, so we just had a cup of tea, and I spent a bit of time putting a puzzle together, that was there on a table. (Jigsaw puzzles appeal to me: I love putting things in order. Just love it. My Grandmother is another one, who finds a puzzle just too hard to resist.)

While I indulged myself like that, Pamela was looking at things in a travel guide for Petersburg, that we could go and see. She's so wonderful, dear Pamela. And then we got to sleep.