So, day 2 of the cycling and I am still not happy with the devil bicycle. Fortunately, there is a spare bike in the bike trailer that has a slightly different geometry. It's still not a great bicycle, but enough of an improvement that I don't hate it with the passion I hated the first bike.
Stuart swops the saddle and pedals over and we are ready to face the changed weather forecast.
The day is a 32 mile day with lots of interesting stop off points. The first one is the manor house of a German aristocrat. The story associated with this house is that the gentleman knew his wife really wanted a pond in the gardens, so overnight he had a pond excavated so she would see it in the morning. It seems a somewhat unlikely story, but later that day we find the story is reflected in the china that is used to serve lunch.
Next stop is to see some boulders by the shore that originated in Finland and got moved across the sea during the last ice age. This was also the place of many bugs, midges, mossies and flies. Note to self, don't bring yellow jerseys on holidays.
The pre lunch stop is for a swim in the sea. The Baltic Sea no less! So the answer to the question, is it baltic in the Baltic, is not really, it's actually quite pleasant!
I however only went for a paddle. Most of the group actually went for a swim, but they had to wade so far out to sea before it got deep enough, they made it nearly half way to Finland!
Finally, we make it to lunch. We arrive at 1pm exactly at the moment it starts to rain. We couldn't have timed it better. The lunch was also ready at spot on 1 o'clock as we walked in. Fresh tea in the pot, amazing home smoked salmon and then home baked cakes. This is getting ranked in one of the top lunches of all time!
We found out that we weren't actually in a restaurant, but in the Maritime museum, and after we had finished eating the lady who owns the museum gave us a brief talk.
She told us the history of the area, that it was dominated by the sea and they had more sea schools than Russia and over time their village had produced 136 sea captains. However, in the Second World War the Estonians ended up fighting on 4 different sides. For the Germans, or for the Russians, or the Finns or part of a resistance movement. This meant that at the end of the war only 25% of Estonians were on the winning side. Her father was sent to Siberia and didn't return to Estonia until 1951. By this time the region was dominated by the Russians and all the old sea-faring ways were lost. It seems like there is still a divide between the Russian people and the Estonians even now.
Outside the museum is a 15 metre ships mast, which we decided to climb. It was only when we got to the top and heard the rumbling thunder in the distance that we realised it possibly wasn't a good idea to have climbed the tallest metal structure in the vicinity!
Flushed with the success of climbing the tower I also climb one of the Finnish boulders. Although I don't have a photo of my achievement, I'm sure I looked just like Nathalie. (Well, maybe just in my head!)
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