WHAT LIFE IN ESTONIA IS REALLY LIKE 🇪🇪 digital nomad in tallinn

[@HelenGolovina-y9h]

Those areas of wooden buildings are very popular among Estonians. There are many such areas in Tallinn and other towns in Estonia and they are by law defined as "areas of atmospheric value" and when you want to build something new there it is either not allowed or you have to present a project to a special committee who will or will not give a permit to build. All with the purpose of keeping the atmosphere. For Estonians the wooden house area associate with the First republic (legally incorrect term since we actually have only one republic but people call the first independence period of 1918-1940 like this) and with grand and great-grandparents and their way of life. With the little gardens with apple trees and lilac bushes, as small replicas of much bigger rural gardens in the country that they maybe moved away from in the course of urbanisation. Those wooden houses were all heated locally by each house, they had fire places and most of them still do. I would personally love to live in an apartment in a house like that where I have to heat my own apartment. Today these areas are popular among students and young people in general. As opposed to the soviet nostalgia these wooden areas are places of nostalgia for the First republic where everything was much more polite and civilised and old fashioned. Maybe in actuality it was not but this is the way it seems to us now, from a distance. A time when Estonia is most Estonian. The best theatre in Estonia, Tallinn City Theatre is currently using a house in Kalamaja area because their own place (in Old Town) is going through massive reconstructions. This is how I discovered Kalamaja for myself. Never much went there before before I had to because of the theatre. Today it is definitely no longer an area for the "working class" because since it is so popular, it has become quite expensive.

[@Or_321]

Thanks for the educating on the meaning of Kalamaja. I've been living here for 2yrs, I just never thought to make the connection despite knowing what both words mean. I had to Shazam the background song because I loved it. Turns out it's yours. It's a very lovely song!

[@straumania]

I wanted to comment... visited Tallinn two years ago in the fall. I'm an older gentleman, 67 at the time. I was knocked off sidewalks by pedestrians, bumped into, and had store doors shut in my face. In fairness, there were several Estonians who went out of their way to be kind, in particular a bus driver who directed us to the correct tram stop for the airport, and the salesperson in Mabrik in Telliskivi who made us feel welcome. But I was shocked by the negative and it did leave a bad impression of the country and the locals.

[@FalcomScott312]

Thanks for sharing this video & I enjoyed the beautiful sites of Estonia! ❤❤

[@goldmaple5290]

Thank you Claire, I loved your original music for this video. Thank you for showing us a part of Estonia we would not normally see. I really loved the Antique Collectibles shop. If I was living in Tallinn, I would be totally immersed in that shop. I love antiques. That meat dumplings looked absolutely delicious and I absolutely love ice cream. My favourite flavors of ice cream are rocky road, rum and raisin and pistachio.

[@ClaireHawkins]

Thank you for watching!! I'm missing those meat dumplings now - I'll have to go back!

[@eksiarvamus]

As an Estonian/Tallinner - you are technically not allowed to ride a bike on the sidewalk, but plenty of them were built before actual bike lanes and they were built to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists, so it's completely fine if you ride your bike there. Elsewhere it's more or less fine as long as you don't put anyone in danger and get out of the way when you approach pedestrians. In the streets you are walking at Kopli St, I would pretty much always ride on the sidewalk.

[@ClaireHawkins]

Interesting!

[@059metafrast]

I'm living in Kalamaja and I never ride my bike on sidewalks. Some sidewalks are though designated for both, those are a bit wider and have signs (white on blue, bike and pedestrians silhuettes on it) I never used those electric rental scooters, I am not sure it is good idea at all. But what I know, I am old 65 y. Have ridden bike on streets since I was 14 and always on roads, seldom on sidewalks. Nice video, I liked it.

[@pertsonvelts1699]

So well made, so cozy this video, thanks!

[@ClaireHawkins]

I'm so glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching!

[@tormos_officialyt5691]

If you ever decide to visit in the summer, please go to Pärnu and Tartu. They are such lovley towns/cities and the Pärnu beach is just unmached!

[@Rula2020]

It’s really not that cold now in here in July. Just as a small disclaimer on why people are wearing jackets in the video. It was 24 celsius or 75 Fahrenheit today in Tallinn

[@ClaireHawkins]

Yes this was filmed in May! I'm sure it's much warmer now!

[@hard.to.define]

​@@ClaireHawkinsIn July and June it was 30°C a few times. It's really hot and even a bit suffocating for me as an Estonian. Now in August it's cloudy and 20°C, which is much better.

[@walkingestonian]

Sorry for somebody hitting you on the bike. Never happened to me and I have been walking on the sidewalks in Estonia for years, mostly wearing my huge headphones and having no idea about my surroundings. It's definitely NOT a cultural thing, just one stupid person who you accidentally happened to meet. And to answer about what did you miss? Like the whole country :D Estonia is not only Tallinn, but 99% of the travel vloggers only visit Tallinn.

[@ClaireHawkins]

Any recommendations in particular? I know I have lots more to explore on my next trip to Estonia!

[@marviwilson1853]

I wonder if the guy on the bike was wearing huge headphones and had no idea about his surroundings?!!

[@zasmirko100]

@@ClaireHawkins Northern coast - Käsmu village and big rocks in the sea nearby Devils island, Viljandi small town by the lake and old university town Tartu, Otepää hills and lakes and Haanja hills and curvy roads in South Estonia (which is totally different geographically and even with their own language). And Northern Latvia - Cesis, Sigulda, Aluksne. (South Estonia and North Latvia were one are in the past - Old Liivimaa, capital Riga)

[@veikov7766]

So when you're on an actual sidewalk for pedestrians or it's shared road then the pedestrian always has the right of way so to speak. If it's a half and half type of sidewalk, which is usually clearly marked with a separating line and both a road sign and marking on tarmac, then it's sort off pedestrians own fault if he gets shoved of the bike lane. It's a duch move of course as all the "bike lane vehicles" have to have a bell or a way to signal a pedestrian.

[@joesild]

Love your video 😊

[@ClaireHawkins]

Thank you!!

[@HelenGolovina-y9h]

I wish people would stop considering the Baltics as if one country. There is Estonia and then there is Latvia and there is Lithuania. All very different in every imaginable way. And Estonians definitely do not identify as Baltic. We have a descent relationship with other but it is quite a cold relationship. We know nothing of each others culture, writers, musicians, actors etc. Our languages belong to a different tree of languages. English is actually closer to Latvian and Lithuanian than Estonian. English and Russian and Latvian and Lithuanian and German and the Romance languages are Indo European. Estonian is Uralic, like Finnish. And also the atmosphere is very different, at least in Tallinn and Riga. A lot of Russian money and therefore mentality still in Latvia while we have mostly Nordic money here and working towards Nordic values, for examples low corruption. Our minimal hourly wage is about twice as high than in the rest of the Baltics

[@ClaireHawkins]

Absolutely! I think everyone I met traveling through the 3 countries would agree. Three different, beautiful countries.

[@TRHardware]

I see lot of these videos about Tallinn, but they all are from early spring. Is there some kind of early bird offer for plane tickets or? I have not seen a single video about Tallinn when its summer. Its much warmer here and a lot more buzz, definitely a better impression also.

[@ClaireHawkins]

Personally I prefer to travel in the off-season whenever possible, but I'm sure it's lovely in the summer as well!

[@martinkirotar6994]

Electric scooters on sidewalks is a huge nuisance right now. The law isn't yet regulating them correctly. As it currently stands, it's actually illegal to drive the scooters on the road if there is a sidewalk. However, the law requires both bikes and scooters to pass pedestrians at walking speed, and this is the bit that almost no one does. There has been quite a few accidents, hopefully legislation will fix this soon.

[@haitembenh31]

I want to move to estonia, really want to hear your thoughts about it , is it worth it , I'm a bit scared about the social life there , what do u think?

[@lainers175]

Lovely video, and some great food for thought for when I go :) What time of year were you there? ^_^

[@ClaireHawkins]

Thank you!! This was in May.

[@toomasargel8503]

not 14th centuries but first mening in history books was 1154 .... Yes

[@zulfiqaraliali1158]

Hi dear well come . Miss you dear❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Merike7173]

Thanks for your videotrio from Tallinn. Did you see Rotermanny Kvartal? You did nothing wrong, bikes should not be on pedestrian sidewalk. Unfortunately the electic scooters can still use the same sidewalk with pedestrians. But it is gonna change soon.😊

[@ClaireHawkins]

I think my hotel was in that area! You can check out my first Tallinn video for more on that.

[@toomasargel8503]

02.07 I do not like chinamon, shapinion, garlic, white fish, olives, shushi, mold sheece , goat cheese, salsa souse , peperoni sausage, coconuts, "Rfahel candies , pistatshia nuts , garden starberry .

[@workinprogress3609]

You can ride on the sidewalk if you are under 13 or are accompanying someone under 13.

[@ClaireHawkins]

Ooh interesting!

[@HelenGolovina-y9h]

You can ride on the sidewalk if it is not possible to ride anywhere else. How anyone defines that is up to anyone

[@eskarinajaanus451]

you absolutely did nothing wrong by walking on the sidewalk??? Definitely the bikers' fault

[@ClaireHawkins]

hahaha that’s what I thought but you never know!

[@PeepPoopuu]

Nice video, could be better

[@naapsuvaimne740]

prices will go up with liberals,kalamaja was hipster but not anymore , too expensiv

[@koz83]

lol right. it's liberals

[@toomasargel8503]

Ohter lie . Tallinn is not 5 minutes at old town walk or even drive with taxi . Tallinn size is at west to est 27,5 km and north to shouth 12, 9 km = with car west to est in rush hour 1 hour and 30 minutes in night time 40 minutes and north to shouth rush hour 55 minutes but night time ca 27 minutes.