Sunday, May 25, 2014

Yachting


Estonia is practically an island - Baltic sea in North and West, Lake Peipsi in East. During Soviet occupation the sea was inaccessible to most of people. You had to get a permit to go to island Saaremaa or Hiiumaa, and even there it wasn't about yachting or boating a bit - only fishing boats allowed, boarder guards everywhere. (Don't ever bullshit me about equal and happy life in Soviet Union, I get agitated...).

Ok, after 1991 the sea is for people again. Thanks to European Union you can head out from Tallinn in your yacht and sail to Sweden and back, without any paperwork. By the way, Estonia still is pretty uptight with boating, too much paperwork, regular inspections etc on larger boats and yachts, so many Estonians register their vessel in Sweden, Denmark or Malta.

And finally, to come to what I really wanted to speak about: what is more beautiful than a yacht? It's a wooden yacht. Toomas bought this supreme vessel last year, has been repairing it with care. Now is only needs a new engine for manoeuvring in harbour. Made in Sweden in 1964. Enjoy and envy!

Photos by Vahur, 25 May 2014 Tallinn Lennusadam (old Seaplane Harbour).





Sunday, May 11, 2014

Punk Power




Punk and beer, it's like surf music and joints or transce and eeez. Punk legend, a hero of many generations - Villu Tamme! Photo by Vahur 3 May 2014, biker's thing just behing the 16 kannu pub in Tartu Tammelinn.

Proto Hipster


Impossible to deny that hipsters stole their style from hobos. Got one sleeping in front of my laboratory/Tallinn home. Photo by Vahur, 3 May 2014, Tallinn.

Dallas Style

Newer mess with a poet. Model: Kaur. Photo and accessories: Vahur.
Den Pobedy!
9 May 2014, Tartu

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Khrushchyovka

Death of Stalin (1953) put the end to shared apartments (one kitchen, one toilet, several families) and neoclassical, even neobaroque housing. Much lighter, modern buildings started to pop up. Prefabricated concrete panels (patented French technology, I've heard) or bricks were used. What's most important, green light was given to private space. Of course you could hear your neighbours well, but still the tiny flat with symbolic kitchen was at the disposable of your own family and nobody else. I wonder what did that Jeanneret guy think? Actually, I've seen similar housing in Basel, Berlin and Brussels, so I suppose he'd be eligible to comment on that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khrushchyovka

Photo by Vahur, April 2014, Tallinn, Toonela tee.