“And another thing I’d like to remember to you…”
Day 7. 2 August 2003
Saturday. “The interesting thing is that…” there’s something else that I have to tell you. Ester is one of those people – a historian, archeologist and history teacher – who’s command of English, despite her protestations otherwise, is excellent, and who has a way with her words that can make everything she tells us something that we really do want to know. She joins us again for our second full day of leisure and sightseeing, taking us first to the smallest church on Saaremaa – at Kóljala.
There are many interesting things about this church, and funny too, not least the paintings on the arched ceilings (sadly we were unable to go up through the walls into the roof space of this one!) – one motif in particular brings back the antics of yesterday. The leg swapping, bending over and looking between the legs by Alice and myself at the farm…
We leave the church just in time, as the biggest coach load of tourists descend on the quiet church surrounded by trees. We hasten to our bus, and drive on to Karja – and the traditional windmills. We enter into the main windmill, paying our 8EEK to enter and ascend up through the sweet-smelling wooden interior, looking upon the inner workings of the mill. Later, we peruse the visitors’ book for an entry from previous BTCV groups but find none, and so Tom enters one in for today and we each sign beneath.
Outside, we lounge around in the sun talking to the billy goats and their children, and watch as Jane, Alice, Paul and Charis play in the children’s playground. There has been less of a talk by Ester here, but I think perhaps she is saving herself for our next stop…
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