Estonia’s history is funny, so long as you like dark humor. Dark, as in murderous and depressing. But modern day Estonians seem to laugh it off, with a “well, anything has to be better than that past” attitude. And a lot of beer.
If you think this picture is scary, click it to listen to hear why Estonia is the world's dumping ground.
For those following along, this is the last of four funny stories told while Evo was traveling near the top of the world in the winter. Previously, he told us why he’s now known as the American ice-hole, how Thai sauna can’t hold a candle to Finnish sauna, and the subtle differences between a KHL and an NHL hockey game. On this episode, he tells us why Estonia has been the dumping ground for the world. What? You don’t think that sounds funny? Think pratfall or physical comedy with a dark side. Then don’t stop for like 800 years.
Evo was a guest of the Estonian Tourism board, and regardless of what he says on the episode you should definitely #visitEstonia. Though his grasp of history is rather shallow, he does have a connection, as he traces one of his earliest ancestors back to the early 1700s, where a great-great-great someone left the dark, cold, and apparently non-stop oppression and occupation of Estonia for a better life in America.
A few highlights from this episode:
We've been married longer than Estonia has been an independent country
All of the old city of Tallinn is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site
It's illegal to walk in the dark without a reflector
Sneaky Estonians planned to build a monument to atheism out of a church
It's a great place to look at larger-than-life statues of perpetrators of genocide
It's arguably one of the best places in Europe to find craft beer
Evo also grabbed a bunch of postcards while he was in Estonia, and they’ve not yet been sent out. So if you’d like one (and you really, really want one), sign up and we’ll send you a handwritten postcard, just like we do for about 40 other people every month.
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Music for our show is graciously provided by the fantastic band Velella Velella. They make killer tunes, and you should buy all of their stuff. It’s fabulous!
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This One Time (The Podcast) features retellings and recreations of the best (or worst depending on perspective) travel stories encountered in a life lived abroad. Stay subscribed on iTunes or whatever else you use to listen to podcasts and you’ll never miss an episode.
