Anti-crisis Christmas cheer in Estonia

Locked in one of Europe s deepest recessions, Estonians in dire need of some anti-crisis cheer are flocking to their capital s annual Christmas market, a magnet for locals and tourists alike. Spread across the centre of Tallinn s picturesque Old Town, the market showcases the hugely popular handicraft traditions of this small Baltic nation of 1.3 million people. Despite the recession there are plenty of customers. But you can see times are hard because of the increase in the number of thieves, who act quickly, like rabbits, Mahe Jarmut, a grandmother from the island of Saaremaa, wearing traditional costume and a sheepskin jerkin to fight off the winter chill, told AFP. The Estonian economy is forecast to contract a whopping 14 percent this year after a spectacular boom turned to bust.

Tallinn is a Baltic fairytale

I d been told that Tallinn was beautiful but it s hard to get the measure of a place when you touch down at midnight and there s little to see but empty streets and worn-out shop fronts. Why you come here? snorts the taxi driver. Tallinn not good. Oh dear. I m in the Estonian capital on a recommendation and was led to believe all would be charming. I sit back in the seat and sigh, watching my breath almost freeze in front of me. It feels a bit like no-man s land. Then, out of nowhere, the outline of medieval turrets rises above the city s old quarters as arterial roads give way to 13th-century cobbles - the reason people come here becomes obvious. Only 15 minutes from the airport and you re in a Baltic fairytale.

Estonia s Tallinn is like a Petri dish of capitalism

It s amazing what a stretch of water can do. The country of Estonia sits across the Baltic Sea from Sweden and Finland. Yet the struggles of the last couple of generations couldn t be more different on opposite sides of the sea. Traveling to this former Soviet republic spices up any visit to this region especially if you connect with the people and tune into their story about their struggle for freedom. During World War II, Estonia lost its independence to Soviet expansion and sank into a 50-year communist twilight. In an attempt to Russify the country, the Soviets moved out Estonians, moved in Russians, and built massive-scale, cookie-cutter apartment blocks. During my visit here in the 1980s when labor was cheaper than light bulbs an old babushka would actually go through museums with me turning on and off lights as we went from room to room.

Craftsmanship surging in Estonia

Estonia is known for its innovativeness and eagerness to adopt and invent new technologies. Yet the old and the traditional has not at all been forgotten. Among the Nordic capitals, only Tallinn and Lubeck have far-reaching roots in the history of marzipan. The recipe for marzipan was invented in Hanseatic Tallinn by a student at Town Hall Apothecary, which is also known as the oldest apothecary in the world. Since then marzipan (originally Marci Panis) has been produced in Tallinn. When visiting Tallinn, it is suggested to go to one of the two marzipan museums in Tallinn, on Pikk street 16, or Viru street 4, where one can shape all sorts of marzipan figures. These are popular places for celebrating children s birthdays among the locals. Also, Estonia s biggest chocolate manufacturer Kalev had its start, in 1806, in Pikk street s marzipan boutique in the Old Town.

The Estonian argument for English translations

The Apollo Solaris bookstore in Tallinn is Estonia s largest bookseller: modern, including a coffee area, and by all appearances much like any good bookshop in the UK or US, with the significant difference that its shelves are filled with books that most of us can never hope to read, because they are written in Estonian. Until someone invents a special pair of translation goggles that will convert every foreign word we look at, English-language readers are stuck on the outside of this particular bookshop experience, left to admire the decor, lounge in the coffee area, but all the while self-conscious and, if you re anything like me, depressed, irkingly aware that these shelves represent an enormous number of intellectual and artistic experiences that you, sad sack, will never have. A small contingent from Dalkey Archive Press visited Apollo a few years ago while scouting for Estonian novels to publish, and met with Nele Hendrikson, the product manager at Apollo, who was somewhat surprised to learn that an English-language publisher had come to Estonia for any reason other than vacation.

Estonia euro adoption

Estonia s hopes of becoming the next European Union member state to adopt the euro as its national currency received a slight boost Monday with comments from EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia suggesting the Baltic state could receive an invitation to the eurozone as early as June 2010. Estonia could secure approval in June 2010 to adopt the euro currency in 2011 if everything goes well, Almunia told Austrian weekly Profil. The news was welcomed in Estonia, where the government of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip has made euro adoption its exit strategy for a deep economic recession. Finance Minister Jurgen Ligi told the Baltic News Service that Almunia s comments were generally welcome but were simply an opinion rather than a strong statement, and would have no effect on Estonia s plans.

Estonia s President Ilves joins list for top EU job

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the incumbent president of the small Baltic state of Estonia, became the latest name Thursday to enter the race for the job of European Council President. The Baltic News Service reported that Prime Minister Andrus Ansip told a news conference in Tallinn: I put forward... the name of Toomas Hendrik Ilves as a candidate fit for the position of both president and high representative for foreign policy. I do not think his chances are highly improbable. However, Ansip also spoke positively about other potential candidates including the UK s Tony Blair, Luxembourg s Jean-Claude Juncker and Belgium s Herman van Rompuy. Ilves name was first mentioned as a possible candidate for president last month by influential Polish policymaker Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, but at the time he refused to confirm if he was interested in the role.

Relaxing Time at the Swissôtel Tallinn

Felt hats, buckwheat pillows, wooden bowls and artefacts, wickerwork, beautiful hand-sewn quilts, ceramics and glassware, sea-grass animals as well as home-made candles are offered among others at the Christmas Market as well as typical culinary Estonian delights like pork, sauerkraut, blood sausages, hot soups, gingerbread, marzipan, honey, nuts and sweets. Christmas performances with choirs, dance groups, poets and musicians round of the abundant programme. Swissôtel Tallinn, only a 10 minute walk away from the Town Hall Square, offers a special Christmas market package which includes the following: A stay in a Swiss Advantage room overlooking the harbour and delicious breakfast at Café Swiss, a 10 discount voucher for the Kaubamaja department store, a voucher for a complimentary set of drinks when purchasing a meal at the legendary medieval Olde Hansa restaurant, complimentary gift wrapping service as well as a complimentary use of the hotel s Amrita Spa Wellness including a 20 discount on any Biodroga or Futuresse product purchased from the Amrita Boutique.

Estonian CPI drops by record 2.2 pct y y

Estonian consumer prices fell 2.2 percent year-on-year in October, the first time the index has fallen more than two percent over the 12-month period in the recession-hit Baltic state. The consumer price index fell 0.1 percent month-on-month in October, data showed on Friday. The falls were close to expectations: the median forecast in a Reuters survey was for a 2.1 percent fall year-on-year and a 0.06 percent month-on-month drop. Compared to the same month of the previous year, the consumer price index decreased for the first time by more than 2 percent, the statistics office said in a statement. In September, Estonia reported a year-on-year price fall of 1.6 percent. Compared to October of the previous year, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the price decrease of food by 6.9

Estonia looks to euro in 2011

TALLINN Estonia has set its sights on adopting the euro in 2011 following an IMF report released earlier this week praising the country s fiscal management. A full-fledged crisis has been avoided due to existing buffers and a determined response by both the public and the private sector, an IMF press release said. As a result of present and past efforts, euro adoption in 2011 appears within reach, it said. Estonian politicians were quick to embrace the news, expressing confidence that they would be able to fulfill the Maastricht criteria - which govern countries aiming to join the eurozone - and adopt the currency within the next two years. The Estonian Central Bank has also confirmed that the country could be ready to adopt the euro in 2011. Estonia has previously missed its targets for euro adoption, the first of which passed in 2007, due to high inflation.