00:00 >> And welcome to Tallinn, Estonia's capital city.
00:05 It's a small port city on the Baltic Sea and the center of activity for a country that's
00:09 been making leaps and bounds on the global stage in recent years.
00:12 I'm on a journey to really discover Estonia.
00:15 So what better place to start than at Speeding Heart?
00:19 Tallinn is where the old world meets the new.
00:21 Here you'll find one of the best preserved medieval cities in Northern Europe, right
00:25 next door to one of the continent's most digitally advanced urban centers.
00:29 >> Walking through Tallinn, you can feel the different layers that history has left for
00:35 us.
00:36 Basically, within 100 yards, you're able to come from the medieval cobblestone streets
00:40 into the modern high-tech environment.
00:43 So walking down the street, you might not be surprised when you see a medieval house
00:48 next to Baroque.
00:50 And it is basically like a little trip through time.
00:55 >> Today, Estonia is one of the most digitally advanced societies in the world.
00:59 It's also the startup capital of Europe, with four times more startups per capita than the
01:03 European average.
01:05 Tallinn even has these cute little robots that will drive around downtown delivering
01:09 everything from groceries to online shopping to fully cooked meals.
01:14 The city really likes its tech.
01:16 But how easy is it to unplug?
01:21 Lucky enough, Tallinn is surrounded by nature.
01:24 Estonia is covered in forests and wetlands.
01:26 We're going into the wild to discover one of the country's most ancient landscapes.
01:31 It's bogs.
01:32 There's no better person to guide us than Romit Vaino.
01:35 He's an Estonian nature photographer who spends most of his free time outdoors.
01:38 He also organizes trips to many of the bogs around Tallinn.
01:42 Romit, tell me what is so special about Estonia's bogs.
01:45 >> Well, I would say the first reason is that if you think of something primeval, something
01:51 ancient, then the bog is definitely the place to be.
01:55 The oldest bogs in Estonia are somewhere around like 10,000 to 12,000 years old.
02:01 >> Well, it's time to gear up and get bog walking.
02:05 These bog shoes will keep us from sinking into the peat moss.
02:09 (Laughing.)
02:11 Okay.
02:13 It's not as easy as you make it look.
02:17 I feel like a duck.
02:22 >> So this name, Kakkertaja Rava, this Kakkertaja, the name is given by one specific bird who's
02:31 a water bird, but it's really clumsy on walking on the ground.
02:37 >> So like me.
02:38 >> And this word, Kakkertaja, means either an animal or a person who's very clumsy.
02:45 >> Okay.
02:46 >> Yeah.
02:47 >> So I am the Kakkertaja.
02:49 >> You are Kakkertaja.
02:51 In this situation.
02:52 >> Yeah.
02:53 >> Is it common for Estonians who live in the city to come out and just get some air?
02:58 >> Yeah.
02:59 It has become like very, very popular in recent years.
03:03 Like 10 to 15 years ago, it was rather surprising to see people coming, for example, for a swim
03:12 to the bog in the morning, but now it's almost like a rule.
03:17 In the middle of summer, when people have vacations, it's very common that you would
03:23 come here like 4 o'clock in the morning.
03:25 >> 4 o'clock in the morning.
03:26 >> And you would see like maybe like 5 to 10 people swimming over here.
03:32 >> Romit convinced me to try this sunrise swim.
03:34 So we set up camp near the bog to wake up early.
03:38 Estonia's forest ministry maintains hundreds of free campsites like this one, with tables
03:43 and toilets and complimentary firewood for cooking and keeping warm.
03:47 Sunrise is at 4 a.m. tomorrow, so it's going to be a short night.
03:50 We're going to go to bed.
03:54 It was a rude awakening.
03:56 We walked in silence towards the bog.
03:58 So I was regretting every single decision I made this morning.
04:02 I hardly slept.
04:03 I put my jacket on inside out.
04:05 I was so tired.
04:06 But then I saw that sunrise and it was so stunning.
04:09 The colors were beautiful and it really felt like one of those once in a lifetime types
04:14 of moments.
04:15 I'm still very nervous about this, though.
04:17 So can you tell me, do you have any tips for how I can get into this water and not freak
04:22 out?
04:23 >> Yeah.
04:24 Well, there is no best way to do it.
04:26 It really depends on you.
04:28 Just take like deep breath.
04:32 The idea is not to kind of stop yourself.
04:35 Just try to keep the process just going.
04:39 >> Okay.
04:40 Okay.
04:41 So here goes.
04:42 If I survive this, we'll see you next time on Discover Estonia.
04:45 Thank you so much for watching.
04:47 Oh, no.
04:48 Aah!
04:49 Aah!
04:50 Aah!
04:51 Aah!
04:52 Aah!
04:53 Aah!
04:54 Aah!
04:55 Aah!
04:56 Aah!
04:56 (water splashing)
Comments