The Vannamuudu Ensemble succeeded at Benita Nursing Home

When the Vannamuudu owl rehearsal reached, the agenda was already in place. Including a performance at Benita.

So I researched on my own what Benita means. It turned out that in Catalan (Spanish right-wing part) it means blessed. I had of course heard of Benita's elite nursing home in Keila and I also know that a colleague's daughter has worked there. I heard from bandmates that some band members have been to Vannamuudu performances there a couple of times. It also became clear that the former well-known music figure Sale Vare, who also guided the Vannamuudu band, has lived at Benita's home and therefore our band has ended up performing there before.

So this year, we were invited to perform on a special day, Estonian Independence Day. On the morning of August 18th, we set off from the Võru municipal office. Paldiski awaited us, where we planned to have lunch and go on an excursion. We ate delicious lunch soup in a historic tavern called Peetri Toll, where they try to create a post-Northern War atmosphere for visitors. After lunch, the exhibit of old weapons and guns in the building, as well as the paintings with an interesting style by an artist-guide, added spice to the experience. From one painting, I immediately recognized our guide in old-fashioned attire, not to mention the Estonian Presidents.

You could also buy souvenirs and books from the bar. Funny incidents and tavern stories, as well as life stories of former Paldiski residents, were bought by many. Next, we met the enthusiastic guide, teacher Riina, who took us to the tip of the Pakri Peninsula and the town of Paldiski. With her colorful storytelling, she introduced us to the history of Paldiski and its present life. We looked at the old and new lighthouses on Pakri and the statue of Amandus Adamson's "The Last Breath of a Ship" in Paldiski, which has raised conflicting opinions about its creation and location. In any case, the statue has changed its location from downtown Paldiski to the seaside. We also drove to the harbor area, where we caught a glimpse of the remaining doll from the ancient sea fortress. I couldn't miss mentioning the Bashkir national poet Salavat Yulayev in relation to Paldiski history and driving on the road named after him.

Returning from the fresh sea air of Pakri to Paldiski, we visited the new Radonees Orthodox Church dedicated by a son to his parents. It's a beautiful, neat new wooden church where we sang "Let joy remain in your soul" to a guide's emotional response. We saw Amandus Adamson's studio from the back of the garden in Võru Kreutzwald Park

, as the museum is closed on Mondays. Outdoors, you could also see the staircase and foundation of a house damaged during a WWII bombing.

From Paldiski, we headed towards Keila Waterfall. I must mention Erja's encounter in the parking lot with a local guy who gifted her a toy dog, named Pontu, as a souvenir.

Even though some had already been to Keila Waterfall and showed no interest, the more nature lovers disembarked from the bus and, with the non-walkers in tow, headed towards the waterfall, finding the right path straight to it. The gates of the manor were closed, again due to Mondays. Finally, our bus reached the nearest parking lot, and everyone was able to enjoy the roar of Keila Waterfall, the sunshine, and the beauty of the park. The more daring even crossed the suspension bridge. On our way to our accommodation at Kloogaranna Resort, we stopped at Treppoja to view the stream. The water cascading down step by step and strolling by the stream felt refreshing.

We settled into our villa-house and had a delicious dinner at the adjacent eatery in the resort complex. Since it's Klooga, the sea must be nearby. With some guidance from the landlady, we were already discovering the sea in groups. Veevil had planned to go swimming, and I also wanted to put my feet in the healing sea water. First, a sturdy boardwalk led to the dunes, and then we heard the lapping of the waves and the awaited sea splashed before us. As expected, Veevil was already swimming moments later, and I also felt the refreshing effects of the sea on my legs, although the water felt quite cold. So it was all the more invigorating to go for a sauna after swimming and a walk. The band was already playing, and a violin virtuoso had joined us from nearby Paldiski, who was no stranger to accordion playing. The evening passed with music and singing. Erja, a well-known event organizer, also arranged fun games. The next morning, we had a delicious breakfast and many were drawn back to the sea. Delicious blueberries were picked from the forest. Before leaving, we received a compliment from the hostess of Kloogaranna Resort, saying that we were the oldest guests they had ever had.

I remembered our travel objective - the performance at Benita's home. So, we had to go through a band rehearsal, which went successfully. We packed back onto the bus and headed to the nursing home. We were warmly welcomed, and the concert for the residents and staff of Benita's home on Estonian Independence Day could begin. The concert program and performance were lively and earned a pleasant round of applause from the audience. After the concert, we interacted with the audience, and it turned out that quite a few nursing home residents were originally from Võrumaa. They even sang along to a Võrumaa song. After the concert, we were offered cake and coffee and could tour the hotel-type nursing home and the beautifully maintained surroundings. After that, the journey home could begin. We were blessed with two days of beautiful sunny weather, but Keila bid us farewell with rain as we were already on the bus. Thank you to the guiding forces - Endla, Erja, Lilia, Väino, and the hosts from Benita's home!

It was a nice and invigorating trip with good travel companions. Our thanks also go to the Võru Municipality for sponsoring our trip.

Ülle Sok

Member of Vannamuudu