You are about to watch Telling Binge Wins Disc 2.
In case you haven't seen the first disc yet, I suggest to watch it before you proceed.
You have seen it already? Okay, then we shall continue.
Telling, the capital is considered to be the financial and political centre of Estonia.
On the other hand, Tartu is kind of a spiritual capital being the centre of science and culture.
It's the second largest city of Estonia as well, with a little over 100,000 citizens.
The University of Tartu is probably the biggest reason for the intellectual image of the city.
It's also the oldest university of the country and it's well known all over the world.
As a matter of fact, several years ago when I studied the basics of semiotics, the name
of Yuri Lottman came to be very familiar to me as his school of semiotics is considered
very important. I basically heard about this university and people connected with it before
then the city itself.
The history of Tartu University reflects the fact that Estonia has been occupied by several
countries and empires. The university was founded in 1632 by the Swedish Empire and
it was actually the second university of the whole empire. From 1822 it was run by the
Baltic Germans, causing the change of name and other things. Even Nazis owned this university
when they occupied Estonia from 1941 till 1944. Then the Soviet Union took control until 1991
when the whole team collapsed, you know. And since then, Tartu University has been finally
owned by Estonians themselves.
In case you didn't know, the Soviet Union also tried to occupy Finland during the World
War II. Between 1939 to 1940 was Winter War, but conquering Finland didn't work out as
it was planned. Finns were able to hold the lines just enough to make a peace treaty possible.
On the contrary, Estonia was way too small and didn't have many resources to defend
itself. It succumbed to the Soviet Union which led to the depressing era of oppression.
Past of Estonia makes Finns think of what could have happened to Finland if the defence
had failed. Not just language, but also the history is related between two small nations.
If Swedes are like distant cousins for Finns, Estonians are more like brothers who often
get more sympathy. And when it comes to the World War II, Sweden was officially neutral,
profiting at the same time by selling iron ore to Nazis. And don't tell me that it had
nothing to do with ideology, even after the collapse of Third Reich many Swedish intellectuals
believe that Finns along with Estonians and Russians are inferior race. And due to their
business they got rich during the war. At the same time Finland was sucked poor by huge
war reparations to the Soviets. Of course we're envious. Damn you rich Swedish faggots!
The weather seems to underline the melancholy finesse of the city. It's beautiful to me
in the same way as the surface texture of a rusty object. It's decadent and it's real.
It's sad but also comforting at the same time. Who knows if it has something to do with the
human tendency to get some kind of purpose satisfaction by seeing something dying.
Like I said the weather probably plays a big part in this. During the summer this is definitely
different with the sun and warmth. But I can't say that the beginning of December is the
completely wrong time to be here. This atmosphere is most definitely out of reach in any other
time of the year. A wrong time can be the right time.
This historical midtown was in a worse condition but it has been repaired a lot since Estonia
regained its independence in 1991. The university seems to help the economy as well. At least
I can't find any other reason why there are so many good reasonably priced restaurants
here. The contrast is present here just like in Tallinn but here it's not so much old
and new side by side. More like classy, commercial and clean from one side, old, stark and eroded
on the other. Not often very strikingly though, you often can see how tones are blended. And
even though I mentioned Tallinn, Tartu still looks and feels different. The old city is
not as commercial and many things are all for locals as well, not just for tourists.
I don't find lack of drunk fins disturbing at all. The amount of bars and clubs is quite
significant due to the power of the university. But all intoxicated dicks and cocks should
find their beer and skittles elsewhere. We shall maintain the dignity of Tartu.
As some of you might know, I'm not very keen to run my ass off against time by changing
every single tourist attraction everywhere I go. The Botanic Garden of Tartus will be
the only one this time, as several people have said at its word of visit. It's also
easy to find as it's right here in the center of the city.
Here grow over 2500 different species and it's the oldest botanic garden in the Baltic
countries. It's also among the oldest in the world, founded in 183. It's quite decadent
and modest, however, that is also part of its charm.
I'd like to support these kind of places and the fee was just 25 estonian kruins, about
1.6 euros. You can also buy some small plants for you if you want. I would like to, but
now I can't be sure if I could take it home alive. Perhaps next time. There were some
other places to see as well, like the KGB cells. I've also been told that it's quite
a desperate place, demonstrating the gruesome history of Estonia under Soviet oppression.
Well, have to check that cheerful place some other time. I have this nice feeling that
I'll return here some day anyway.
