It's breakfast time with a side of golf's US Open viewing...
Along the way to our first waypoint, we stumble upon Kaarma Kirk ja pastoraat - it's a no brainer, we stop here before pressing on...
"Kaarma Church in Kirikuküla village, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, was built in the 1260s, probably sometime after a 1261 rebellion. It is a fine example of medieval church architecture on Saaremaa. It was built in an early Gothic style, with some details still in the Romanesque style. The church is a typical example of the type of churches that were built in the Bishopric of Saare-Lääne, with a simple nave and a narrow choir. The church was rebuilt subsequently during the whole Middle Ages, partly as an effort to steady the church which is built on unstable ground. The steeple dates from the 15th century, as do the present vaults. An oddity is the room with a fireplace built above the vestry. Originally, this room may have served as a refuge in times of trouble, but later probably served visiting pilgrims from nearby Gotland. Similar arrangements are found in other medieval churches on Saaremaa.
Of the interior, murals, the font and a wooden sculpture of St. Simon of Cyrene are all medieval. A large set of finely carved late Gothic wooden sculptures, at least some of which were possibly made by Lübeck master carver Henning von der Heide, are also displayed in the church. Additionally, the pillars of the church are decorated with stone carvings from the 15th century, displaying a plain, primitive and evocative style that is clearly related to stone carving from the same time from Padise Abbey and the medieval Dominican cloister in Tallinn. The pulpit (1645) and the neo-Gothic altarpiece decorated by Otto Friedrich Theodor von Möller are later, also noteworthy interior details."
Of the interior, murals, the font and a wooden sculpture of St. Simon of Cyrene are all medieval. A large set of finely carved late Gothic wooden sculptures, at least some of which were possibly made by Lübeck master carver Henning von der Heide, are also displayed in the church. Additionally, the pillars of the church are decorated with stone carvings from the 15th century, displaying a plain, primitive and evocative style that is clearly related to stone carving from the same time from Padise Abbey and the medieval Dominican cloister in Tallinn. The pulpit (1645) and the neo-Gothic altarpiece decorated by Otto Friedrich Theodor von Möller are later, also noteworthy interior details."
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 |  We're getting to really like this sprawling island with limited tourist impact - here it was just us and a random Estonian visiting from the mainland. |
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We then hit our first intended way point - high bluffs over the sea...
The Soviets originally placed this lighthouse on the bluffs powered by a nuclear generator. It's now powered by the normal electrical grid.
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"The only windmill hill in Saaremaa that has preserved its appearance awaits you in Angla. Four of the five Angla windmills are typical trestle windmills characteristic of the island of Saaremaa. They were built at the beginning of the last century. "
We performed a fly-by visit in 3 passes on the adjacent highway...
We performed a fly-by visit in 3 passes on the adjacent highway...
It's pretty much Summer now, but this firewood stash, at a grade school, is really to roll already for the coming Fall.
“There are a total of 190 structures identified around the globe as meteorite craters. Estonia could claim to be the world’s ‘Capital of craters’, being the country with the highest number per square kilometres. This record doesn’t depend on the chances of being hit: every country has roughly the same probability of being impacted by an asteroid coming from space. But regions with older rocks, that have not experienced later intensive geological activity, such as mountain formation, have a higher chance of accumulating impacts with time. Many of the craters that can be found in the Baltic region are related to local stories and legends. Some are sightseeing venues and have become tourist attractions in recent years,” says Dr Sten Suuroja, a researcher at the Geological Survey of Estonia."
"Kaali is a group of nine meteorite craters in the village of Kaal. Most recent estimates put its formation shortly after 1530–1450 BC (3237+/-10 14C yr BP). It was created by an impact event and is one of the few impact events known to have occurred in a populated area (other examples are Henbury craters and Carancas crater). Before the 1930s there were several hypotheses about the origin of the crater, including theories involving vulcanism and karst processes. Its meteoritic origins were first conclusively demonstrated by Ivan Reinvald with his investigations of 1928, 1933 and 1937."
"Kaali is a group of nine meteorite craters in the village of Kaal. Most recent estimates put its formation shortly after 1530–1450 BC (3237+/-10 14C yr BP). It was created by an impact event and is one of the few impact events known to have occurred in a populated area (other examples are Henbury craters and Carancas crater). Before the 1930s there were several hypotheses about the origin of the crater, including theories involving vulcanism and karst processes. Its meteoritic origins were first conclusively demonstrated by Ivan Reinvald with his investigations of 1928, 1933 and 1937."
 With this map we headed off to locate some other craters, finding two of them. The big tree, in a farm animal pasture, sits in one of them. The other is right alongside the roadway. |  |
We then headed back south to near our lodging to check out the big fort/castle.
"The town of Kuressaare is the administrative center of Saaremaa Municipality and the seat of Saare County and the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded population on 1 January 2018 was 13,276.
The city's biggest attraction is the Kuressaare Bishop's Castle, which mainly dates from the 14th century, and currently houses the Saaremaa Museum. The square-shaped fortress consists of four building wings around the courtyard. On the northeast side are the gate and two towers: Pikk Hermann and Sturvolt. The powerful earthen fortifications of the Kuressaare fortress around the medieval fortress core date from the 19th century. Kuressaare Castle is one of the best preserved in the Baltic States. "
"The town of Kuressaare is the administrative center of Saaremaa Municipality and the seat of Saare County and the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded population on 1 January 2018 was 13,276.
The city's biggest attraction is the Kuressaare Bishop's Castle, which mainly dates from the 14th century, and currently houses the Saaremaa Museum. The square-shaped fortress consists of four building wings around the courtyard. On the northeast side are the gate and two towers: Pikk Hermann and Sturvolt. The powerful earthen fortifications of the Kuressaare fortress around the medieval fortress core date from the 19th century. Kuressaare Castle is one of the best preserved in the Baltic States. "
Some stately mansions seen just before the draw bridge...
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Back at the "ranch', we taste the rest of our samples from yesterday's brewery visit - yum and yum:
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...and then veggie burgers, with veggies and fruit, and toast, for din din.
Yes, this lodging was very comfortable, too bad it was only two nights, although it being Summer, the nice little wood stove was not lit.
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