Helena-Reet: A day in Haapsalu – Wiigi and Müürivahe cafe, handicraft shops (Lija, Mirimart, Portel and Little Paris), Fra Mare Thalasso Spa, Violin play festival etc.
NordenBladet – Yesterday evening (July 21st) there was a big concert in Haapsalu Dome church, dedicated to the “Violin play” festival’s 30th anniversary and to professor Tõnu Reimann, and my older daughter Estella Elisheva (18) also performed there. Since the rehearsals started early, the four of us drove frome Saku to Haapsalu already in the morning.
A glimpse at Estella Elisheva’s main rehearsal in Haapsalu Dome church
We drove Estella to her rehearsal and then went to Wiigi cafe (Suur-Lossi 25). Instagram is packed with their wonderful food pics and I was determined to be a part of that food wonder. I ordered Tiger prawn salad (14€) and jasmine tea (6€), Ivanka chose Warm goat cheese salad (13€) and Värska water (3€) and Allan took Duck fillet (22€) and Cafe Latte (3.5€). The food was as good as it appeared! A true pleasure! Then we walked down the beach promenades and headed to the wonderful Müüriääre cafe where I took Condensed milk cheesecake (6.5€), Ivanka Strawberry cheesecake (6.5€) and Allan Raffaello Cake (5€).
(the blog goes on at length in between the picture galleries)
We proceeded with two plans – walking some more, stepping into a few nice shops, and then spending a few hours in Fra Mare Thalasso Spa (Ranna street 2).
Haapsalu offers art at every step – from a salad on the plate, a cake next to a cafe, to paintings and ceramics! I’ll write about it in a minute!
I really like all kinds of little things, souvenirs and art shops. There are lots of those in Haapsalu, Karja street. In most of them there are interesting products from various artists. This time we stepped into four shops.
We started off with Lija Handicraft shop (Karja 13), where at first sight you would notice interesting and unique ceramic teapots and mugs with faces, by artist Raivo Koit. Also I like illustrator Made Balbat with her interesting fairy tale like art. There was also a lot of china and glass and Alpaca and linen clothes.
Karja street 19 leads you to two pearls at the same time! To the left from the main entrance is an amazing handicraft store Mirimart, where you find a lot of inexpensive and beautiful Estonian wooden art. I couldn’t even leave without a purchase (big cutting board 25€, little cutting board 10€ and pan spatula 7€). Wood and clay are my favourite materials!! They add so much coziness to the home!
To the right, also at the address Karja 19, there is a bohemian art shop owned by an artist couple Aavo Ermel (on the photo) and Piret Port, and a worksop named Portel, where the artist herself greets people behind the counter and where a fluffy cat, so adorable and calm, exists at its own rhythm and adds its part to the shops already so creative energy. You get the feeling in the shop that the art of magic is being done there..
Interesting handicraft bags and super cool puzzles are sold in the shop. I am not exaggerating when I say that I woke up once at night and continued thinking how the logic of the puzzles work, since they are only made of 9 pieces – but, alas, you cannot combine them together.. icccc. Oh I did try to find the key (I counted the roofs, the walls, the crosses, the coats of arms, the ads texts). Unbelievable, how engaging (many hours pass like nothing) and many hours of tickles in the nerves are still to come, since with 9 pieces you can do 64 000 combinations (at least I figured that out)..😅 For 15€ we got an insanely cool toy that you for example can take on a flight. Besides, it’s an ideal souvenir and a fridge magnet. Such a cool toy, multiple times cooler than the first impression of it!!! I recommend it!
The Portel gallery shop had even more to it. For example, you would notice the work of the artist-illustrator Jüri Mildeberg (Mildebergius) on the walls. A very unique and interesting style of graphics, paintings and sculptures. Soooo my type of art! Mystical, playful and a little bit spooky – just like from a different era or dimension. A very inspiring artist!
We also stepped into yet another shop, a fourth one. There also the artist herself greeted us in person. Karja 21 hosts a romantic and feminine vintage shop “Little Paris” of the ceramics artist Eva Raudkivi, where one can purchase utility ceramics, home textiles and exciting second hand articles.
We were full of emotions.. and headed to the SPA to relax (11 EUR per person).
PS! Did you know that the town of Haapsalu celebrates its 745th anniversary this year! Congratulations!
That’s all for this time! Hugs! ❤️
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