mareTV: Estonia's Enchanted Islands
Kihnu is one of 19 inhabited Estonian islands. When the women there ride motorcycles in colourful skirts, it is summer. Thanks to its remoteness, charming traditions have been preserved here. More than 2,000 islands belong to Estonia, none is like the other, each with its own character. Most of them were military restricted areas during the Soviet Union. Of all things, the strict shielding had its good points: beach, forest, juniper groves, they still characterise the landscape of Estonia's enchanted islands. Elly Karjam is a "multi-jobber": lighthouse keeper, ice-cream producer and contract knitter for the famous Kihnu sweaters. Summer is high season for her: She is expecting guests from the USA, who had their ancestors on Kihnu. Birches have to be cut for the so-called viht. This bunch of birch branches is an important accessory for the traditional sauna at midsummer. And the motorcycles in the shed are to be refloated.



















