Saaremaa is Estonia’s largest island and covered in thick pine and spruce forests. It remained isolated and off limits during the Soviet era because it was both a strategic military outpost with an early-radar system and rocket base and also a possible escape route to the west. This has enabled Saaremaa to retain the culture, traditions and simpler way of life. Several stops before crossing over the causeway that connects Muhu to Saaremaa Island and continuing to Kuressaare.

A visit to the 13th century Karja Kirik Church (St. Catherine’s Lutheran Church) that was locked. Just a fast walk-around and we’d try to revisit on the drive back to the ferry in a few days. Next, the wooden windmills of Angla from the 19th-20th century. There were once nine of these windmills in a row but these are the only five survivors. The lonesome Dutch-style windmill in the center…View image… was being turned into a restaurant/gift shop! Muhu and Saaremaa had more than 800 windmills, called “post mills,” at one time and we did spot a few others driving through the islands. The majority of shore line on the islands and mainland of Estonia was covered with picturesque wind turbines lazily turning in the breeze.

Karja Kirik (St. Catherine’s Church), Muhu, Estonia 

Saaremaa Island Map, Estonia
It was easy to see why the five windmills were built in this location on a slight rise in an extremely windy area. I began climbing up one then thought twice in case the old wood was rotten. The continuing drive paralleled empty coastline with sandy beaches, migrating swans, and small villages…View image… on the extremely flat islands.

From the new – one of the many wind turbines in Estonia 

To the old – an Angla “post” Windmill, Muhu, Estonia
Last visit of the day to the Kaali Crater…View image… created by a meteorite over 4,000 years ago. This crater is the biggest of nine that are on Saarema Island. I don’t know what I expected, but the crater was underwhelming and resembled nothing more than a big cess pool. Two facts that were interesting:

Kaali Crater hole, Saaremaa, Estonia
- The incoming meteor’s impact was equal to the bomb on Hiroshima; and

- The crater is said to have been a popular place of sacrifice for ancient people.