Don Curry is smuggling again

Don Curry has a pretty dark side that most people have no idea about. He doesn't like to talk about it, he just does it; or rather, he used to do it. Because it has become quite difficult these days. We're talking about smuggling, bringing in more declarable goods than allowed. He used to love doing that when traveling through Andorra, for example. He could hardly bring the goods he bought duty-free there to France. But he always managed to do so. However, since customs barriers and border controls have been lifted in almost all of Europe, smuggling is no longer fun. The slightly tense tingling sensation when approaching a national border is a feeling from the past.

But today should be different, today there was once again a real border. After a short visit to the elegant breakfast buffet at the Hotel 'Samson', which stood out especially with its bright green Mojito juice, Don Curry first took care of a plan from the previous day: visiting a Russian shopping center. For this, he had to drive back 13 km towards St. Petersburg, but the Pearl Center was a particularly huge shopping temple. Don Curry had to search a bit until he found the gigantic supermarket in the basement, where he stocked up on 10 liters of Kvas, some Russian (craft) beers, and various vodkas. The Kvas certainly wouldn't be a customs problem, and the beers probably wouldn't either - but the vodka? Don Curry distributed it in the tried and true smuggler tradition on his travel bag, backpack, and various plastic bags.

150 uneventful kilometers remained until the Estonian border at Iwangorod/Narwa. Just before Iwangorod, his car urgently needed fuel, and Don Curry was able to refuel for the last time at the incredibly cheap prices of Russia, 0.65 € per liter! Then came the border. Don Curry had to wait 30 minutes before it was his turn at the Russian border; then all the documents were checked and copied, he was allowed to open all the doors and hoods in the usual manner, including the spare tire compartment. However, the luggage was not further inspected. After 10 minutes with very friendly Russian customs officers, he was finished. Now came Estonia, the actual customs obstacle. Although the line of waiting cars was clearly longer here, the waiting time was only 10 minutes. The Estonian customs officer only took two brief glances into the trunk and on the back seat, checked his documents a little longer - that was it! Don Curry was in Estonia, he was back in the EU. And he had finally smuggled successfully again!

He had to cover just under 180 km to get to his hotel in Lahemaa National Park on the north coast of Estonia.

Along the way, he stopped at familiar and unfamiliar sights: The highest waterfall in Estonia at Valaste, which stands at 26 m, was only trickling; nevertheless, Don Curry climbed many steps down to the Baltic Sea coast there and then back up again, with his pulse racing.

The picturesque cemetery of Viru-Nigula was located almost directly along the route. The Deutschritter castle ruins in Toolse still presented an impressively picturesque image on the coast.

The small road through Lahemaa National Park sometimes came so close to the Baltic Sea coast that Don Curry simply had to stop to enjoy the primitive and at the same time peaceful landscape.

He allowed himself a little more time at the manor house of Vihula, which had been transformed into a luxury resort a few years ago and gleamed with perfectly restored buildings in a lovely pond and park landscape.

Then he reached Viinistu, the birthplace of former ABBA manager and former Estonian Foreign Minister Jaan Manitski. He had given the 169-inhabitant village an important art museum with an attached hotel and restaurant directly by the sea. That's where Don Curry checked in for a night, in a pleasantly bright room with a balcony facing the sea.

However, his stored up hunger drove him first to the restaurant, where he sat on the terrace and enjoyed lovingly arranged cold beetroot soup, followed by a whole grouper with grilled vegetables in tomato consommé, all accompanied by an aromatic Estonian craft beer from the Lehe Brewery. When he wanted to treat himself to a dessert, the waitress explained that the kitchen had closed 5 minutes ago; so all that was left was a strong coffee to finish off this pleasant meal.

On the balcony with the magnificent view of the sea and the beginning sunset, he would have a smuggled beer, because smuggled beer tastes twice as good...