Well, last night, right on the eleventh hour, the bathroom in our apartment became officially a shower room. And what a shower room! We installed a modern shower stall with nice glass doors and nickel handles.  No longer we have to step carefully out of 3-legged bath tub into the puddles that shower had created.

I have to be honest and tell that it was an achievement and source of joy in our family of four. Modern and well-functioning bathrooms/shower rooms/sauna rooms/jaccuzi rooms have become commonplace in Estonia, every middle-class family has updated their washing conditions and sees having them as a part of their human rights.  

Still it was quite a defeat to install new systems as Soviet-style apartment buildings never prescribed rooms where you would lit candles, listen to the soothing music and rejuvenate your mind and body while bathing. Njet! Tiny bathroom (where bath tub truly took most of the space) and even tinier restroom (a.k.a WC) were never to be a place of rest and resort as some in other countries may be accustomed to. Instead these tiny quarters were ever busy to service the needs of a family of four and more.

The Soviet system was hunting us even now since we had to play around and along with the old metal plumbing welded so strongly that it would hold still even during the strongest earthquake. In the process we were also apalled to find out that ventilation hole was just a hole to some curious shallow and empty space. I guess airing the rooms was such a stifle for the Soviet engineers that they didn't give to it not even a second thought, let alone the first one. Luckily we were able accommodate ventilation shaft in the adjoining toilet room.

Anyways, all's well that ends well! And be assured that my following reports on our Estoniacation will be much more relaxed and happy.

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