Hi all!
We’ve got free Internet access at out hotel here in Estonia. It’s wonderful, I can't believe I’m having such lick with Internet in our hotels! And we're not staying in expensive hotels either- we're mostly going budget style!
Praha (or Prague, as we call it) has been called by many "the most beautiful city in Europe". Of course, many people also argue against this, stating that cities like Firenze (Florence) and Paris are more beautiful. However, I have never heard it argued that Praha is the most beautiful city in Eastern Europe. Well, I have found a City in eastern Europe that surpasses the beauty found in Praha. It is Tallinn in Estonia!
Sure, Tallinn does not have the manicured gardens and perfect cleanliness of Helsinki. But, it has it’s own wonders. The "old city" of Tallinn was originally built in the Middle Ages, and remains historically preserved. The streets are narrow and made of cobblestones. The buildings vary in wonderful rainbow colors. The cathedrals are immense and astounding. The old city walls are perfectly in tact. The whole city is a maze- streets that run everywhere and nowhere, and you only end up in the same place twice by accident (at least, that was our problem!). Then, the Estonians surprise you even more by being so into the whole medieval atmosphere. You feel like you’re at a renaissance fair or something! All the locals in the old town dress up in medieval costumes. In the center square, they have a market where they sell all medieval-style handicrafts and clothing. Throughout the old town, there is medieval music coming form people in restaurants or on the streets. Tallinn has an excellently defined personality and I don’t see how anyone could not fall in love with it instantaneously!
If you ever some this way, do not miss Tallinn!
Unfortunately, the quaintness of Tallinn is being discovered by the big cruise ships! They come here, and then parade huge annoying tour groups throughout the narrow streets of the city (did I mention annoying!)- you know, the kind of people where would never venture to Estonia on their own because they never even knew it existed before they went on the cruise! Well, none of you will do this because you all know about Estonia now!
I bought my first souvenir here today- an antique pin that says "Lenin" in Russian and has a picture of his face on it. It’s about 50-60 years old and a prime piece of propaganda produced from the time when Estonia was occupied by the USSR. Still, I found it fascinating. Plus, it only cost about $2!
There was a marathon in Tallinn yesterday! Right through the old town! My dad was really bummed that he didn't know about it, otherwise we would have come here yesterday and he would have run in it just for the hell of it!
Well, unfortunately, we're off back to Helsinki tomorrow. I wish we had more time to explore Estonia’s wonders. From what I’ve seen here in Tallinn, Estonia is a treasure waiting to be found!
We have to go back to Helsinki so that we could catch a train to St. Petersburg. There is a train from Tallinn to St. Petersburg, but it does not leave until Wednesday. However, the train from Helsinki to St. Petersburg leaves on Tuesday, so we would get there earlier!
Well, I gotta run! Write back if you want! I’ll check my email in Helsinki around noon Colorado time or 2 pm Ohio time on Monday!
Brittany
| Back to My Baltic Region Page | See Photos for Tallinn | Back to My Journal Page | Contact Me! | Back to my Main Page |
 |
|  |
Sign My Guest Book  |
 |