Kolm ööd Tallinnas, Eestis [Three Nights in Tallinn, Estonia]
Saturday, 29th June - Monday, 1st July
Summary:
Leb had never visited Estonia before so this was definitely one of the most important stops for us. This would be my fourth visit, so I knew how lovely Tallinn was and we booked three nights in a lovely, well priced, hotel inside the old city walls - The Taanalinna Hotel.
We enjoyed two full days bimbing around the small but picturesque capital. I had two nights of watching the Round of 16 in the Euros in a few pubs and we enjoyed some fine dining at the Old Hansa restaurant, which gives you an experience of going back to the days of the Hanseatic League.
Another highlight was the permanent poster protests outside the "Russian" (even their name is stolen from Kyiv) Embassy. People in the west should, of course, listen to people from the Baltic States about the true nature of the kleptofascists regime in Moscow. Estonians probably know them best of all.
North from Latvija to Eesti (Mobday, 1st July.)
Rīga to Tallinn on the bus whilst it was chucking it down. After we arrive3d we had quite a long walk into the old town where our hotel was situated. It was near the Lithuanian embassy and we went out for had a nice meal before watching two tight round of 16 games. The merits of CR7 as always, a bit divisive. I found it heart-warming to see the permanent protest outside the Russian embassy.
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| Outside our Tallinn Hotel for three nights |
It was soon beer o' clock and we stopped at the "Hell Hunt" (which apparently has a double meaning... "gentle Wolf" in Estonian). After a drink, Leb went back to the hotel and left me to watch France v Belgium in the Euros.
A short walk from Hell Hunt was the Russian embassy and I was impressed to see how the Estonians were greeting it these days.
Then, I was back out to the puba to watch the Euros and Portugal defeat Slovenia.
Sightseeing Day in Tallinn (Tuesday, 2nd July.)
Day 116 ~ The first of our two full days in Tallin were spent sightseeing. We got up and had brealfast on the veranda of our hotel with two characters from Helsinki who said they often came over the Gulf to the Estonian capital.
First stop was the wonderful old City Gate and the nearby flower stalls.
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| The Viru Hotel behind me is where I stayed on my first visit in 1983 |
Then we headed up to the town hall and the magnificent old town square next to it.
Once at the Town Hall, we decided to go in and have a tour.
Next, just across the square, was the old pharmacy.
After a nice sit down and a coffee, we set off for the parliamentary Buildings and the castle.
After our long walk, we did a bit of shopping and had lunch at the hotel with a couple of Finnish people and a couple from Iraq who now live in the USA and are Trump supporters. After a most delightful relax in the afternoon I hit the town again, paying a visit to a Ukrainian shop and bar. I also paid my disrespects to the "Russian" (even their name is stolen from Kyiv) embassy before switching my mind back to football and the on-going European Championship.
I saw Netherlands brush past Romania at the Nimeta bar (best sports bar, the one with no name, in Tallinn I reckon) and then watched Turkey edge past Austria 2-1 in a nailbiter supping hot wine (Glögi) and hot chocolate in the A LeCoq bar before getting back for a delicious Vana Tallinn night cap.
It was amazing that it was still light even late at night. A reminder how far north Tallinn is and how close we still were to the summer soltice.
Last Full Day in Tallinn (Wednesday, 3rd July.)
Day 117 ~ It was a rainy day in Tallinn, so we decided to start the day going shopping at the Viru center (with an incredible book shop in three languages on the top floor).
We then went to hotel Viru next door, which was a nostalgic visit for me as it was where I stayed in 1983. A whole floor was dedicated to the KGB. It was when staying here that I bumped into those lovely young Estonians - Kitti Loorits and two others whose names I can't remember. I wonder how they're doing now.
Then it was beer o'clock and time for a couple of nice pints in Hell Hunt (means "kind wolf" in Estonian),
We made another visit to the Ukrainian store and Leb wanted to look at some amber jewelry.
Then, it was time for a little fine dinning at Old Hansa. I had the duck, Leb the seafood salad... both delicious and washed down with a lovely spicy ale followed by a couple of glasses of glögi.
We finished off another very pleasant evening with a couple more Glogi in Viru Lokaal.
Hüvasti Eesti... Labas Lietuva! (Thursday, 4th July.)
Day 118 ~ Hüvasti Eesti, Labas dar karta, Lietuva.
We had brekkie at the hotel after which I did the usual "goodbye video" before a half hour walk back to the bus station. We had bought return tickets, so it was just a question of waiting for the bus.
It was an eight hour journey and, to be honest, that was a bit dull at best, and very uncomfortable for poor Leb.
Soon, we were back in Latvia...
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| Back through Riga again |
But soon enough, we passed into our fatherland, Lithuania...
Eesti finantskokkuvõte (Estonian Financial Summary).
Estonia was a relatively inexpensive stay. The bus fare from Riga, for both of us was about $120 and the very nice accomodation right in the center of the old town was also pretty well priced at just $108 per night. We had one quite expensive meal (at Old Hansa) but apart from that we lived quite frugally.
Meeleolu kokkuvõte (Mood Summary).
We had a lovely time in Tallinn. The first day, in particular was wonderful and its 18-0 mood score put it into the top twenty days of the trip so far. The low score on Thursday was obviously because we only had breakfast and then a walk to the bus stop. There wasn't a single hint of a bad mood in the time we were there.
Alkoholi kokkuvõte (Booze).
The home of Vanna Tallinn threatened to be a place where my blood alcohol levels would rise to alarming new heights. The discovery of Glogi (a kind of mulled wine) only added to the risk and with three nights of watching football in pubs for me, I feel quite amazed and impressed that I never actually had a skinful.
Puhkuse kokkuvõte tänaseni (To Date Summary).
So, the 11th country was ticked off and we were still not even half way through the trip. Up to this point Estonia was the 3rd cheapest, the joint best in terms of lack of bad moods and, amazingly, towards the bottom of the table in terms of alcohol consumption.
