Must See European Destination: Tallinn

Girl dressed in medieval costume

Tallinn's Old Town with its red turrets

Ask any seasoned traveller who has to been Estonia's capital city Tallinn and they will all share their love of  a city filled with medieval history, quirky cafes and lively bars.
I was lucky that my Irish friend Tony lived there to show me around and give me hints on exploring this wonderful city. His best piece of advice was to make sure I looked up at the top of the building so  I would not miss some distinctive feature in Tallinn's Old Town.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Walking around the Old Town was like stepping into the pages of a history book. Locals dressed in medieval costumes and horses clip clopping on the cobbled stones gave an impression of what it must have been like to live in bygone era. Enticing smells came wafting through the open doors of the cafes and artisan shops, including the smell of marzipan, coffee and freshly baked patisseries.

Wandering around the old city wall was a nice way of soaking up the atmosphere and thinking about the city's history which dates back to the 13th century and which had been under the influence of the Danes, Germans, Swedes and Russians. It is also a designated UNESCO world heritage site.  The distinctive red roofs of the houses and red turrets of the castle wall makes it unmistakable in any travel magazine.

Some of the interesting places to explore include St. Catherine's passage   which is a little walkway where you can find tombstones of people in between artisan shops. A walk between life and death... Still, a very interesting place to explore.

Worthy of a visit is also Kadriogg palace and the Alexander Nevsky cathedral which is famous as it is Tallin's oldest cathedral. Opulent in the inside, it was made according to the Russian Revival style during 1894 and 1900.

If you are feeling hungry at this stage then a stop at the Kompressor is a must. I have never eaten pancakes like the way this shop offers. Savoury mixtures from salmon and cream fillings to the more sweet toothed variety is on offer along with good quantities of local beer and spirits.

Period century costume  Roco Al Mare Museum

Some of Tony's friends got together and we all decided to go to the Open Air Museum called Roco Al Mare. Situated a few miles out of the city in a forest by the sea, it is a life sized construction of  a 18 century fishing village.  Complete with a school, a church and several houses it made you think of what it must have been like to live in that part of the century.

An Estonian custom was to leave a broom at the entrance to the house so that neighbours knew you were in. If you decided to go out then the broom must come indoors to let everyone know that you were not in. Obviously, they didn't have burglars in those days.

An evening barbecue party with different friends bringing delicious food to share was probably a nice way of rounding up my Tallinn adventure. It was also mandatory to try the local rum Vanna Tallinn, which was a mixture of Jamaican rum with a hint of spices including citrus oil, cinnamon and vanilla. Cheers everyone!

Easter Break in Estonia

Hiimuaa Island

The weather is damp and gloomy as I sit and write this blog at the start of my Easter break. It reminds me of the great British weather

I cast my mind back to a time when I was travelling to Estonia and went to visit my friends who lived on Hiimuaa Island. Where is that you ask? It is Estonia’s second largest island and in the winter the ice hardens and freezes so that people from the mainland can drive over the frozen Baltic Sea to reach it. This includes trucks that weigh quite a considerable amount. No, the ice road wasn't there when I went to Hiimuaa, but it was a lovely spring day as I took the ferry and another bus to reach my friends who lived there.

On their kitchen table was a beautiful display of flowers and Easter bunnies that the kids had made. It was a real pity that I could not communicate with the children as they didn't know any English but the language of smiles reaches across all cultures.

Soviet bunkers - Hiimuaa Island

I went outside by myself to explore. The spring flowers were just putting their heads out in the warm sunshine and the sea sparkled and glistened as if it was offering me a palette of many colourful jewels. I walked along the beach feeling the saltiness of the spray and skimmed some pebbles into the sea. I was alone in my thoughts, but pondered the history of the island which was quite different to its present day calm atmosphere.

Early human settlements were found on the island dating back to 4 century B.C. It has also been under the jurisdiction of both the Soviet Union and Germany during World Wars I & II. It was hard to imagine that I could wander about so freely and yet at another time the island was closed to mainland dwellers and foreigners. Examining some bunkers made in the times of the Soviet occupation brought this sharply to my mind.

Fishing trip with friends

If you come to Hiimuaa, it’s because you love nature for there are no bars and clubs anywhere. We took a car ride across the island and watched in silence at the antics of some moose and elk. Did you know that elk  have antlers for only two weeks of the year to attract a mate?

My friends said that often islanders offer to take in a stranded tourist who had missed the last ferry back to the mainland. Perhaps it’s because of this trait that I found the island fascinating. Listening to some people’s personal histories as to what happened during the war years and yet offer hospitality and trust to strangers was remarkable in a day when common decency is fast disappearing.

In the evening we went out in a boat to do some fishing and sat in companionable silence as the sun set cast its final glow across a dead calm sea. It’s one of those moments when you feel at peace with the world and yourself.