After 5 days based in Helsinki, Finland, I caught the morning ferry and crossed the Gulf of Finland into Tallin, Estonia. Only a generation ago, this nation was subject to Soviet rule; and yet, all metrics now indicate Estonia as a thriving developed economy and ranked highly the Human Development Index, education, and press freedoms. The post-Soviet era also spurred impressive economic freedoms and advancement. By many measures, it is much closer related to Scandinavian countries than to its Baltic neighbors.
As with Helsinki, being this far north in latitude affords much daylight during summer. The sky remains a deep blue with the western horizon glowing a subtle white through the night before rising at 3:30am. In the old quarters of town, one can wander through the night down many a cobblestone corridors guided by the faint light, accompanied only by the echoes of your own footsteps off the ancient walls.
Tallin is one of those city that you instantly fall in love with. Perhaps its nigh approaching high tourist season, but passing through the town center is tantamount to a slight time warp to medieval times. There are taverns and ale houses lit only by candles, with walls blackened by hundreds years of smoke. One tavern serves only one dish: elk soup in mostly chipped earthenware, served to you by a wench with snarky attitude. Not far, actors dress in medieval armor battle to the delight of tourist and locals alike. Other restaurants have fair maidens posted out front to attract customers, while musicians in full costume play tunes from 14th century instruments.
The last couple days has been spent touring the old bastion underground tunnels, seeing the standard city tour, a bonus ghost tour of the town at night steep in local lore. But even from such a passing glimpse, it is certain that Estonia has much more hidden gems to offer. But, alas, a passing traveller must not linger long. It is enough to breathe a sigh of regret that no matter how thorough an effort to plan, one can never see everything. After many castles, cathedrals, bridges, forts, belfries, town squares, it’s more rewarding to rest these tired feet by an alley-side cafe and watch the local town folk milling about their (extra)ordinary lives. The forest and villages more remote shall have to wait for some future occasion.
Tomorrow, I’ll be bound for Pärnu before continuing onto Riga, Latvia.