Eesti

Tallinn, Estonia
I can't wait for my next visit to Estonia.  Perhaps it's because I had no expectations (this place isn't listed in the book), but the capital city of Tallinn and the warmth of the people of Estonia really surprised me.  Had there been expectations, I'm sure those expectations would have been exceeded.

The capital city of Tallinn sits unassumingly on the Baltic sea. This picturesque town still has portions of it's old city wall, small castle like structures and fortresses.  The city center is clean, has streets upon streets paved with cobblestone and boasts an amazing town square. The town square is lined with outdoor restaurants, umbrellas providing shade everywhere, and even decorative lamps adorn the tables to make it look cozy in the evenings. I wanted to spend all afternoon here!

After being part of the Soviet Union for over 45 years, Estonia seized the opportunity to become independent shortly after the 1989 fall of communism. It became independent in 1991, and was quick to implement capitalism and launch its rebirth.  Tallinn is a vibrant city, with few ties to its communist past, except for the few communist style housing blocks. The people seem quick to forget about their communist past and instead focus on the history and spirit of the true Estonia. Estonians are genuinely nice, happy, almost giddy, and love to show foreigners around their country. We loved our guide Stanislav.

Our day of playing tourist began with a short walking tour of the city and history lesson.  We walked through the old town, into the town square, and along the cobble stone streets of the charming city. A motor coach later took us to an outdoor museum, Rocca al Mare, showcasing the history and traditions of Estonia.  Small villages are set up of countryside architecture once found in Estonia. You can walk through 18th century farmhouses and churches, and see old windmills.  It provides great insight into life outside of the city. We walked throughout the various trails in the park, enjoyed a cup of coffee and a traditional Estonian folk dance, but then it was time to head back to the ship. 

Once back on the ship, we basked in the sun the last few minutes the ship was tied to the dock and then waved goodbye to Tallinn as the ship set sail. As the ship was leaving (and was well on its way mind you), we noticed three passengers running through the port, toward the dock and eventually to the end of the dock. They'd missed the boat! Although I was looking forward to the upcoming ports, part of me wished I could be them and stay longer in Estonia. That was short-lived. Rethinking all the travel hassle that would have caused, I just sat back in my lounge chair cocktail in hand, and watched as the port agents approached the guests, to start talking options.

I'm going to petition to add Tallinn to the 1,000 list...