I Love Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, northern Baltic country, freed from Russian rule in the early 1990’s and now a new member of the European Union.
It is a happy, beautiful city, full of charm. It seems to have risen above the many years of oppression in a most enthusiastic way — there is much light left and it is shining through.
We just spent a few days there on our way to Saint Petersbourg. On the way into the Old City from the airport, our taxi driver happily pointed to all the big public works projects we passed by, exclaiming “Big money. Big money.” He was one happy European.
The Old City is one of the best preserved medieval cities left. I didn’t know what this meant until I stepped out of the taxi and saw for myself.
The central square is magnificent. It is ringed by well-proportioned pastel facades which are padded by perfect café terrasses. There is a stage off to one side where I watched local musicians, high school pompom girls, break dancers, karaoke professionals, and diverse uncategorizable entertainers of variable geometry appear in rapid succession.
Wandering through the dedale of narrow cobbled streets was the kind of pleasure that travellers hope for when they discover a new, potentially exotic place. The cobbles are a little big for my taste (felt like walking over watermelons), but they had the merit of being there.
We discovered a restaurant built into a 14th-century monastery. The food was so good that we wound up having 3 of our 5 significant meals there. This meant that we volontarily ignored all the fabulous restaurants in Tallinn’s old town, but hey, when you actually find a table like the Cloistri, you go there.
My principle souvenir was a 4€ slab of locally-made coal-tar soap. Resembles chocolate swirl ice cream, smells like fresh asphalt. Which is what I’ll smell like for the next few weeks.
I love Tallinn.
PS: Miscellaneous Estonia facts gleaned from recent reading:
1) According to the IMD, Estonia is the 20th most competitive economy in the world.
2) The number of Estonian millionaires, as measured in kroons, has increased by 26% in the last 2 years.
3) One million kroons = 63000 euros.
4) Most Estonian beaches have wifi installed.
5) The Best Estonian Food Awards 2006 went to:
- Rye bread yogurt
- Felix brand light borscht
- White chocolate with puffed rice and blueberry chips.
