Ulemiste Hotel Tallinn

... in Deutschland. Heisst ja nun auch nicht nur fuer Touris. Aber man stelle sich vor, nicht jeder Mensch ist gebuertiger Tallinner. Ja, doch ich befuerchte es. Gut, ich finds auch ohne dass die irgendnen Kackschild aufstellen. Ich aerger mic hja auch bloss ueber mich selbst. Wetter beeinflusst Stimmungen aber egal. Ja, hab mich dann auch mitlerweile an Tallinn satt geguckt. Finde mein Hostel superdupertoll! Es ist immer wieder schoen zu ...

... s of the old border post and the Latvija sign (all border checkpoints and passport checks ceased to operate in Dec 2007 after both Latvia and Estonia entered the Schengen Treaty) were the highlights of an otherwise underwhelming experience. Avoid at all costs.

The last leg, and the final three hours of a 14-hour journey was an old Russian locomotive to Riga. It’s safe to say we were happy to tick the Valga box and move on.

... clean, green and peaceful. Of course the Palace/museum was closed but I enjoyed walking the grounds around it. From there I watched the changing of the guard in front of the Presidential Palace, made my way to the Russalka monument and walked along the beach to the Maarjame War Memorial. This memorial is very different from anything else I have seen especially here in Tallinn, but it is nonetheless ...

... before their emissaries informed Moscow that they wished to be free. Mall's by now legendary efficiency had arranged for us to meet and hear Bonzo, a national pop/folk star, who sang 'My Fatherland' at the grounds. Knowing all the background, I found it very moving, and was surreptitiously wiping my eyes and sniffing hurriedly into my handkerchief as he sang; simply and unaccompanied. If you have the time, and are slightly off ...

... had at first been there by the railing, left, I remained all alone. So I could even take advantage of the opportunity and ask one of the girls selling souvenirs to take a picture of myself with the panorama as the background. Estonians really struck me as different from Lithuanians and Latvians. First of all, there was this unforced, natural politeness, so pleasant after all sorts of experiences I had had over the last ten days. It was nice meeting people of refined manners in the ...

... joined hands all the way from Tallinn to Vilnius, as a sign demanding independence. A large group of Estonian soldiers had entered the museum & were walking around us for a while, and then sat down in an open theatre near us, where they were addressed by (a woman). Anyway all this is to partly explain why we had trouble following some of the end of this story. The film was quiet, the translation wasn't perfect & a few times we had to ask each other "did that mean ...

... 19 yr old at info center. She s interested in folk music, but also classical. Plays piano, accordian and guitar. Hordes of guided tourists in the small Old City. Ruins the illusion. Many off cruise ships for just a quick tour of the city. by five PM most are gone and the old town is again charming. Friday night was invited by two young Dutch guys to join them for a few beers which turned out to be many. but had a great time, interesting conversation, laughs, friendship. To bed late.

... but the Welsh didn't have a pub- because they're ****, and the Scottish pub (which I walked a mile out of my way for) was closed for rennovation). Ahh the Englishman pub, what a load of total bollocks- anyone who thinks that comes even close to English pubs has obviously never been to an English pub, wrong atmosphere, wrong type of building, wrong everything, it was just bollocks, following this I reentered the old town and settled down ...

... to walk 20 minutes through the touristy (and packed) old town to get to the laundromat, all the while displaying her panties for all to see. Hordes of people were subjected to Mary's "Panty Parade". We found the other laundromat and the laundry Nazis that were employed there. Pat and Mary Asian Circus-Sideshow Freak in the Baltics Moment #3: "NO MACHINE!!!" they barked at us, as they pointed to the bags of laundry on the ...

... old town, followed by lunch at a medieaval style restaurant (very interesting and with a rather hyperactive waittress!). The afternoon was spent seeing a few hotels (not so exciting). Friday was free for a little more sightseeing and I visited one of our partners. Tallinn is a really small and compact city, but quite charming.