Medieval ESTONIA!
Trip Start
Jul 02, 2008
1
18
31
Trip End
Jul 25, 2008
Tallinn,
Estonia
Friday, July 18, 2008
Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day!
Ugh, and we LOST an hour over night!
[SIGH] It is cloudy as we sail in. [SIGH] It is cool as we sail in. A big disappointment after yesterdays beautiful day at sea. [SIGH] It starts to drizzle as we disembark. It begins to pour as we make our way over to the tourist information offices to buy our DAY PASS card for Tallinn. Lovely! [SIGH] And Michael is grumpy because of it, and there is a language barrier, and a currency barrier... we were told they would take Euros, but not everywhere does. [SIGH] I headed to the loo and let them sort it out.
By the time I returned, it was straightened out, I was relieved, and we were on our way out the front of the Cruise terminal and to the tram stop up the street
Happy Tallin Card Holders!
. Again, the Day Pass Tallinn Card came to the rescue, saving us a ton of money for transport and access to the museums around town. The people looked tired and not very friendly. Suspicious even, but I guess that comes form eons of occupation, the Russians or Soviets being the last in a long line of occupiers. [Check out the Museum of Occupations at www.okupatsioon.ee .] The men were handsome, the young ones anyways.... hmmmmAs we crossed the city heading towards the palace and museum, the skies literally opened up and it really began to rain. It was like Oslo all over again, only this time were better prepared for the rain with jackets and umbrellas for everyone. When we got off the tram, we ducked into doorways to stay dry while we figured out which way to go.
Then we trudges through the rain a ways, stopping under dining umbrellas in the park to look at a map. Michael had a plan, and figured out which way to go, so off through the woods we went and found the palace, a beautiful older structure from the 1400's that now serves as a museum. Once inside, the Tallinn card provided entrance, and we dropped our book bag, coats and umbrellas before touring the rooms and art.
The Kadriorg Palace [ www.ekm.ee/kadriorg ]was the original residence for the ruling family, but has since been relegated to being a museum
City wall and gate!
. It was filled with interesting Estonian art and artifacts. The rooms themselves were marvelous. One former library had a marquetry freeze around the top, and the ceilings in the grand halls were amazing, as well as the halls themselves. In one long chandeliered room I took Carols picture, check out the guard who shielded his face. I thought that was kinda funny.We finished up quickly, and were back out in the rain, looking for the "Palace" that Michael said was next door, only there was no palace, not that we could tour anyways. We walked around the formal gardens of the museum (which is the "Palace" we could and did tour) and then headed into the park. In the rain. Getting wet.
I have taken a series of photo's of flowers in almost every port we have been in. I will make an entry just for those soon. But the garden was lovely, and Carol asked one of the gardeners if there indeed was another Palace to tour, and confirmed what we already suspected. No! Ah well, back through the park and up the street to the tram stop. We waited only 10 minutes or so under the shelter provided and then headed back towards the old town, the walled city area to shop and have a peek at the museums. It rained more, and we parted the tram with umbrellas unfurled, making our way towards the gate
Michael studies a map on the Tram
. A quick detour first, though, the National Theater was there, and Michael wanted his photo taken in front of it. Eugene O'Neal's "Long Days Journey into Night" was playing, and we took pictures of him with the poster, then dodged traffic to cross back over to where Bob and Carol waited in a portico. We marched, literally, in the rain and into the old city, although where we thought we would find a gate way, none existed. Passing by, Michael noticed the Museum of Music and Theater [ www.tmm.ee ], and our Tallinn Card was accepted, so we headed in. Anything to get out of the rain. It was interesting, lots of cool instruments, and exhibits lining the stairwell walls in Estonian explaining the local theater scene in the last several hundred years. The best part was Michael getting ticked over the word for bassoon. Check out the photo and look over Michaels head. Kinda like the most popular laundry detergent in Uzbekasatan, it's called "Barf". So many words, so many meanings.
Anyways, I headed out of the Museum before the others, [and got cruised by a VERY Hot guy by the way] to discover it had stopped raining. Happy Days! We walked around the streets, cobbled and narrow, steep and winding until we found a church Carol had seen in the distance, along with a large part of the original wall of the city
Which way!????
. The Alexander Nevski Cathedral is beautiful and amazing, but the best part was the post office was right across the platz, and Carol could mail another postcard to 10 month old Ariana, her granddaughter. After that was accomplished, we headed to the town hall Plaza, and found a cozy café for coffee (beer for me, I needed one!). The skies were clearing, and it was even getting warm with the sun out. I wanted lunch, but Michael was on a mission, and I think Carol and Bob were kinda over the rain soaked morning, so we parted ways. Carol and Bob back to the ship and Michael and I to look for a Monestary Museum he wanted to see. We wandered around, looking at the map, then looking some more and were about to give up when I noticed a sign for a restaurant that had the same word for Monastery {kloostri} on it as the Museum. [ www.kloostri.ee ]. It was interesting, but small and we walked around and then headed back into the streets.
We too were getting tired, and when I refused to tramp back across town to see something next door to some place we had already been, we decided to head back to the ship.
Suddenly Michael stopped
I'm singin' in the rain!
. Before us lay the Kalev Marzipan Room and Museum. with our Tallinn Card we could get a free marzipan bar in the museum. We had to check it out! It was interesting, small but interesting, and the Marzipan creations were amazing. Marzipan creations from traditional fruit to figurines that looked like a Hummel, right down to the painting. They were amazing! And when I tried some of the chocolates and marzipan, I was in heaven. Especially the chocolate and chili combo. WOW! We headed out and Michael wanted to see the Estonian History Museum, which was right around the corner. Just as we were walking up, a tour group form our ship was heading in as well. There was an actor on the steps in traditional garb talking to them, but we edged by and into the museum. Using our Tallinn Card, we got in free and nosed around the coin room for a few minutes whilst the tour group filed into the adjoining room. When we entered to see the exhibit, there was a "history" performance going on, ranking right up there with Jason's Pirate Experience in Roatan. Yup, it was darn cheesy. We quietly made our way out holding our laughter until we were back on the cobbled streets and heading back for the ship.
A few quick ducks into tschotsky shops ended up with us both having another t-shirt and some postcards
It was pouring!
. As we walked back to the ship, I was amazed at th e number of cars. It was the evening traffic hour and you'd think gas was only 25 cents a gallon.... I guess they too are dependant on their cars. Back aboard ship we relaxed, and then dressed for dinner. The Front Office called and asked how the sound issue was, and I said it had been ok last night. We hadn't heard a peep out of Bob the piano man. It was nice of them to double check. Even nicer when a bottle of wine and some chocolates arrived later as an apology for the bad nights sleep. It was turning out to be such a lovely evening, wine chocolates and a lovely sunset. We strolled around deck, and ended up taking a few photo's with Carol and Bob before heading into the dining room, and then off to the show with Justin Miller.
Now, Justin Miller IS amazing! Check out the video clip. He is not only an accomplished musician, he is witty, funny and very knowledgeable. We really enjoyed his hour long show. So much so we got copies of his CD's. www.justinmillerguitar.com
check out his site and buy his CD!
Back on deck for the sunset, well it wasn't fully set yet, it was only 10:30! But the photo's are wonderful. I wish you all could've been here to see it with us. Ah, off to bed, for tomorrow we arrive in Russia! RUSSIA! How exciting! I didn't think I would be as excited about it as I am. And Carol and Bob got me on their Ensemble tour in the morning! For Free! And I was able to drop the other tour, without a penalty! Now that's what I call a GREAT EVENING!
