Tallinn, Estonia

The streeet is as steep as it seems.

My sightseeing tour was a walking tour of Old Tallinn

That tour that came with a warning: a person must be able to walk over cobble stones for two miles.

A good warning, because some of the streets were original, perhaps 300 years ago.

This street was steep.

Other streets had well-rounded cobblestones. 

Old Herman

One of the city towers is called Old Herman, and a place where, in the past, townsfolk looked for the flag to see who is their current ruler.  

During the 1940’s Estonia was passed back and forth between the Germans and the Russians so many time that they didn’t know who was currently ruling them.  

They soon knew to look at the flag on that tower to see. 

Estonians have had 20 years of independence after centuries of being ruled by someone else.  

They have declared a national tree, a national flower, a national fish, a national bird – and are having trouble giving up their kroner for the euro, since they also loved their national money.

However, as the tour guide explained to us in Russia, all forms of currency are accepted.  Her words were -- if it looks like money, it is money and you can use it.

Charming Estonian Buildings

I saved my shopping dollars for Tallinn, Estonia, having read that this is the place to buy woolen sweaters.   

I spotted the central market during the morning tour.

The Marketplace

Wyona and I had plans to meet up for an afternoon of shopping.  

She choose to shop the local market on the streets outside of the old village, and it was not long before a vendor was promising her the size and colour she wanted … and then off he ran through the market, promising to be back in 15 minutes.   

He arrived just as the downpour did and we went back to the ship, fully satisfied – shopping and sight-seeing at the same time – one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Arta