Day 43 Riga, Latvia

22 Jul


Day 43 Riga, Latvia, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Tallinn’s old town? Wonderful. The rest of Estonia? Shite. Photo shows the most interesting thing I saw all day, when after finding no reason to stop, no place to stop, and nothing to see, the planned three day trip dissolves to one. It’s a long day with a late dash through heavy rain (Estonian rain would kick Norwegian rain’s arse) and hassle finding accommodation (that’s another thing – Estonia doesn’t seem to have any campsites, apart from one that was hosting a private party), because I’m days earlier than my booking at the hostel and I arrive in town late anyway. But now I’m in Latvia (which looks extremely post-soviet) and poor old Estonia is history.

Day 42 Tallinn

21 Jul


Day 42 Tallinn, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

I was going to post another cliched photo of the red roofs of the old town, and it is very photogenic, but I thought it’s more interesting that you can eat bear round these parts. I had bear in Helsinki, so I’m enjoying something I haven’t had (not properly genuine ones at least), since leaving Russia on the original trip – Pelmeni (Russian dumplings), only slightly spoiled by the break-dancing in the town square which isn’t really in keeping with the historic atmosphere, but which isn’t as bad as the talentless arseholes who sit around tunelessly thumping bongo drums….

Day 41 Tallinn

20 Jul


Day 40 Tallinn, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Short ride from hotel to ferry terminal. Long wait to board the ferry, bored on the ferry. Then Tallinn. At first glance nicer even than Copenhagen, until rounding the corner to discover the mass of tourists. Germans, Russians, English stag parties. Give in, go along with it, tourist restaurant, staff in "authentic" traditional garb, silly hats, horns, people watching people watching people watching people. English laughing at Russian fashion sense, Russians laughing at their own corrupt oligarchic wealth, Estonians laughing at stag party binge drinking, Germans having serious conversations about the economy and the environment.