Tallin, Estonia
The first night of our voyage, sailing from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Tallin, Estonia through the Baltic Sea was on calm seas. After settling into National Geographic Explorer, our home for the next week and a half, we had the first of many fine meals with lively conversations about our Russian adventures. In preparation for Estonia, the outstanding documentary film “The Singing Revolution” was shown after dinner.
Tallin was a surprise to all who had not previously been there. It is a lively, modern city with a magnificent “old town.” We headed out to explore Estonia’s capital city with local guides. Hearing of the difficult history, controlled by one powerful neighbor and then another, and another, it was inspiring to see the extraordinary spirit of the people. The feeling when walking around the Song Festival site is difficult to describe. Here, hundreds of thousands of people (the entire nation has a population of about one million) gathered peacefully to sing, an Estonian tradition, during Soviet times. With song as their only weapon, amazingly, Estonians gained their freedom. This year is the twentieth anniversary of freedom for this tiny Baltic republic.
Moving past the huge field of Soviet apartment complexes was a stark contrast to the colorful and interesting architecture of the rest of the city, especially the “old town” where we spent the bulk of our time. With massive protective walls surrounding it, the original city was built on a hill, a fine defensive location. The buildings reflect the great prosperity of the city going back to the time of the Hanseatic League when it was a major trading center. In spite of countless invasions and fire, most of the merchant houses and other buildings are intact and are well cared for. The small, cobble stoned streets make for pleasant walking. The refueling stop (hot mulled wine, tea, coffee and cakes) was greatly appreciated before we continued our explorations of this lovely and inviting city.
By late afternoon, we headed back into the Baltic, on our way to new adventures. A festive Welcome Reception was hosted by Captain Kruess, which was followed by another fine repast.
