Tallinn, Estonia

Toompea - Upper Old Town

The upper old town seems to be primarily a tourist destination. There were a large number of shops devoted to souvenirs, amber jewelry, and linen clothing.

Russian Orthodox church

Dome Church

Street vendor

Sy took my picture. I hope that it came out ok.

At the overlook. Lower old town below.

At the overlook

All-linn – Lower Old Town

The Estonia excursion included a meal. Our group had a “medieval feast” at the Olde Hansa. This event did not get high ratings from many of the members of our group. The candles were the only lighting; the food was unfamiliar to most – especially those from the US west coast - and it was difficult to see the food in the dim candlelight. Food was served family style in wooden bowls.

Generally, I liked the food. While probably not medieval, the menu seemed to use mostly local ingredients. Here are some of the things that I remember eating:

• Thinly sliced beef with horseradish/sour cream sauce. I thought this was excellent, especially the sauce.
• Sliced cucumbers.
• Barley with nuts. I thought that the nuts were a nice touch, but I still don’t like barley all that much. Also, many of my fellow tourists had never had barley before.
• Fish stew. It did not grab me.
• Something our serving boy called sauerkraut, but what we call red cabbage here in the US. I liked it better than the pre-prepared red cabbage that we get here at home. Calling it sauerkraut probably confused my fellow tourists.
• Turnips with ginger; they were excellent. I am going to learn how to cook turnips.

The lower old town seemed a bit less touristy and more the place that locals go for entertainment.

It figures. I gave Bill the camera with instructions to take some scenic pictures. He found a blond.

I love it: A medieval tower, a car show featuring mid-20th century vehicles, and mid-80s Reggae from a boom box.