So I’m on the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki. This little ride was the impetus for me to go to the Baltics and Nordics!  I thought a little 2-3 hour ride on a ferry, how cute is that!!?? Turns out not cute at all. I mean it’s a freaking cruise ship. There’s onboard shows, bingo, tax free shops, two restaurants, a sauna, a conference center, casino, … it’s 9 floors for god’s sake. And of course cabins but I didn’t book one for an afternoon jaunt. It carries cars over. Though so does the Cape May -Lewes ferry, which I’ve taken, and I thought it would be more like that. Oops. 

Anyway I could either get here 1.5H or 25 mins early via a bus that involved almost no walking with my bag. They suggest 45 min early — they actually close the ramps/doors 20 mins before departure time. So obviously I got here around 11 for a 1230 departure and they let you board right around then. Currently I’m on the ship, have checked out the stores, list of entertainment, and various sundry things — and still have 25 mins to go before we leave. I also booked the slowest (and one of the cheaper) cruises for the day … I hadn’t booked my Helsinki airbnb and was concerned they might only offer a later check in … I get in at 4 pm and NO one goes later than that. Turns out it’s a good thing. The place I found does not in fact release keys until 4 pm unless I pay a fee. 

But let’s get to Tallinn! It’s definitely the most western of the Baltics. On my free tour, the very charming guide (who effortlessly managed a group of 30 from all over the world— Norway, Germany, UK, Mexico, India, Switzerland, .. and the other American was from Salt Lake) said they WANT to call themselves Scandinavians. Meantime neither Finland nor Iceland are considered Scandinavian. They’re all Nordics w Sweden, Denmark, and Norway but not Scandinavian. Not sure the distinction but there it is. 

Tallinn has two parts to its Old Town — the upper and lower. The upper is older and was built by the conquering Danes. 

Legend has it, in 1219, Danish King Valdemar II was losing the battle near Tallinn but then a flag (THE Danish flag) fell to them from the sky, they felt anointed, and they won the battle. It’s supposedly the oldest national flag still in use in the world. 

They fortified the hell out of that hill. Later the Germans, Swedes, and then tsarist Russians ruled. Although according to history while the Swedes and Russians “ruled,” the Germans ran everything. (Called the Hanseatic league — it pops up all over the Baltics and Nordics — basically German merchants who set up trade routes and ports!?) 

Unbeknownst to me, the first full day I was here, May 1, is a national holiday. Spring Day!? In other European countries it’s Labor Day but here maybe because of their more capitalist leanings and pagan tree-hugging past (literally — she said they still do it), they elected to celebrate the start of warm weather. All schools are off, businesses are closed (including the TI!), buses run on holiday schedules, and many museums close down. It’s a big holiday. Luckily I went to the TI my first evening in and got this info from them along with useful holiday bus schedules since google would assume it’s another regular Wednesday. 

I had been trying to get to an Ethnographic open air museum since Latvia. The TI guy said Spring Day was a good day to go because they had special programs set up for the kids — people in costumes, demos, an open market, and so on. And everywhere else would be dead because everyone leaves town for the holiday. I had a long walk from the bus station to the TI and though only 330 the traffic was bad! I think it was because everyone was trying to get out of town early to start the holiday. Some things are the same everywhere. 

I had a late check in at my airbnb — basically my fault totally as I didn’t realize until after 11 pm the night before that I never booked a place in Tallinn!! I had done some research, saw there were several places I’d consider, but was still figuring out the ferry in / ferry out business so I didn’t book then. And then after I booked all my ferries, committing me to be in Helsinki on certain days and Tallinn on others, I spaced on reserving anywhere. Oops!! I did not want to be homeless. But I caught the first woman I tried — even though it was after 11 — she was out of town but said if I could wait until 7 to check in, we’d be ok. I hate having to schlep my bag but she found there’s cheap baggage lockers at the bus station … so though I did more walking than usual to check in, I was fine. (That said it’s a precursor to what I have to do in Helsinki! But that’s another story.) 

After I met with her to check in, I went to a little neighborhood supermarket for a few greens (and herring— I’m obsessed). I unpacked and went to bed early to greet the May 1 holiday. 

Armed with the holiday bus schedules and where/how to get to the ethnographic open air museum, I was out early (for me — 930) the next morning. Basically it’s a museum made up of actual houses and farms — and even one Soviet era apt bldg— from around the country. They’re taken apart and rebuilt on the grounds. With furnishings. Looks like a big (peasant/farming) village but spanning decades/centuries and  geographies within the country. It’s meant to exhibit how the “regular” and downright poor people lived. I was actually there many hours — it’s a big area to walk and I also had a “typical” farmers breakfast (for lunch). They have a cool app, NUMU, that’s connected to several museums here and so I had a free audio guide to explain what I was looking at. 

My host also suggested I walk along the shore there. Called Rocco al Mare — clearly they’re trying to channel an Italian flavor — it is indeed rocky. It was low tide so also a bit sea-smelly in an unpleasant way. I soon caught my bus back to town. 

For some reason EVERYONE told me to check out the new and upcoming area. Called Telliskivi creativity center it’s behind the old train station terminal. The terminal itself had been turned into an indoor market with boutique shops, flowers, foods (prepared and also groceries), and a food court area. Like the food area of Grand central. But beyond the terminal, they’ve taken old warehouses and doubtless a sorta crappy area and installed bars and restaurants/cafes as well as internet start ups. 

There’s also street art and many places to walk and hang. And an old brewery turned into distillery!? Quite the scene but I was there early and it was a holiday so I suspect it was less crowded than usual. 

Ella, the student from Tartu, recommended going to  Fotografiska, a photography museum of rotating exhibits. It’s in the Telliskivi neighborhood of course. They also have locations in Berlin, NY, Stockholm, and Shanghai. And all have fancy restaurants (the Tallinn one is Michelin rated. Not sure about the others) as well as more student-friendly cafes. Obviously a cool place — and I just missed the senior discount by a few months — you need to be 63. But it was only a few euros less. Their exhibits (which were unfortunately NOT updated in the handy NUMU app) were on Peter Lindbergh (supermodels of 80s/90s and newer – Naomi, Cindy, Kate, Tatyana??), Kary Lasch (golden years – but more 50s so Loren, Sinatra, Dali, princess Grace, older Picasso), Simen Johan and Wang Chen. I spent more time in the first two. Wang is Chinese-born but lives in NY now and it was a video exhibit but I wasn’t feeling it (and btw it was the third young Chinese dude’s exhibit in museums this trip?). Johan does a weird wild colorful meshing of actual photos to create new views (like doves flying into a light as if they’re moths?). The other larger exhibits were mostly B&W and had more famous folks which made it more interesting. Beautiful photographs and cool museum but I did not feel hip enough to be there. 

And mainly I wanted to go to their rooftop bar/restaurant (which I could fyi without buying a ticket to the museum. I was simply too early). I had a great cocktail and being still full from my farmer’s breakfast (and not wanting anyway to get a 75 euro 3-course meal…) I just ordered a mushroom on hazelnut cream snack. It was delish. 

I toasted my niece on her birthday … and on the way back I spotted this place in the main meeting square. 

Happy birthday Troy!  

On Full Day 2, I tried to get pikadus which I thought meant dumpling like pirogis but finally realized it’s more like pie. Anyway I grabbed a couple slices on my way to my first Tallinn free walking tour. As already mentioned, the guide was great. And I met a woman from Oslo, Annette, who is also a tour guide there. She gave me some ideas on places to visit — she won’t be there when I’m there so I can’t join her tours. 

After, while I revisited several old town places, I really wanted to take a break. My feet were tired — I was tired — and it was my mom’s death-aversary (4 years!). Anyway I had asked my host about a good spa and she suggested a Radisson Blu only 12 mins away, with pool and two saunas, water pulsating jets, towels (apparently not always offered) and only 20 euros for as long as I wanted — also it’s on the 26th floor so nice views of the city. It being close to her place extended the spa calm since nothing like stressing over a commute and trying to keep the zen while carrying wet clothes. 

I thought I’d stay at most 2 hours but I ended up there over three. I showered there as well since my airbnb had some drainage issues and I was afraid my hair washing would put it over the top. Anyway I swam, sauna’d, stuck my feet on the initially painful jets (but it hurt so good…), rinsed and repeated! One sauna, in the coed area, was not as hot. I almost fell asleep in there as two men (Estonian? I have no idea but it wasn’t Russian as they kept saying Ja… no da or nyet?) were talking quite loudly. (It’s how I fall asleep — to relatively uninteresting podcasts and preferably with non American accents.) During my ethnographic tour, they made a big deal on how sacred the sauna was to them – for health, cleanliness, solitude…. And that there were strict no talking rules. Either it’s changed or these guys did not get that memo! Later, I was in the sauna again and a couple and also mom and son at least tried whispering or speaking sotto-voce in there. Ah well. A note on the temp of the pool. It was not ice cold but I would not say it was warm. Maybe 68? Obviously you’re supposed to go in the cool pool after the hot saunas. I’m not sure about where and when I was supposed to be showering in between but no one yelled at me so that was good. It was also relatively empty when I got there at 330 but started filling up following 530 … and I still managed to stay another hour or so, relaxing with the view while my hair and suit sorta dried. I also did various jets on my sore shoulders and back so it was all good. 

Wow!  That’s a lot on the sauna!? As usual I drone on and I need to cut this off and finish Tallinn and Estonia later.