Accommodations: Tallink City Hotel
We had breakfast and then boarded our minibus to travel to Tallinn, Estonia. On the way, we stopped in Parnu, a popular summer resort town among Estonians, although many Finnish folks come to enjoy the spa and the beach as well. Our guide said it is very expensive to stay there. He said it’s cheaper for him to take a holiday in Italy or Greece instead of going to Parnu.
The first bathing establishment in Parnu opened its doors at the beach in 1838, where warm baths were offered during the summer and a sauna (pronounced “sow-nah,”) experience during the winter. The spa now offers massages, mud treatments, paraffin treatments, and many other amenities to relax you and give you pleasure. Parnu was chosen as the “best health and wellness tourism destination in Estonia”.
It was another beautiful day (we can’t believe how lucky we’ve been with the weather), and we walked the beach and enjoyed the sun.
We had soup for lunch after the beach and then went back on the minibus to travel the rest of the way to Tallinn.
As we traveled along, our guide Eero told us about the panel buildings that we saw along the way that were from the Soviet era. These were plain and functional buildings that housed people according to the number in the family. If you had a large family, your apartment was bigger than those who were either just married or single. He said many couples got married just to get bigger apartments and after the Soviet collapse, the divorce rate was high. The buildings looked like concrete boxes and reminded Allan and me of the apartments that we saw when we were in Star City in Russia near Moscow.
Some of these buildings we saw are now historical buildings and need work. Many are not insulated against the cold winters. Some need to be painted and some need new windows. The dilemma is…if the people who own these buildings can’t afford to pay for restorations, should the government help them by giving them or loaning them money? The problem is, if the government does this to preserve the history of the buildings and the renovations are completed, the buildings would then become valuable and could be sold by the owner at a very good price. People are saying that it wouldn’t be fair for those building owners to get money from the government to make restorations and then sell the buildings for a huge profit. But the other side is, if the renovations aren’t done for these historical buildings, they will deteriorate and might have to be torn down. A dilemma indeed.
We passed many pine trees and birch trees along the way. The ground is sandy since the area was once under the water, so many plants and trees can’t grow there. Someone asked if the tall and numerous pine trees ever blow down, since the soil is sandy. The answer is, they have roots that spread out and can find and latch onto the stone bed, so the chances of these trees being blown over is very low.
People cut the leaf laden twigs from the birch trees and use them as whisks for their saunas. Sauna whisks are used to enhance the sauna experience by increasing circulation, exfoliating the skin, and adding a pleasant aroma to the sauna. The whisks are soaked in warm water for maybe 30 minutes. Then when you come out of the heat of the sauna and your skin is warm, the whisk is gently tapped or brushed all over you.
The sauna experience is a way of life as well as part of the circle of life. Some women birth their children in saunas. Some folks, before they die, have asked that their body be taken to the sauna to be bathed before they are buried. The circle of life for sure.
Our guide told us that many Estonians liked President Reagan because he was against communism and tried to end the Cold War. He said he loved watching Reagan on TV and listening to his anecdotes. One in particular he liked was when Reagan told the story of a man in Russia who wanted to buy a car. He got the necessary permits and went to the car dealer and presented them. The car dealer looked them over and said, yes…everything is in order. Come back in ten years from today for your car. The man asked if he should come in the morning or afternoon. The car dealer replied that he didn’t know, but what difference would it make since it was ten years away. To which the man replied that it did matter because he already had a plumber coming in the morning that day. Too funny!
We arrived in Tallinn and walked around the upper city and we were able to see the beautiful panoramic views with the red roofs and churches with gleaming towers. It is a beautiful city.
We saw the medieval walls that surround the city, that have been preserved throughout the years. The first wall around Tallinn was constructed in 1265. It was 16’ tall and about 4’9” thick at the base. The walls have been enlarged and strengthened since that time. Some parts of the wall actually go through buildings where people live. No one wants to destroy the wall so the buildings were built around them. This is one of the reasons that Tallinn’s old town became a Would Heritage site.
Our last stop of the day was to see the Song Festival Grounds. The Tallinn Song Festival, known as Laulupidu, began in 1869 and had been a symbol of Estonian national pride and played a key role in the “Singing Revolution” of 1988. The Singing Revolution, was a series of protests sung by thousands of people, for independence from the Soviet Union. The original festival was considered responsible for fostering an Estonian national awakening. The festival is now held every five years, and is one of the largest choral events in the world, sometimes comprising more than 30,000 singers performing to an audience of more than 100,000. You can google the festival to read about how the choirs are chosen.
The place where the festival takes place is at a large open-air bandstand that faces a grassy area where the people who have purchased tickets to hear the concert can sit. The key function of the open air stage is to keep the tradition of the Song Festival, (which is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list) alive.
In addition to the choirs that perform, famous artists like Madonna, 50 cents, and Lady Gaga have performed at the bandstand to thousands of people.
We then boarded our minibus which took us to our beautiful hotel. There is a large bar in the lobby with plenty of seating to enjoy a cocktail or after dinner drink. Our room is large with a walk-in shower. There was a sign in the bathroom that told us who our room attendant was, but that she only will clean the room every three days. If we want more service or extra towels, we can request it. We usually put a sign on our hotel room door that we don’t need room service anyway, since we always reuse towels because it is more ecological to do so. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a hotel that actually does not provide the service until after three days or when you request it. The Estonians are definitely eco-friendly. And…it’s nice to be in countries where we can drink the water directly from the tap.
Eero told the group that there was a restaurant, Olde Hansa, that featured medieval fare. Allan and I looked at the menu and we decided it would be a fun thing to partake in. Another couple in our group, Diana and Peter, decided to join us, and Eero walked us over to what would turn out to be a very enjoyable evening at Olde Hansa. You can read about the restaurant and offerings here: https://www.oldehansa.ee/
We decided to order the Grand Chef Feast (which you can read what was served at the site above since it is too much to list here) and what a feast it was!! Allan and I had an herbal dark beer which was amazing, and each course of the feast was absolutely delicious. All of the dishes on the menu, including many wild game delicacies, are cooked using 15th century recipes and methods. Dessert was a type of pudding made from rose petals.
The evening passed by so quickly as Diana, Peter and Allan and I got to know each other, and before we knew it, it was almost ten o’clock. We couldn’t believe the time as we walked back to the hotel, because the sun was still shining!
It was a great first day in Tallinn!
At the beach in Parnu.
Delicious soup for lunch.
Walking around Parnu.
Arriving in Tallinn and walking the cobblestone streets.
Tallinn
You can see part of the wall of Tallinn next to the round building.
The wall that goes around the old town.
It is a beautiful town with so many interesting spots to see everywhere you look.
Established in the 13th century, St Mary’s Church is the oldest church in Tallinn and the only building which survived the 17th-century fire.
The Kiek in de Kök artillery tower. Occupants of the tower used to be able to peek down into the kitchens of nearby homes, hence the name “Kiek in de Kok” meaning “Peep into the Kitchen”. The tower was built in 1475 for fortification, and in the right side of the photo below the tree branch, you can see old cannon balls that are embedded into the walls of the tower that date all the way back to the 16th century.
Performers at the bandstand
About Gustav Ernesaks
The bandstand
This sign greeted us as we entered the Olde Hansa Restaurant
Emmanuel Willie
As we were escorted to our table, we had to pause to have warm water poured over our hands before we could dine.
The beginning of our feast. It was very dark in the restaurant and very difficult to take pictures of all the food that kept coming out for our medieval feast.
Our hotel is very ecologically aware.