2009 - Scandinavia - Day 9 - Tallin, Estonia

We left our hotel early this morning to catch our ferry to Estonia that departed at 7:30 am. The ferry was very big and very nice. Mom and I mostly read at a table near windows, I went outside for a bit, but we were going so fast and the wind was whipping all around, so I didn’t stay out long. The ferry ride was 2 hours long, and then we docked at Tallin, Estonia. Today was a free day. We had buses pick us up from the ferry and drop us off next to the old walled town, built 1000 years ago. This wall escaped all the bombings during the war, so ¾ of the original city wall still stands, with many 800 year old buildings and cathedrals inside. The streets seemed easily 1000 years old, the cobblestone streets were so rutted and worn down, like yesterday in Porvoo. We were given a map of the area, with places of interest marked. We spent the next 5 hours walking all over the city, looking in shops, cathedrals and viewpoints and just wandering the streets and alleyways. My highlight of the day was climbing the tower of an old church built in the 1200’s. I spent 2 Euros to climb up narrow, steep winding stairs to the top of this tower, and see the view of the city below me. It was so amazing, I could have stayed up there for a long time, but mom was waiting for me below, reading Twilight on the pew next to a depiction of Christ’s crucifixion. I find that amusing J After walking for miles around the city, my feet and shins were starting to ache from all the uneven cobblestones, so I can’t imagine how badly moms must have hurt her. We still had an hour and a half till our bus came to pick us up, but we found a bench in a nearby park and read and listened to American Indians (of all people) singing and playing music, until we left. We then had another 2 hour ferry ride back to Helsinki. When I asked mom as were getting back to our hotel, what she wanted to do for the rest of the evening, she said, “Die!” Well, tomorrow will mostly be a bus day, so we can rest our feet.