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387--Estonia (Eesti): Tallinn the Truth @ CherieSpotting     Jun 29 2007 - 08:39 PST cherie writes: Tallinn, Estonia is a charming city that is a must-see for anyone who finds themselves in Helsinki, Finland. Although you can easily see the city in 5 hours, Tallinn deserves more. After a short 90-minute ferry ride across the Gulf of Finland, Brenda and I arrived in Estonia’s capital city. As we strolled through the cobbled streets and admired the stunning architecture, it felt like we turned back the clock a few hundred years (and turned back prices a few decades!) Many people take the ferry to Estonia just to stock up on supplies and cheap alcohol. The signs may warn of purse-snatchers, but Brenda and I felt perfectly safe wandering around the slow curves of the city. In the town square, we ran into a group of car racers competing in the centennial 2007 Peking to Paris car race. These classic cars blended with a classic city that every traveler should put on their list of places not to miss! Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 4640    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   Cherie with a nut-seller in the charming city of Tallinn, Estonia. (Estonia is only a 90-minute ferry ride from Helsinki, Finland.) Stirring the nuts on the cobbled streets of Tallinn. Something yummy to taste! *Photo by Brenda Brenda...go this way! The view of Tallinn from Oleviste Church, Estonia. To regain their independence from the USSR, many Estonians held peaceful "Singing Revolution" demonstrations in the 1980s. In 2006, Estonia had less than one-and-a-half million inhabitants. People from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania formed a human chain from Tallin to Riga to Vilnius in 1989 to show the world how much the Baltic States wanted their independence. The highest peak in Estonia (Suur Munamagi) is only 318 meters above sea level. Looking up at Oleviste Church. Cherie in Estonia. Brenda, the Aussie nurse living in London (hanging out with Cherie in Estonia.) A glance down a typical street in Tallinn. That's me in the corner. The Tallinn town square. Cherie by a car in the Peking to Paris race. The Peking to Paris race goes from Peking, to Great Wall of China, to Inner Mongolia, to the Gobi Desert, to Outer Mongolia, to Ulaan Baatar, to the Steppes of Asia, to Siberia, to Russia, to Moscow, to St. Petersburg, to Estonia, to Latvia, to Lithuania, to Poland, to the Czech Republic, to Germany, to Paris and finally ends at the Place Vendome. Brenda by one of the Peking to Paris racers. Tourists and locals alike gather in the town square to welcome the car racers. Photographers snap photos as the old cars drive past. 2007 is the 100th year anniversary of the Peking to Paris race. In the original Peking to Paris race in 1907, five cars started and four cars finished in Paris. The city of Paris will welcome the finishers of the 2007 Peking to Paris race on June 30, 2007. If you missed this year's race, the next Peking to Paris race will take place in 2010. An Estonian sign warns Brenda to hold onto her purse! Cherie. McDonald's in Estonia. We aren't in Russia, but we still find Russian dolls on almost every street corner. Enter through the castle's gates. A smile from Brenda. Estonian money! Even though Estonia is part of the European Union, they maintain their own currency. If you lived in Estonia, you could read this sign! The Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral seen from a distance. Colorful Estonian rooftops. Estonia finally regained its independence in 1991. By land, Estonia is bordered by Latvia and Russia; by water Estonia is bordered by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. Estonia (17,413 square miles) is larger than Denmark (16,633 square miles.) Cherie in Tallinn, Estonia. Paul Keres and Jaan Ehlvest are two famous Estonians. What are they famous for, you ask? Their skills at chess. Don't forget to look up. At any angle (and every angle) this is one beautiful place of worship. The organ inside the Oleviste Church. Take a stroll back in time as you walk through the historic streets of Tallinn. What a view! Brenda. Eesti is what Estonians call their country. Anyone in the mood for overbaked cod filet? Cherie and Brenda have lunch on a terrace overlooking the city. Cherie and the Estonian waitress. *Photo by Brenda. Lunch in Tallinn costs 70% less than lunch in Helsinki. Delicious lunch. *Photo by Brenda. Estonian transportation. An outdoor cafe. What year is it? Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don't. Going nuts for the nut sellers! You have no idea how many stupid nut jokes these fine ladies hear from witty tourists every day. Tallinn is the capital of Estonia. Stunning architecture. 50 Cent goes to Tallinn. A modern tree-house? Hoochi Mama! Love it! Flowers make everything more beautiful. The streets of Tallinn. Brenda leads the way! Simple lines; classic beauty. There's Cherie! Tallinn. Tallinn's tourist train. A seaside view of Tallinn. Brenda. You feel guilty blinking in Tallinn. You might miss something! Another smile from Brenda! If you want to see the views...be prepared to climb! *Photo by Brenda. It's a 15-minute stroll from the ferry to the center of the old town in Tallin.