A good friend asked me to be her guinea pig, it sounds terrible but that’s what it was. It was her chance to “trial run” what she planned to do with people who visited her in her hometown. All I needed to do was let her test run her itinerary on me and give her feedback based on my experience. I had a few days off and flew to Tallinn without knowing a single thing about Estonia. I had never even heard of it before I started working with my friend and couldn’t even tell you where exactly it was.
The Viru Gate is the gateway to a picturesque and beautiful Old Town. Tallinn still has its’ well preserved Medieval vibe with cobbled pavements, narrow streets and historical buildings. One of the most notable places that really helped paint this picture was a Medieval themed restaurant, Olde Hansa with the staff dressed in medieval costumes, serving a traditional Estonian menu with dishes like wild boar, certainly not for me. You can spend the day in the square with all the restaurants and outside patios, offering so many different delicious cuisines, or you can walk up the narrow uneven, steep staircase of what I think was the Olaf Cathedral and see a birds eye view of the square, which I was fortunate enough to do even though my knees were screaming in protest with each step. This view although beautiful, pales in comparison to the view of the city from the top of Toompea.
Tallinn also gave me a chance to experience the village lifestyle from the 18th-20th Century through a quick visit to the Estonian Open Air Museum . This museum had different farms that depicted how families from different income brackets lived. This rural setting reminded me of my beloved rural home with more greenery. It was one of those experiences that clearly showed how alike we are in our traditions and way of life even across the different continents.
By now you know that I am quite the History nerd, so despite being slightly claustrophobic, I braved a tour of the Bastion Passages that run beneath Harju Hill and Linda Hill at the edge of Toompea. These defensive tunnel systems were built during the Swedish rule in the17th Century to move soldiers and military equipment. The tour was so well done that it provided a snap shot into “war times”. I felt a little afraid in those tunnels and couldn’t help but think that as human beings we have been fighting and oppressing each other for centuries.
Tallinn was certainly a place that didn’t disappoint. It was an experience that I will never forget and I hope I will make my way back there during winter to experience the magical Christmas Market. Given the chance, I will say yes to Tallinn again.
