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Tallinn or bust
Aug. 14th, 2017 09:24 pmOne of the many nice things about Helsinki is how well connected it is to it neighbours. A day trip to Tallinn, Estonia is easily achievable. I found two friends to join me, and they found another.
We set sail on a somewhat packed ferry, but one with enough space to sit, and to mill around, get food if so desired.
Tallinn old city is a walled city with a whole mishmash of history going back 1000 years, with independence movements, invasions, wars and a whole shebang of other upsets. The walls, however, remain standing, and the city itself is very pretty. Like a lot of these places, the old city within the walls is really quite small. A 10 minute walk from one side to the other.
Since we only had a day, we spent most of our time just looking at places and admiring how pretty it was. I went my own way at one point and find that there was a good view of the city and a pleasant walk past what was the moat - now a lake - through a park, before climbing all the way back up to the top of the hill the city was built on. The effort is rewarded by the most amazing view across the harbour. And there's a nice bar not far away that does local craft beer.
A lovely city, and the gorgeous sunny weather really brought out the best of the place.
Wandered back and had a look at a large concrete construction. Huge, ugly, and inaccessible, although possible to walk over since it has steps over the top. Turns out this was Linnahall. Soviet Era (obviously, given the brutalist architecture) sport and concert venue. Looks ugly as sin, but photos of it make it look less unpleasant when it was open. One thing I do like is it seems to be hangout area for teenagers where they can go and not disturb anyone. One guy was meditating. A few people were playing music. Plenty were just hanging out.
We could only spend so much time there though, as we had to catch a ferry back. A faster service, but it's a catermeran, with crummy airline style seeing, next to no outside deck space, except an "observation deck", which was a small square area from which the outside was visible, just, but not a pleasant place to sit and relax as the sea flies by. More like a prison exercise yard.
Still, not to worry. It got us back to Helsinki.
Last full day tomorrow. Time to see the city itself.
We set sail on a somewhat packed ferry, but one with enough space to sit, and to mill around, get food if so desired.
Tallinn old city is a walled city with a whole mishmash of history going back 1000 years, with independence movements, invasions, wars and a whole shebang of other upsets. The walls, however, remain standing, and the city itself is very pretty. Like a lot of these places, the old city within the walls is really quite small. A 10 minute walk from one side to the other.
Since we only had a day, we spent most of our time just looking at places and admiring how pretty it was. I went my own way at one point and find that there was a good view of the city and a pleasant walk past what was the moat - now a lake - through a park, before climbing all the way back up to the top of the hill the city was built on. The effort is rewarded by the most amazing view across the harbour. And there's a nice bar not far away that does local craft beer.
A lovely city, and the gorgeous sunny weather really brought out the best of the place.
Wandered back and had a look at a large concrete construction. Huge, ugly, and inaccessible, although possible to walk over since it has steps over the top. Turns out this was Linnahall. Soviet Era (obviously, given the brutalist architecture) sport and concert venue. Looks ugly as sin, but photos of it make it look less unpleasant when it was open. One thing I do like is it seems to be hangout area for teenagers where they can go and not disturb anyone. One guy was meditating. A few people were playing music. Plenty were just hanging out.
We could only spend so much time there though, as we had to catch a ferry back. A faster service, but it's a catermeran, with crummy airline style seeing, next to no outside deck space, except an "observation deck", which was a small square area from which the outside was visible, just, but not a pleasant place to sit and relax as the sea flies by. More like a prison exercise yard.
Still, not to worry. It got us back to Helsinki.
Last full day tomorrow. Time to see the city itself.
