Tallin, Estonia - Baltic Countries Coach Tour - May 25

In the afternoon of this day we tour an outdoor museum of the old homes, old crafts, thatched houses, etc. The museum borders on the Baltic Sea. There were some wonderful views. Back to the hotel then out to a Medevel dinner. Very good food and great atmosphere. We are buying water at $2.00 a bottle from Uri our bus driver. We don't seem to have time or the inclination to buy it at a store and carry it around. Still have my nasty cold. But this is nothing to the disasters happening around the world at this time. -- China earthquakes, US South and Mid-west cyclones, Myanar earthquake; and that is just the weather, not to mention mankind's messes.
Estonia is big in the IT field. I believe Skype originated here.

Not much at home today. Out looking a carpets and 'educating ourselves' about them, so says himself.

Tallin, Estonia - Baltic Countries Coach Tour - May 25

More photos from the morning tour of Tallin, old town.

Finished the vacuuming. Then spent the rest of the day getting my playlist sorted out, and downloading Blade Runner, Memento, and Fifth Element. All seem good copies. Going to finish watching Animatrix tonite.

Tallin, Estonia - Baltic Countries Coach Tour - May 25

We were up and to breakfast at 7:30 and on the bus to tour by 9:00. Great weather. We went on a walking tour of the old town. Long long walk on cobblestones. Its a beautiful city. My photos are turning out better, but I have to be quick about it. Wish I had been using the wide angle for some of the shots, but no time to change. As it was I missed all of good information from our guide.

At home.. yesterday I got a bit of gardening done. I actually got 3 steps up on the ladder to tie my grape vine up to the top of the garage roof at the front. I also did a thin wire for the grape along the side of the garage where it was before, and producing fruit. After that I clipped the 'goose' cottoneaster, and clipped back the fig and things to open the new stepping stones up a bit. I put all these clippings under the deck, hopefully to get started on some good soil under there. I see I have a very nice patch of moss growing there in the shade. I need to get some of this moss growing in the Japanese garden. I filled the pond and soaked the apple tree.

Today it is raining nicely. I have been inside all day, doing music play lists and photos.

Tallin, Estonia - Baltic Countries Coach tour - May 24

After breakfast on the Litvinov (ship of the Russian River Cruise) we sat around in any space we could find outside of our rooms, waiting for our transport to the airport or where ever. Sixteen of us waited for a bus that would take us on our extended Baltic Countries tour, with Uniworld. Why should I have been surprised when we boarded a dirty, run down, old rattle trap of a bus. We proceeded to drive over potholes and worse, roads to get to the border of Estonia. It was about a 3 hour trip with no stops and no facilities on board. We finally get to the border all very disgruntled, to say the least. We get out to go to the washroom and discover that we should have taken our hand luggage as the people coming from Tallin were trading buses with us. Oh my, they were in for a surprise, as we had been.. or maybe they had been told of the infamous bus. We then get on a gloriously clean, comfortable bus to continue our tour, with our new guide, Sylvia. Before I say anything else, I must say that Sylvia was THE BEST guide we have had on any of our trips. And now we get information!!! imagine. Upon crossing the border, each of us give the pot $2.00 to bribe the guards so that they do not rummage through everyone's baggage and hold us up for any further time.

The difference between Russia and Estonia is apparent right at the border. Great paved roads, cleaner countryside and neat towns. The land is farmed where Russia was all weedy and neglected. People here smile and are cheerful. Man, even the weather is better!

Estonia has 1.6 million people, 400,000 of whom live in Tallin. We watched an informative movie, but I cannot possibly remember it. Nice dinner in our hotel and are back to our very nice room by 9:00 pm. TV ( what a luxury) and sleep.

I can no longer remember when the above pictures were taken. I did not change the time on my camera, so it is still on my home time, which is probably about 8 or 10 hours difference. At any rate, it was great to have good weather and be shooting photos without being on a bus or boat with reflective windows. This is Kadrioru Palace and park. I have many more pictures of the park and palace but won't bore you with them.