Eesti Vabariik - The Republic of Estonia

EESTI VABARIIK - THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA 

 

Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, is Lucy’s 7th and last capital city of her Nordic adventure. The official language is Eesti, Estonian, a Uralic language related to Finnish and Hungarian. Eesti is unrelated to the bordering Russian and Latvian languages, both of which are Indo-European. As usual Lucy quickly learnt a few useful phrases. 

Tere – Hello

Palun – Please, you're welcome

Aitäh – Thank you

Jah – Yes

Ei – No

Minu nimi on ... – My name is ...

Terviseks! – Cheers!

Vabandust – Sorry

Nägemist – Bye

Arriving in Tallinn 

Wednesday 26th June 2019

The boat arrived in the early hours of the morning, but we were able to sleep in the cabin until disembarkation at 6.45. I caught a bus to the city centre and found a cafe to have breakfast. I ordered scrambled egg and toast. It came with lettuce, radishes, a salad dressing and some very spicy hummus. It was delicious.

After breakfast Lucy got out a map and some leaflets that she had picked up on the ferry and spread them out on the cafe table. It was raining so I decided to have another cup of coffee and look at Lucy’s map until the Tourist Information Office opened as I wanted to buy a travel pass. The 72 hour travel card cost €5. Travel in the city is free for residents of Tallinn, people travelling with a child under 3, children under 7, people working in the city, and several other Estonians including anyone who contributed to clean-up operations at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. 

Tallinn has an excellent network of public transport: buses, trams and trolley buses. 

Lucy fell on her feet again. I was going to leave my bag at a locker in the town until I could check into my room. But she insisted that I went to the hotel, and when I got there the room was ready. Two days ago Lucy looked at my booking and saw that it was for a tiny budget single room with free cancellation. She checked alternative accommodation, cancelled the 'budget' room and rebooked a de-luxe room at the same hotel. It was a huge, with a proper coffee maker, a lounge and a large Spa Bath. All for €20 less than I was originally going to pay. And I doubt whether the budget room would have been ready 5 hours before the check in time. A great place to stay for the last couple of days of our travels. 

Lucy loved the Spa Bath and the little yellow duck. It was just her size. Though as she hates water she only sat on the ledge of the bath 

Exploring Tallinn

Wednesday 26th June 2019

Apart from a couple of visits to the DDR including cycling through it not long after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Estonia is the first former Soviet Bloc country that I have visited. So I decided to concentrate on the history of the country, starting at the Eesti Ajaloomuuseum, the Estonian History Museum. 

The Eesti Ajaloomuuseum is housed in an old Guild Hall  that has been renovated 

Once again Lucy left a comment in the visitor’s book

Estonia is a gateway between East and West and has only been an independent country for about 50 years since the Middle Ages. Over the centuries it changed hands frequently as Denmark, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Poland fought for control. It became part of the Russian Empire in 1721 until independence was declared in 1917. But this was short lived as Germany invaded during WWI. The Germans were driven out by the Red Army resulting in the Estonian Wat of Independence, 1918 - 1920. Independence was finally granted by the Treaty of Tartu in 1920. But this only lasted for 20 years as Estonia was occupied by Germany during WWII from 1940 - 1944. Then Russia invaded and drove the Germans out. At the end of the war, Estonia became part of the Soviet Union until Independence was gained in 1992. 

Description

The Cross of Liberty and the War of Independence Monument in Freedom Square

KGB Vangikongid - KGB Prison Cells

After the History Museum I visited the KGB Prison cells. This was once a private house and from the outside you would never know what went on inside. 

The building containing the prison cells

I finished the day with an evening meal in one of the restaurants in the market square. 

Much of Tallin was flattened during the war years and in March 1944 over 5,100 buildings were destroyed by approximately 280 Soviet aircraft. This resulted in a huge loss of life and over 20,000 people becoming homeless overnight. The old town has been rebuilt and restored and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with cobblestone streets, medieval churches, grandiose merchant houses, barns and warehouses. 

Some of the many fine buildings in Tallinn old town

It was still raining when I left the restaurant so I got a bus back to the hotel

More Estonian History

Thursday 27th June 2019

Tallinna Jaani Kiriku

My original plan had been to walk around the City Walls and go to the open air museum, but as it was still raining I did different things. I got a tram into the centre and visited the Jaani Kiriku. When I went in a service was about to begin so I stayed for it. I was surprised how many local people, men and women of all ages were in the congregation. There was also a photographic display about the history and rebuilding of the church, a display of early bibles and some modern paintings in the church gallery by Liis Koger. 

 

I had read about the new Museum of Occupations dedicated to the 1940-1991 period when the country was occupied by the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and then again by the Soviet Union, but when I got there I found out that it was an audio exhibition with head phones to listen to commentaries by people who had lived through the period. I realised that I wouldn’t be able to follow it and decided not to rely on the paper transcripts so changed my plans again. 

Kommunism on Vangla

When I was at the Tourist Office someone told me about a special opening of the former Soviet Prison on the coast. It was used to house prisoners from 1944 until the collapse of the Soviet Union, and was open to the public for the first time, for a period of six weeks. So I studied the map and caught a tram and a bus out of the city. 

Once out of the city centre  it was interesting to see some of the new housing and also the state of some buildings that hadn’t been renovated. Eventually I found the entrance to the former prison and you were free to wander around inside and out. Most of the other visitors were Estonians. It was a warren of tunnels, stairs and small rooms and was cold, dark and damp inside. You certainly got a feel of how harrowing life must have been there. There were a couple of cells with a small display of facts about prisoners, many of whom were later executed or sent to Gulags in Siberia. 

A few photos taken at the prison

Photos of some of the many thousands who were imprisoned there

A couple of the drawings on display. They were done by a prisoner during his time there 

The back of the prison from the seashore 

Lennusadam Harbour 

On the way back to the hotel I stopped to look at the boats in the seaplane harbour. I had a meal at the hotel and used the voucher that came with my room for a free bottle of wine and packed up ready for the long journey home in the morning. 

Goodbye Estonia 

Friday 28th June 2019

Good bye Estonia 

Tallinn is a beautiful city but it  rained constantly while I was there and the sun only came out when I got in the taxi at 5.30 am to go to the airport. The first leg by Air Baltic to Amsterdam and then KLM to Birmingham. 

DescriptioMuseum of Occupations in Tallinn, Estonia, is located at the corner of Toompea St. and Kaarli Blvd. It was opened on July 1, 2003, and is dedicated to the 1940-1991 period in the history of Estonia, when the country was occupied by the Soviet Union, then Nazi Germany, and then again by the Soviet Union.

Nearly home. Lucy’s last flight after 6 weeks enjoying  her Nordic Adventure 

 I decided to get a taxi from Birmingham airport and the driver lives in my road, so he knew all the short cuts and charged me ‘locals’ rates. We were soon back home again and Lucy is already planning her next adventure. I will try to add a few statistics about her Nordic Adventure to finish this blog as soon as I can. But there is a lot to catch up with at home.