Tere Tallinn !

[Review of the 04 september 2012]

I am back in Estonia after 9 months of travelling and working. The city had not change so much and I found my bearing quickly, like I had never left the Tallinn, even after 8 months away from here.

Arriving in a cold country

After Vilnius and my 9 hours journey I have finally reached Tallinn! There the weather was really hot and here it's really cold. I was with a jacket and pullover, I would have need my chapka, the wind was strong and I had too wait a moment in the morning before having seen my taxi.

Your room? No room...

My taxi liked to drive me in Mustamae by not taking the shortest way. But I arrived in hostel early in the morning, for less than 6 euros.

When I had to take the key of my dormitory in the Academic Hostel, what a surprise to hear that the dorm didn't let keys in there. I had to find another place to sleep for the weekend. Girl proposed me to stay in AH, luckily a room was free. My new life in Estonia starts where it have ended last time!

Back to my favorite places

Once my luggage in the room, I took a small nape and a shower before visiting the city. They put wifi in the whole hostel, that's new and that's awesome. Easy to surf to find open time of my favorite restaurant in Tallinn: Kompressor.

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Saint Olaf tower

The highest tower of Estonia was built so high to be seen from far away in the sea, Tallinn being a important maritime trade city. It stayed the tallest construction in Europe until the year 1625.

It is possible to visit it and to have a splendid panorama of Tallinn, its old town, its port.

The ticket is really cheap. The hardest part is to climb the 268 tiny stairs to the top in a small corridor! Then it maybe more hazardous to go downstairs...

From the top, beside the perfect view I could have enjoyed the perfect rain and wind (my two new friends from Tallinn btw... ) My camera liked them a lot too. That why I didn't took so much photos from there.

Japanese garden

Every year in Tallinn took place a botanic challenge called the Tallinn Flower Festival where many organization from all the world design a original garden in Tornide Valjak.

I was there for the last festival, or actually for the preparation of it, gardens weren't finish yet. This year I could have seen all the gardens, including the winner: Vilnius Municipality! Yes Lithuanians won this year.

Tour to the harbour

Last day of my weekend and I decide to go by the sea. The sky turn better and I haven't nothing to do (still haven't my room).

Visit start in the old town, I stopped at the stop between the Estonian National Library and the Lutheran church of Charles XI. Then I climb Toompea to meet the Parliament and the famous Orthodox Catheral of Alexander Nevsky! Toompea offers the second seesight spot (with Olav's church).

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Around 12:00 I moved to the lower town, to have lunch in my second favorite restaurant: Hell Hunt. I watched the F1 race there. Another reason to like it.

Linnahall, the famous monumental concrete structure you can't miss when going to the harbour was - obviously - made by the Soviets for the Olympic Games of Moscow. It is the the National Library (same architect) one of the few remain of the Soviets times.

Kadriorg Palace, seaside and angel

Monday, after having been in class I had free time for me. So I took the trolley to Kaubamaja and a bus to the Kadriorg Palace. Pretty Palace I've never been during my Erasmus semester here... First meeting on 1st January 2012.

One difference is that the park is full of flowers! It is really nice and fountains aren't frozen.

Except the park and the Palace, you'll probably notice a beautiful monument in direction to the sea. It is sincerely the most beautiful statue of Tallinn (according to me). Russalka angel memorial was built to the memories of the people who died when the Russalka boat sank.

Photos of Tallinn from my Flickr