Day 19: Back to the Beginning

Left Parnu, another bus trip through oddly familiar forests (disorientation never fails when you wake up and think you're in the U.P. when looking out the window dazed).

Arrived at the Hotel G9 in Tallinn and after we drop off our stuff, roommate and I decided to wander the Old Town, for old time's sake. We actually stumbled across previously unvisited locations by following the wall of the Old Town, past many stops of wood and yarn crafts being sold for more kroon then they might have been worth. We wandered the cobblestone until we came across the Tallinn City Museum. Definitely worth the 15 kroon it took the get in with a student discount. It covered everything from the development of society in Tallinn to the Soviet occupation. Had hundreds of intriguing artifacts plus some intuitive information displays (mostly translated into English too). One of the best museums of the trip.

Afterwards, we headed further into places undwelled upon our first trip to Tallinn. We headed to St. Olaf's, a church with some dark legends in its past. We took the opportunity to walk up to the top of the tower and see new views of Tallinn's Old Town and the surrounding newer town. It was a tight squeeze at time but we made it in the end, with lots of photos as proof. From this lofty perch, we spotted a strange looking structure, made up of concrete and stairs, set up on the shore. We decided to explore this mysterious location. Turns out it was Linnahall, one of the structures built in the Soviet era during the 1980 Olympics. It looks something like an abandoned Ferry station with all its doors boarded up and graffiti spread on many of its surfaces. It echoed of the bygone Soviet days with its dark arches and crumbling stairwells. Through the doors seats of an auditorium stand out from the gloom, and hints of empty offices can be see past crooked shades. Surreal but worthwhile place to wander.

We headed down to the sounds of music and the beach, where a maritime celebration was happening. Old ships docked nearby as foods from local vendors were being flaunted. We grabbed some fresh doughnuts on the fly.

In the evening, we went to the Chicago 1933, a very atmospheric locale with some decidedly American fare.