Üks ölu palun: adventures in Tallinn, Estonia

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Hi everyone,
So, here I am excitedly preparing for my first trip to Europe. Destination, Tallinn, Estonia!

Yes, most people who travel to Europe typically head to better known, more exotic locations, like England or Ireland, the south of France or perhaps, Italy. Mine, however, is a more humble destination.
The reason I chose Estonia is quite pragmatic. My travel companion, Mari, is originally from there, having emigrated 18 years ago. Her family still lives there, so we’re going to visit them.

Estonia is a quaint little farming and fishing country of 1.3 million people. It is nestled on the Baltic Sea, bordered by Russia and Latvia. It is a 40 minute ferry ride from Finland and was formerly part of the Soviet Union.

I am a bit of a history buff and I learned that Estonia was first settled 8,500 years ago and was occupied by both Germany and Russia during WWII. Its capital city, Tallinn, is considered an ancient city and has architecture dating back to the 14th century.

So excited am I about my trip, I have been learning Estonian and I have made great progress. For instance, I know how to greet people, ‘tere,’ (hello), if someone asks me if I speak Estonian, I can respond confidently with, ‘Ma räägin natuke Eesti keelt,’ (I speak a little Estonian language), and more importantly, I can say, ‘üks ölu palun,’ (one beer please). Thinking back to my high school French experience, I have to admit it is much easier to learn a new language when one is motivated to do so. Mr. Whats-his-name would be really proud of me.

Because people tend to behave differently in the presence of strangers, particularly foreign visitors, I have chosen not to wear anything that reveals my country of origin. I am confident this will lead to a more authentic experience. An additional benefit is that I will make myself less of a target for those unscrupulous types who might want to take advantage of said foreign visitor. Kidding. Mari assures me that no such people exist in Estonia, and I have no reason to doubt her.

Our travel itinerary includes a few days in Tallinn, mostly in the old part of the city, two days in Helsinki, Finland, two days on an off-shore island and a trip to Russia. I plan to take lots of pictures and hope to have as many stories to tell as I did after returning from my trip to Korea a couple of years ago.

So, it's now less than one week until departure. We've ensured our passports are up to date...mine is sitting on my dresser in clear view so I won't forget it...I’ve even put it in my pants pocket a couple of times, adjacent to my wallet, to ensure that it will arrive safely at the airport with me, then sheepishly realized that I’m being overly paranoid, and so, put it back…and made all the necessary arrangements with Mari's family. All that remains is to pack and get to the airport on time.

By the way, Mari fears that I'm going to experience severe culture shock, but armed with a modest command of the language, a black belt and extensive travel experience, I feel well equipped to handle any cultural challenges that might come my way, including being scrutinized by her family and staying with her mother.

Under normal circumstances, I might ask you to wish me luck, but as I said, I am brimming with confidence and I am looking forward to an awesome trip. Now, if I could just remember where I put my passport!
Cheers!

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Photos

Pikk Jalg
Pikk Jalg '08