How to Invest Fifteen Euros

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Sightseeing is prohibited! This amazing phrase revealed itself on the website of UK Visa Department among the rules for transit visitors as I was industriously looking for information about transit and tourist visas for The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, upon suddenly learning that Russian nationals were bestowed with the right to pass UK in transit without a visa for 24 hours, the so-called visa concession. I got much excited about the prospect to visit London, no matter for what duration. Also, I’d never guess the possible cheap cost of getting to London; but that’s a matter left now aside for some distant future, since I don’t like the uncertainty of this visa concession and, taking into consideration the relatively simple list of visa documents, I’ll go there in nearest future on a good tourist visa (if I get one). It would be so naïve to expect a person to abandon sightseeing during 24 hours, save if he/she has already seen them.

The relation of the aforesaid to Tallinn is direct and straightforward. The cheapest flights I’ve found are from Tallinn. But it’s a mere 15 Euros both ways on Ecolines (50% discount, bought in advance) bus from Petersburg to Tallinn, some 6 hours on the road, very simple border formalities, and the joy to add another Unesco World Heritage site to my list.

The ticket actually cost 14.90 Euros. It was written there that the return route was Tallinn – Loksa – Petersburg, so I thought there would be a transfer between buses there; however, the bus simply came to Loksa and nothing happened – the stewardess said “Passengers, we are at Loksa, but there is no stop”, and we drove on. The bus station in Loksa was very small, dark and deserted.

My further expenditures at shops in Narva and Tallinn amounted to 10 Euros for some junk nutrition.

The highway within St. Petersburg and outside it is at first very good, but then the driver takes some of the minor roads, a narrow one through the forest and lots of small villages, and that’s where foreigners must ohmygod this country. Generally, the road is in poor state. The road to the border takes about 2 and a half hour. On the Russian border (Ivangorod, the city deserves a visit to see a mediaeval fortress), everyone must leave the bus with their luggage and proceed to passport checking, while on the Estonian border the official enters the bus and collects passports and then returns them; no questions were asked. Guess which option is more comfortable. The forest in Narva is, I can reveal a secret, my next destination, because of its military significance both for Estonia and Russia.

Tallinn bus station is under renovation, I hope they'll finish it by winter because it’s a bit inconvenient waiting outside. There is a very cheap modern toilet for 0.30 Euros.

I immediately proceeded to the centre. At first I did not quite know where to direct my feet but then I noticed the high tower of some church and headed there, though I took rather an indirect route for want of a map. I was at once astonished by the steel and glass high-rise Swissotel, SEB, Radisson Blu buildings and while later I checked out their prices I was pleased to realize that me and my girlfriend can actually afford staying at them, should such desire arise.

Estonia was former member of Soviet Union but it does not look a bit like Soviet, and I did not perceive any Soviet elements there. Obviously, there must be such elements somewhere. There is some excavation underway near one of the hotels, seeming to be sort of archaeological research.

I noticed kiosks selling lots of Russian newspapers and printed matter and that was a pleasure though I maintain that a foreign country should have less elements of one’s native country, including speech (the more difficult an official country language, the better), but in Tallinn one cannot escape the Russian language for historic reasons (e.g. Narva almost entirely speaks Russian). Well, we Russians are occupants etc. etc. I enjoyed hearing the news that “Russia is our geopolitical enemy Number One”. Moreover, some 30% of Estonian citizens are its non-citizens so theirs must be a jolly life, I guess, with no voting rights and all that.

The first treat for the eyesight (the second after the skyscrapers) is Vabaduse Valjak (Freedom Square) with a cross celebrating the nation’s victory in the 1918-1920 Independence war.

The older a place is, the more attractive it seems to me. I observed fortress walls and towers (Vanalinn – Old town, of all old towns I've seen I like most perhaps the Gamla Stan of Stockholm and Stare Miasto of guess where). It was included into the Unesco list in 1997.

The Aleksander Nevski katedraal is in the orthodox style and gives a good impression of what most churches in Russia are generally like. I almost never go inside churches, because I consider them sacred and intended for ministration or prayer or any other divine services. But I guess I might go inside and arrange some idiotic act of protest (political, religious, or just to support sexual minorities or perhaps even demand better road being built from St. Petersburg to Tallinn), make some meaningful shouting or crying, and otherwise express my critical disaccord with something or somebody or everything and everybody; now here I will stop because some fearful expressions and images come to my mind.

I procured a free map at a souvenir shop, the saleswoman speaking Russian; I just put it into my pocket and for referral when necessary. I decided to simply wonder through the old city.

The churches in Vanalinn (for instance, Toomkirik and others) look like pens or pencils; I remarked mentally that I didn’t see many similar churches somewhere else.

The many viewpoints around the old town face the sea, from one of them I noticed my following areas of interest and descended, crossed the Toom park to the stadium and looked at the Toompea loss and Pikk Hermann.

I proceeded therefrom to find a snack which assumed the form of a long and crispy hot dog (the bread was crispy, not the sausage), saleswoman again speaking Russian – and as she did not hasten, a queue formed behind me making me a bit uncomfortable).

Wasting no time, I returned to the Old and Sightly. My attention was captured by wee windows in fortress walls – imagine a prisoner’s spiritual state being jailed for life in a small chamber with such windows, anyone would go mad perhaps. The size was about one brick by half brick.

The Oleviste kirik was at its time the tallest building in the world and indeed it looks majestic. There are lots of beautifully, richly, warmly coloured and decorated buildings, with a culmination of human artwork at Raekoja Plats with Raekoda, Raeapteek, Puha Vaimu kirik, Niguliste museum and church; almost every building is compelling. My final destination was Kaarli kirik; I was tired on my way back.

I slept during the whole night, from one till five o’clock, the stewardess waking me up with words like “Dear passengers, we are at Loksa”, or “We have reached the Estonian border”, and finally “Wake up, we are in St. Petersburg!” It was a magnificent feeling to drop into sleep and then, in a flash, to be already home. We’ll definitely hear more about Tallinn this year.

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