I'm playing culture vulture for a couple of days

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I HAVE TRAVELLED by trolley bus and tram to the city centre and then walked for miles every street in the enchanted old town of Tallinn. I enjoy stepping off the tiled sidewalks onto the uneven cobblestone streets, imagining that it gets me in touch with my roots in a more immediate way. While there is some residential car traffic, as well as taxis and delivery vans, you can hear them approaching from quite far away, their tires padding across the bumpy pavement; so no danger of getting run over (touch wood... except everything is built out of rock and stone here).

6 June:
IT'S FREE ADMISSION to any of the many museums in "Old Town" today. Of course I take advantage of this opportunity, visiting the Linnamuuseum (city museum) which contains seven centuries of Tallin history on three compact floors, and the Museum of Applied Art and Design -- full of native Estonian artists' works. I noticed a silver necklace by one Heldur Pruuli. I later learned that first name is not uncommon in this country. In fact, my mother had intended mine to be spelled that way, too, until one German birth registry official made a hash of it. I keep telling people that my name (not I) was a mistake.

7 June:
TODAY I AM DEVOTING to the performing arts. In the city hall square, where much of the Tallinn Old Town Days entertainment takes place this week, I watch a Russian puppet show which even had a couple of its puppeteers step out and perform the occasional song and dance! Later I take in a historical Estonian play performance in a small courtyard. Can't guess many more than a handfull of words, but I'm just there to absorb the ambience anyway, and to enjoy the acting in this cozy setting. In the evening I attend a couple of modern multi-media dance performances in the ancient round Hobuveski (Horse Mill) converted to a dance theatre. This city just rocks with performing and other arts events. And the best thing is, this week many of them are offered to all comers free of charge!

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Photos

Tram
No advertising on this one, but others look as wildly colourful as Tour de France cyclists.

Applying the arts
Members of the public take advantage of Tallinn Old Town Days to create their own art in the courtyard adjacent to the Museum of Applied Art and Design.

Living history
Local craftspeople have set up a replica of an ancient Estonian village outside the northwest wall. Ironwork, food preparation and animal husbandry are being demonstrated in this interactive camp.

Lean-to
A novel way of saving some building costs was attaching one's home against the city wall. These buildings now house a couple of restaurants tucked away in the cul de sac of Müürvahe Street.

Walking home after the show
I am fascinated by the varying patterns of cobblestones.