Estonia--Tallinn

---

---

Hello again from "The Best Cafe in Tallinn"

It's got a sign outside to prove it, and I'm not arguing, as I've been here twice today!

So, after my big lunch (I haven't eaten since!), I went back to my room to get my scarf and mittens, then I wandered around the gorgeous old town. I went up Toompea (upper old town) and saw the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is amazing. I looked out at the town from two look-out points up there, and took some photos, then wandered around the lower old town for a bit. I came into this cafe, which is more like a cave, and had a caffe-latte (not as good as my Croatian bijela kava, although it's probably just the name that's different) while reading my Salman Rushdie book (it's no "Love in the Time of Cholera", but I guess it's not bad). I was feeling really sleepy but decided that 5:30 was a bit early for bedtime, so I ventured to the sauna, Kalma Saun. It was awesome, even though I had no idea what to do half the time.

I decided, when in an Estonian Sauna.... go naked! I sat in the boiling hot sauna (furnace), took dips in the refreshing pool, stood under the cold shower, and watched three naked women beat themselves with some sort of branch (I found out later it was a birch stick). AAll in all... a fantastic way to spend two hours! I'm having one beer here, then it's off to bed for a well-earned sleep. Bye for today!

---