This wasn't in the original plan, but it was a relatively easy ferry ride from Helsinki so it wasn't hard to talk Jacqueline into a day trip (she's a planner). I'm so glad we did, and one day simply isn't enough. We did our best to see as much as the "old town" as we could in 1 day ... I think we did a pretty good job. Some history: After centuries of successive rule by the Teutonic Order, Denmark, Sweden, and the Russian Empire, a distinct Estonian national identity began to emerge in the mid-19th century. This culminated in the February 24th 1918 Estonian Declaration of Independence from the warring Russian and German Empires. Estonia declared neutrality at the outbreak of World War II, but the country was repeatedly invaded and occupied, first by the
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