We awoke bright and early after having crashed quite early last night. The ship docked early again today – probably not much of a surprise since they had 12 hours to make a 2 hour crossing. We made breakfast in the dining room and then on the shuttle bus into Tallinn before most things were even open. Not to be dissuaded, we wandered around the walled city reading the dozens of glass plaques on various buildings explaining their historical significance. If there were ever a city where a tour guide was less necessary, I haven’t been there yet. The bus had dropped us off on the south side of the city so the first thing we did was find our way north. Tallinn is really a city within a city so there are walls and stairs everywhere.
Yup stairs. Lots of them. Today’s step count may not be as impressive as yesterdays (17,413) but I can tell you that though fewer in number, they covered a larger range in altitude. We climbed up walls, church towers, fortress 
towers, cobbled streets, and anything else that seemed appealing. We managed to hit most of the major highlights – many of them churches: the tower of St. Mary’s cathedral is 116 meters above sea level and takes 140 steps (up winding steps that might date back to the 13th century) and the views are amazing. From St. Mary’s tower, you can see the Russian Orthodox St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral so that’s where we headed next. Beautiful to look at both outside and in, it was one place where photos were forbidden inside and where I felt that my sleeveless shirt was disrespectful. I covered up, lit a candle for mom (I’m an equal opportunity prayer) and listened to the chanting from a small service going on in the corner.
Then it was downhill a ways to grab a coffee at a small cafe off the market square before plunging into the stalls to look over the wares. It seems that linen is the thing to buy in Tallinn although there was plenty of wool and many sweaters that looked very much like those I had seen in shops in Norway. There was also an amazing amount of amber both in the market stalls and the shops. We managed to find a store selling the Estonian football jersey in kid sizes so I can say I have officially started my Christmas shopping (shhh… don’t tell my nephew Thomas). There were plenty of places to buy things – St. Catherine’s passage was lined with small stalls and the Master’s Courtyard had the real craftsman’s shops including beautiful glass work that I would have loved to have been able to bring home.
We wandered into the oldest continuously operating pharmacy in Europe: open since 1422, the woman behind the counter (in traditional dress) was explaining some medicine in English to what appeared to be a German tourist that didn’t seem to have a very good grasp of English. We also found the Dominican Monastery which, according to the sign outside, was thought to be the oldest building in Tallinn circa 1211(?).
By now we had spent far too long on the same plane so it was time to climb. We wandered up the Hellmann Tower which allows you to walk along a stretch of the wall. A little higher up in the tower, you can see how it was used to defend the city as well as being a prison and a weapon store in the years since it was built in the 14th century. Across from the tower, is the “Sweater Wall” where vendors set up their stalls in the recesses of the old wall and where I gave in and spent 20 euro on a linen cardigan/shrug/scarf contraption that I’m sure I’ll find a dozen uses for. (Really – I think I will.)
As the sun climbed overhead, we were reminded by our stomachs that it was time to eat. I had my Gluten Free Dining Card in Estonian but had been eyeing the menus outside the tourist restaurants to look for the magic G or GF designation. (Note: I consider any restaurant that posts pictures of the food with descriptions in more than 3 languages to be a “tourist restaurant”. There have been many times when such establishments have been absolute life savers so I mean no slander by the term.) When walking along the wall, we had noted a place called “The Farm” with a flag that advertised “Estonian Modern Food”. Of course, such a descriptor required further investigation and it turned out that they had several dishes that were clearly marked gluten free on the menu (3 languages, no pictures). We decide that it was a good option and headed inside. It was a very tranquil organic farm-to-table kind of place that brewed their own beer and made their own cider. We were sold! I had potato leek soup and Frank had the mushroom soup with several types of mushrooms, vegetables and meet – he thinks it was reindeer – accompanied by their homemade pumpernickel which he declared to be amazing (and which required us secreting several slices back to the ship. We then moved on to the main courses: red deer cutlets with mushrooms and creamy potatoes for Frank and lamb with roast vegetables in peppercorn sauce for me. It is by far the best meal we have had so far this trip.
Thoroughly sated, we had but a mere hour left in our short stay in Tallinn so we proceeded to walk off the delicious food and drink and pick up a few more items which will become gifts. Then off to the shuttle bus where we needed to wait just long enough in the blazing sunshine to make us head straight to the pool when we returned to the ship. A quick dip in the salt water, lounging until the clouds rolled in, and then we set sail.
Tonight is meant to be another gala night so that should be “formal” dress. I remember when dress requirements were just that – requirements. Now they don’t even seem to be recommendations. Frank and I used precious suitcase space to pack evening attire (cocktail dresses, heels and PANTYHOSE for me and a suit for him). Some of our table mates, among others, didn’t even bother to don more than chinos and a polo shirt. {sigh} Dinner was nice nonetheless and apparently it doesn’t matter the decade or the cruise line: the final gala event (formerly known as the captain’s dinner) always ends with the parade of Baked Alaska. Once upon a time, it would actually come out of the kitchen flambé. Then they replaced that with sparklers. Tonight: battery powered tea lights. {sigh}
We thought we’d try one more time to really feel the cruise experience and headed for the show in the hope that it would be less cheesy than the last one. No such luck: the acrobats were similarly amazing and the rest of the show similarly painful to watch. The only difference: the theme was spys rather than Catwoman. So we got to listen to the theme to Mission Impossible while the acrobats did inhuman stunts and the singer got to garble Skyfall rather than something not-really-Batman-related. (I can appreciate the fact that she probably has English as her second or third language and that no one can be Adele but really? It would be like me singing a song in German with a mouth full of marbles.) {sigh}
So that was enough. A very early bed for us as tomorrow is St. Petersburg and our tour is the first one to leave – at 6:20 AM!!! That means that I need to set an alarm on vacation!!!! {sigh}
be lying. But as always, the conversation and camaraderie was well worth it. We eventually all surfaced by noon and fortified by bacon and egg rolls and some strong coffee, we ventured out for our “we’re not hungover” photo and prepared to head back for the rest of our goodbyes.
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