The Estonians of today are constituted by descendants from invading peoples: Swedes and Danes, Finns and Germans, Poles and Russians, Dutch and Scots. For this reason, Estonians can look quite varied and there is no dominant colour of eye or hair, shape of head or face. Some have brown eyes, others blue, grey or green, hair can be blond or dark.
Old cities are fun with their squares which seem to draw people in for eating, drinking, strolling, listening to buskers or as I did one day there - watched a man making massive soap bubbles to the delight of the children. Something I guess modern cities try to emulate with pedestrian only zones but not quite the same atmosphere.
Estonians are said to wish to be Europeans. However, the label 'former Soviet Union' seems hard to be erased. Does it explain why many people seem to tend to be introverted and rarely smile???
The omnipresent beggars on the city streets are a very unusual picture mainly for people arriving from countries with a good welfare system.
Old cities are fun with their squares which seem to draw people in for eating, drinking, strolling, listening to buskers or as I did one day there - watched a man making massive soap bubbles to the delight of the children. Something I guess modern cities try to emulate with pedestrian only zones but not quite the same atmosphere.
On the same day and at the Main Square, as well, I saw a bride, the groom and members of their wedding party
releasing balloons for good luck...
releasing balloons for good luck...
A visit to the local market is always a must and I didn't miss doing it. For my great surprise, over there I saw on sale black marble slabs headstones!!!
Tallinn, despite being a small city, boasts an urban feel, with numerous restaurants, bars, design shops, malls and galleries, making it a bustling centre that seems to be loved by locals and tourists, as well.
Estonian food, simple and tasty, is greatly influenced by German and Russian cuisines, though there are some authentic meals.
Did you know the Skype software application was invented by Estonian developers Ahti Heinla and Priit Kaesalu?
Have you ever seen or heard about the knitted life-sized dolls in traditional Estonian costumes that sit outside souvenir shops all over the city? Some of them are rather charming... some are a little bit scary... others look like Lady Gaga...
The slideshow below presents many other different dolls, several aspects of the market (you can see two aged women, hugging kittens that each one had taken for sale), several street scenes, the Peppersack Restaurant House - quite unique and one of Tallinn's most well-known restaurants-, the Wheel Well (once it was the main source of water supply), etc.
~~ Thanks for stopping by ~~
Hi Belita!! The slideshow has finally appeared, and now I've been able to view your post properly. A great continuation of the tour you began in your previous post. It really is a most varied and interesting city. I can see what you mean about the lack of smiling faces. The only ones I saw in this post were the wedding party (in the slideshow) and, ironically, the begging woman further up the page. I was rather surprised, after what you said on the previous post, to see many of the signs for cafes and restaurants to be in English. I had to laugh at your comment about some of those life-size dolls looking like Lady Gaga!!
ReplyDeleteI captured the begging woman smiling just after having given her a few coins...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and the interesting comment, as always!
What a lovely journey you took me on Belita. I have noticed even here in the streets and shopping centers that no one smiles anymore, not even check-out operators in the groceries stores.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are so clear and colourful, I enjoyed them very much.
Huggles.
It's my turn to thank you... Your touring with me was a true pleasure...
DeleteI am so pleased to have stopped by..I may never go to this interesting place but you have given me a wonderful and very honest tour of what seems to me to be a very charming and intriguing step back in time with some modern thrown in for good measure. I have enjoyed it immensely. PS I wear my necklace from you and when I do I think so fondly of you Belita!!! xo
ReplyDeleteI am really glad to know you didn't waste your busy time by stopping on here and read and view my impressions about such a Baltic city. It's nice of you, Milli, to know that you're wearing that necklace. I also thik fondly of you whenever I write with the pen you kindly sent me. That's the evidence that friendship knows no frontiers, distances, either.... Thank you!
DeleteI loved the colorful greeting dolls! And yes, there seems to be a lot of commerce there, and like most cities, a square with lots of places to eat. Hopefully the food was good? The people do seem to be vibrant, sad that life may be so difficult for them. Another great set of photos, thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Monica! I tried to photograph as many of those dolls as I saw... they were very cute! I liked that food, though it's a bit heavy, much based on stews!
ReplyDeleteBeing followed by you was a pleasure...
I always like the way you capture people... beside the city spots :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and kind words, Edoardo!
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