across the countryside

There are two ways to get from Tallinn to Riga, Latvia without a car. One is to take Lux Bus for 10–20 euros, plug in your headset, watch a movie, or take a nap for 4 1/2 hours. The other is the Tallinn to Riga shuttle bus tour which takes 11 hours and includes stops in villages, forests, and an Olympic bobsled track.

Six of us from Indonesia, Norway, and the UK piled into a comfy van with our local driver–guide Triin, who gave us a crash course in Estonian history.

Kind of primeval setting, along the riverside

First stop: the town of Viljandi, gorgeously restored and most famous for hosting the annual folk music festival.

Triin: This really is Game of Thrones.

It was raining, but we were lucky to have blue skies for an easy hike in Sietinizis National Park, along the sandstone cliffs.

Along the trail were mushrooms including chanterelles and some Triin thought were poisonous.

The park is enormous and includes several towns. It was really peaceful to take a walk in the woods.

Cool trees with moss

Wherever you are, a walk in the forest is good for what ails you.

 Next it was on to lunch and then the Soviet Military park.

This is a weird and fascinating place, with sculptures made of old bombs and recruiting posters and lots of mannequins in uniforms.

Triin kept us spellbound with the story of the Soviet Union invading Estonia during World War II, after 20 years of freedom.

Then the Nazis arrived and compared to the Soviets, they actually looked good. For centuries, Estonians and Latvian had been enslaved as serfs, occupied by empires that exported their food and left peasants to starve, and punished any form of dissent.

Triin's great-grandparents were deported to Siberia, her great-grandmother summoned in the middle of the night with three daughters and put on a cattle car in 1949. Somehow they survived. Most Estonians didn't. They returned to Estonia, not sure if their home or village remained. And nearly ten more years later, her great-grandfather returned too. 

Reunited, they lived happy lives, she said. They even lived long enough to see Estonia free again, in 1991, in a bloodless revolution, united by song and a belief in their own destiny. I guess anything is possible.

"We were the battle ground of someone else's war, as always," Triin commented.

Taylor Swift recruiting soldiers to join the Estonian reserves? 

One of many symbols of Estonia, many borrowed from neighboring countries. For the moment, Estonia enjoys extraordinary prosperity, EU membership, eurozone, the prestigious presidency of the EU. And next year the centenary of the first free Estonia.

We cross the border into Latvia (no longer barricades or passport stamps, since Latvia and Estonia are part of the Schengen area), making a short stop in the medieval town of Cesis. 

 The sun even came out and blessed us with a rainbow.

Latvia, while not extremely religious, has a distinct Lutheran presence.

 There's a beautifully preserved castle and this bizarre Germanic manor, with a turreted tower.

And saving the best for last, we stopped off in Sigulda at the former Soviet bobsled track, built as a practice ramp for the Sarajevo Olympics in 1984. Yes, that's the bottom down there.

Imagine racing down on an icy, winding track at 130 kph! A Georgian athlete was there practicing, though we didn't get to see him speed down.

 Or just watch Cool Runnings again and stay cool.

A few more trees and moss as we say goodbye to the countryside. 

After a long, wonderful journey, I've arrived in Old Town Riga for the next 48 hours. It's Saturday night and the town is buzzing. Just as I'd gotten used to Tallinn, here we are in another country, another language, a different culture.

Breathe deep and inhale the rich scent of chanterelles and apple trees and birch. Remember what this land and these people have been through the last 700 years. The last 70 even. No one in the early 90s, hungry, captive, willing to risk their lives for independence, could have imagined today's Estonia. What's possible in the next 25?

a fairy tale ending

Fairy tales begin with hardship. This one is no exception.

Welcome to old town Tallinn, for the past 20 years a UNESCO world heritage site. 

Another country where I don't speak a word of the language. Just as I'd learned to say Thank you in Finnish, which is related to Estonian, I discover a whole new set of mysterious words. Miks ka mitte!

Not a lot of people learn Estonian unless they're from here, though there is a marvelous children's book center, to preserve the books in their native language.

I'm staying on Ruutli, the knight's street, next door to this private entrance.

This is basically the view from my window, out onto cobblestone streets. (One thing they never tell you in fairy tales: cobblestones hurt! My feet are aching after walking miles each day.)

 Even in the pouring rain, it's picturesque.

Tallinn has a great cafe culture and bar scene. Scandinavians and Baltics are introverted cultures. Multiple restaurants I've been to had piles of woolen blankets, available to wrap yourself in. Indoors, in September. 

This is August, my new favorite cafe.

Upstairs is unexpectedly chic.

I arrived early in the morning, so I dropped my bags at the hotel, had pancakes at August, and then headed off on the free walking tour, to learn Estonian history from Chris.

Although this monument looks like a cross, or a German reich symbol, it is in fact a monument erected on freedom square to celebrate Estonian's second independence.  There's an E above what looks like a gun but which turns out to be an arm holding a sword...talk about an appropriate symbol for a country that's spent so much of its history fighting off invaders.

Estonia first declared its independence in 1918, taking advantage of the Russian revolution. Next year is the centenary. But this monument symbolizes the end of the German and Soviet occupations, in 1991, the reindependence. This is the longest period of freedom and prosperity in Estonian history.

Two sides of the entrance gate and fortification. Reminds me of Quebec City, although Tallinn is centuries older.

Sometimes the architectural styles collide, to pleasing effect. The historic center of the town was wood, until that area was firebombed by the Soviets in the early 40s. Chris said the Finns saved Tallinn from worse destruction by flying suicide missions in old Russian planes. The more you know about Baltic history, the more remarkable it is that Finland retained its independence.
Not all the buildings look like Disneyland. There's a lot of restoration in progress.

These huge towers include Russian cannonballs in the thick walls. Some of the fortifications are 10 feet thick! One-third of the tower is underground. You can tour the catacombs. I think I'll skip that, in favor of the apothecary museum.

From the top of the upper town, you get a sense of the new town beyond the walls. Only a handful of buildings were granted an exemption and are allowed to be taller than St. Oleg's church spire.

This Russian Orthodox church on the hilltop says "we are still here." In fact roughly a third of Estonians are of Russian descent.

St. Mary's was the site of a 13th century massacre, during the cruisades. Fairy tales are often bloody and vengeful.

 This reminded me of the Alamo. It has a kind of goofy face.

Despite all the churches, Estonia is the least-religious country in the world. (No wonder I feel at home!) Chris described it as a combination of having religion forced on them as part of the crusades and later Soviet influence. The churches and art in them are well preserved as architectural and cultural relics.

I'm going to hate leaving Tallinn tomorrow for Riga. But I know I'll find an excuse to return. Special thanks to Liz and Bill, who first came here on a Baltic cruise 15 years ago, sparking my interest in Estonia. Tallinn, while touristy when the cruise ships dock, is still considerably less fake than Prague. And the people who live here are friendly and caring, as if they have weathered the storm. I asked the librarian at the Children's Literature Center how Estonian had survived as a language, during centuries of occupation. "We're a stubborn people," she said.

Right now, Estonia is holding the rotating presidency of the European Union. It was supposed to be next year, during the centenary, but then Brexit happened, advancing Estonia one spot. So perhaps there is one good thing that's happened because of Brexit.

Personally I would fly to Estonia just to eat this bread again, with local cider prepared in a method similar to champagne. I promised Oleg I'd return for dessert.

Next time, I'll spend more than 72 hours. Anyone have any connections with Estonian software companies?