We boarded the Viking Line ferry in Helsinki, bound for Tallinn. The ferry was a huge ship that seemed to be more of a cruise ship than anything. There were lots of bars, restaurants and an entire level of cabins. There was even a live band playing old Finnish favorites. The old blue hairs were loving it. The ferry ride was short and smooth. The weather was great and the sea was calm.
Tallinn is a beautiful city. The Old Town, dating from the 12th century, has everything you could want. Original town walls, cobbled streets and beautiful churches. It is a very romantic spot and a great last stop on our trip. It has snow a few times which has only added to the experience.
The Estonian people are surprisingly sweet. The country has been occupied by various countries over the past 400 years, often brutally so. The Soviets seemed to have done the most damage, shipping off over 30 thousand people to Siberia after the end of WW2 for supposedly collaborating with the Nazis. Considering the current population is just over 1 million people, this action must have touched the entire population in one way or another. The Soviets also sent large numbers of Russians here to "colonize" the country. Needless to say Communism is still considered a dirty word. Estonia has moved on though. They have been a member of the EU since to mid 90's, and have also become a member of NATO. The country seems to be thriving.
Tomorrow we fly to London. Our big adventure we be officially over. The past five weeks have flown by. We have enjoyed each experience. From sleeping in a Yurt in Mongolia, to trying to order food in Russian restaurants. Whether it was watching the fog roll over the Great Wall of China, or watching a hockey game in Helsinki. We loved it all.
Thanks for reading along. I hope you've enjoyed the stories and the brilliant photos Meredith has taken. I'm glad we could keep you in the loop. Hopefully we'll get to see you all again real soon.
Team CarJam,
Over and out.
