Baltics - 10 June 2012 (2)

Wandering Around Tallinn Old Town

Market on Raekoja Plats

Stage on Raekoja Plats

In the market on Raekoja Plats, I bought two embroidered cat shopping bags for presents and then May and I went to watch the performance on the stage.  Some ladies were doing folk dances and there was some singing too.

Ladies Singing in the Festival

Me on City Wall

Then we headed back to Katarina Käik to look at the cat cartoons and some of the glass and then returned to the square to look for somewhere to eat.  It started to rain, so we popped into an amber shop.

It stopped raining when we emerged, but started again just as we bumped into Charlie, who had rashly left his Antarctic survival gear in the hotel.  He joined us and we headed to Matilda’s for coffee and cake.  It was very crowded as lots of people were doing the same as us and keeping out of the rain, but we found a table and enjoyed the cake.

City Wall

Charlie on City Wall

The rain had stopped again when we had finished and we climbed back up the hill, browsing in the craft shops as we went.  I was particularly taken with the felt hats on sale, which had a real  1920s look.

When we found ourselves back up on Toompea, Charlie and May went inside the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.  I waited outside for them, mostly in front of the pink Riigikogu building, which looked like a mini Casa Rosada with its “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” balcony.  The parties from the cruise ship had disappeared and the lookout points were far less crowded.

Tower on City Wall

View from City Wall

We wandered back down and found ourselves by the city wall and the three towers which are open to the public.  Entry was just €1.50, so we climbed the spiral staircase of the first tower and walked along the ramparts.  There were some more good views of the town, but not much to see inside.   Still, we had fun wondering around. 

Dominican Monastery

Dominican Monastery

Back down, we went for coffee at Mix on Puka 33 (we thought it was the same place as we went for coffee and cake the day before, but there were no special offers) and sat outside.  Susie walked past and joined us.  Susie was one of the younger people in our group and lives in New York.

   

Stalls beside City Wall

After Susie left, we walked on and went past the walls.  A smell of cooking on a wood fire reminded me of Peru.  It seemed to be coming from the former Dominican Monastery, which is next to Katarina Käik.  Charlie and May went inside, but I had a look at the stalls alongside the wall.  I spotted a rainbow knitted item, which the Russian speaking lady tried to sell me for €30.  She put it on me in five different ways, from scarf to poncho to dress.  It looked fun, but I would never wear it in York and it was too expensive anyway.