Medieval Tallin

Today it’s Tallin so it must be Tuesday…

This medieval town in Estonia has so much to offer, (we know from previous visits) but there was little chance to sample its history culture and architecture in the few hours ashore in pouring rain.

We needed little persuasion to dive into the Olde Hansa, a replica of a medieval inn, for a free schnapps and beer.

Serving us was Pipilota a music student working her way through college.
Her first question to us was: “What language?”
She speaks five: English, Russian, Finnish, Estonian and German.

Like many Estonians she is musically gifted and she is studying the flute.

The country sees itself as having an e-future with Wi-Fi freely available. But I was not able to take advantage of that today because I had left my ipad on board ship believing the dire warnings given out to us regarding pickpockets.

We were glad to get back on to the Marco Polo which I have just learnt was built 50 years ago as a Russian icebreaker and troop ship which was used in peacetime as a cruise ship before being sold to the West where an entrepreneur bought it and reinvented it as the Marco Polo.