Xmas 2006 - Tallinn, Estonia

Christmas 2006 in Tallinn almost didn't happen for me. Heathrow had been fogged up for three days prior to my flight, and a large number of flights had been cancelled. Fortunately for me, on the morning of the 23rd the fog had lifted just enough for flights to resume. I arrived in Tallinn in the early evening and met the rest of the crew for dinner (the crew being Pete & Doris, Faye, Linh, and the Infamous Wong Brothers). My cold had not gotten better for travelling, and I was sounding like the dear departed Barry White. I then lost my voice completely for a couple of days.

The "old town" part of Tallinn is a smallish medieval village built on a gentle hill. It's quite easy to see all of it on foot, though stout footwear is recommended due to the uneven cobbles. The old town is full of interesting architecture and absurdly expensive gift shops.




We stopped at a cafe for lunch, and to model Steve's rabbit-fur hat, which was very warm even without the ear flaps being deployed:













We spent a few hours wandering around the village. There's a big cathedral at the top of the hill and it is suitably big and impressive. There's a fair few other pointy type buildings around the place too.

Group photo; from left: Ben, Linh, Steve, Faye, Pete, Doris.




















The following two shots were from a scenic lookout point at the top of the hill. On the way up to this lookout a friendly local asked me if I would like to purchase a fake Russian passport, or perhaps a gas mask...










Onwards to a palace type complex with large ornate gardens:










Dinner at "Gloria", one of the swankier places to eat. Our meal cost about 7,000 EEK (Estonian Kroons). That's actually only about £43 each. From left to right, Faye opening a present, Ben wearing his fluffy earmuffs, and Doris & Linh failing to be amused by another of Pete's bad puns.










Down in the harbour. A monument to a shipwreck in the late 1800s:












Wongs on Ice! Ben & Steve show us how it's done:












The journey home was thankfully uneventful. No more fog troubles at Heathrow, and my Eustachian tubes had cleared enough to not explode during descent.