Hi everyone! This is episode nine of my Baltics plus Finland series in which I travel to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. In this video, I explore the capital of Estonia, namely Tallinn.

I've had the privilege of visiting Tallinn twice before - in 2008 and 2012 - and I have some wonderful memories of the Estonian capital from those previous visits. It is therefore my absolute privilege to explore this city with you on my third visit and I hope that it gives you but a tiny glimpse of the magic of this part of the world, through my camera lens.

The vlog starts with me meeting some locals outside the iconic Viru Gate who spotted the camera and greeting me in truly friendly Estonian style and reminding me of the hospitality of this wonderful country. I briefly talk more about the Viru Gate which presents a magnificent entrance to the Old Town. I then walk down Viru Street towards the Town Centre and give more information about Estonia, including its geography and proximity to Finland as we stroll past the Helsinki Karaoke Bar and Sauna Street. I then notice the prices of some clothes in the Old Town clothes shops - after deciding it is too expensive for me, I instead visit an Eesti Handcraft Shop where we learn more about the Estonian flag, the history of Marzipan and Estonian woodwork with a technological edge. I also try my luck at solving the Estonian Magic Box, the Estonian equivalent of the Rubik's Cube - see how I get along!

I then head out to the area around the Olde Hansa, an iconic restaurant in the Old Town, where I sample some Estonian almonds from an Estonian market trader. I also spot an opportunity to recreate some photos I took on my trips in 2008 and 2012, and give information about the size of Estonia and Tallinn.

Still at the Olde Hansa, I talk about the Town Hall and the legend of Old Thomas, the weather vane situated on top of the Town Hall's spire. Following this, I briefly explore the Christmas markets in the Town Square and mention the controversial debate regarding Christmas trees in the Baltics...

With daylight fastly deteriorating, I decide to explore more of the Old Town and walk towards Toompea, the limestone hill featuring several medieval structures, government buildings and iconic viewing platforms. On the way, I pass the St. Nicholas Church and talk about Tallinn's contribution during the Moscow Summer Olympics of 1980. I also talk about Estonia's success in the sport of wife carrying and their rivalry with the Fins!

I then arrive at Freedom Square featuring the War of Independence Victory column (the full name is The Cross of Liberty and the Monument to the War of Independence) and St. John's Church, and notice several artificial Christmas trees in the square which gives it a real festive edge. I talk more about the history of Estonia, including the Danish period after the Battle of Lyndanise, the German Period during which Reval (the former name of Tallinn) became Protestant, as well the subsequent Swedish and Russian Periods. I also visit the Victory Column and notice the interesting design of glass plates.

I then head up to Toompea and talk about my travel experience to Tallinn in 2012 in the snow, before arriving at Kiek in de Kök, the iconic artillery tower. I walk along the city walls where I pass Maiden Tower and then arrive at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Orthodox cathedral built during the Russian period. This cathedral is situated opposite the Estonian parliament, known as the Riigikogu - watch why this is actually quite ironic!

Following this, I walk past embassies and other official buildings, as well as the iconic Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin. I then decide to head out to the lookout point where I took one of my all-time favourite travel photos, but I can't remember the exact route. I walk past Stenbock House and get to the outside of the Patkuli Viewing Platform, but this does not feel like the spot. Passing tourists confirm that there are other smaller viewing platforms, which I suspect "my" plaform fall under, so I set of in search of that one. I finally arrive there and get to experience the magic all over again! I also share more information about the iconic St. Olaf's Church which one can see clearly from the platform.

I decide to check out the Patkuli Viewing Platform to compare the views, after which I return to ground level where I also end the vlog - but not before reminding you to stay tuned for more Tallinn adventures, as there is so much more to see and experience!

If you haven't done it yet, please hit the LIKE button and SUBSCRIBE to the channel. It is FREE to do so and really helps me out a great deal as it helps to expose my videos to a wider audience. I would also love to hear from you, so please leave a COMMENT in the comments section on what you think of Tallinn - my favourite city in the entire world (and I have been to a few places already).

Happy exploring!

Willie

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