Tallinn

Tallinn, Estonia is a medieval town reluctantly dragged into the 21st century by the occasional tank-sized vehicle squeezing down its narrow cobblestone sideroads, knocking pedestrians out of the way and taking chips out of the old stone wall that surrounds the city. Once a begrudging member of the Soviet Union, Estonia is now justifiably proud of their independence.


Tallinn, Estonia.


The Gothic spire of St Olaf's church.




A monstrous truck careened around the corner moments after this photo was taken, forcing your humble photographer to dive for cover.


A flower show in the public garden.






The Alexander Nevsky church with its great onion domes. Signs inside indicated no photography, video, hats, or loud talking. Such respect would be fine were it not for the giant mercenary souvenir booth lying in wait just inside the door.


The War of Independence Victory Column topped by the Cross of Liberty.






The towers of Viru Gate mark the beginning of Viru Street, a pedestrian lane leading to the heart of Old Town.


Town Hall Square.


Stairs to the top of Town Hall tower.


View from Town Hall tower.


A KGB Museum is located on the top floor of Viru Hotel, where two rooms are preserved just as they were during the Cold War heyday when Soviet agents spied full-time on the hotel guests.


The door to this former KGB office reads in Russian: "There is nothing here."


The Red Phone.


These two newspapers report the deaths of Russian leaders Brezhnev and Andropov. Other than the photo and the name of the deceased, the pages are identical.


Cold war spy equipment.

Unemployment in the Soviet Union was unacceptable, which led to the creation of specialized job titles like breadcutter. One hotel employee's sole responsibility was to determine how many grams were in each served meal. Whiskey and chewing gum were forbidden because they were symbols of extravagant U.S. influence. Guests often had little trouble figuring out if they were being spied upon. When a waiter comes over to inexplicably switch the ashtray or vase of flowers on your table, that's a good indication to start reading passages aloud from Karl Marx and remarking on how glorious the current heads of state are.