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.

Aarhus

Located on Denmark's Jutland peninsula, Aarhus tends to play second fiddle to Copenhagen in the travel brochures. This could be why over the last century efforts have been made to popularize the slogan "City of Smiles." The settlement was named after the medieval Danish words for "river mouth," and, though now a charming modern city of culture and commerce, the soil is loaded with Viking artifacts and pagan history.


Aarhus from the harbor.




The Aboulevarden canal, lined with cafes and restaurants, runs through the center of town.










Aarhus City Hall tower.


The historic Latin Quarter.


The ARoS Museum of Modern Art.




Den Gamle By, or "Old Town," is an open-air museum of historic half-timbered houses.




Inside the Toy Museum.






The Poster Museum.

Helsinki

Before visiting Helsinki my only mental picture of Finland's capital city was from the Jim Jarmusch film Night on Earth. In other words cold, bleak, slow-paced, and comically tragic. In mid-July, however, I found a peaceful community of parks and gardens, street buskers with dayglo hair, sunbathers stretched out on rocks, and old men dressed in lobster costumes waiting on benches. Of all the Baltic cities I visited, Helsinki seemed like the one best suited for an afternoon picnic followed by a snooze in the sun.


The Helsinki Cathedral in Senate Square.


Senate Square was often used as a stand-in for Soviet Russia in Hollywood films.


This sculpture of steel tubes is a monument to Jean Sibelius, Finland's national composer.




When Sibelius fans complained that the memorial tubes made a dreadful cacophony in high winds, this second monument to the great composer was constructed.


The Temppeliaukio Rock Church, a temple built into the earth.


Entering the church feels not unlike stepping aboard a UFO.


Temppeliaukio from the outside.




The ATMs in Finland are called Otto.




The award-winn​ing Helsinki Central railway station.




The Havis Amanda statue was intended to represent the rebirth of Finland, but because she was modeled on a Parisian girl, many at first dismissed her as a "common French whore."


Seaside cafe.


A cryptic street performance.