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Welcome back aboard the Le Diamant as we prepare to depart St. Petersbug, Russia, and sail the southern Gulf of Finland to Tallinn, capital of Estonia. We had suffered little wet weather thus far, but the gods were not to smile as we dutifully performed the required lifeboat drill. All mustering stations were on the open upper deck, and the wind and rain were ferocious. It was also suddenly quite cold. To make matters worse, this exercise - unlike many I had done before - required us to walk an open stair to the lifeboats. As I dripped back to the cabin, I muttered that this must be the first time life preservers returned wetter than when we started!
Through the grey mists of that Russian Wednesday, we gathered for the first of a series of lectures by traveling professors from the universities represented. Professor Vida Johnson of Tufts educated us about St. Petersburg’s remarkable history, noting what she termed the “two personalities” of the city. I thought (perhaps naively) that because I had previously explored that glorious place, I understood better than most the dichotomy of old and new St. Petersburg as well as similar traits in much of Russia.
No one seemed to mind the gray scud outside as we dined on fancy French cuisine and retired to the Club Lounge after dinner to reintroduce ourselves to those we had met and to make new acquaintances. As anyone cruising might expect, there was almost non-stop musical lounge entertainment before and after dinner and a nightly “extravaganza” in the Grand Salon featuring everything from concerts to dancing to a screening of “Dr. Zhivago.” I confess to ignoring most of them, with the exception of...well, that’s a story for another day!
Ah, but brighter skies awaited us motoring away from Russian waters. First, we gained an hour, catching up on a little sleep. Second, Tallinn is remarkable! Since the Middle Ages, the city has blossomed on Toompea (Castle Hill), the escarpment facing its bay. And the 14th and 15th centuries survive in an impressive tangle of medieval walls, turrets, spires and winding cobbled streets. Warned about challenging Billy-Goat-Gruff walking conditions, even with the bad ankle I opted to hoof it to Upper Town, where for more than 600 years, the sights escaped the ravages of war.
It was a climb worth making. About half of the original 16th century wall encapsulating Tallinn is still standing, and 26 of its 46 towers cap the 50-foot-high barriers. Though all the buildings are interesting, it is the Dome (St. Mary’s) Church that beckons. The Lutheran church is the nation’s oldest: parts date from the 14th century, and it remains in use today. Inside, the church is lined with elaborate tombs of important folks and a jumble of crests from Baltic noble families.
Reminiscent of my previous Russian sojourn, I was confronted by aged beggars on the church steps...a sad reminder that much of what ailed these territories before remains. And though we encountered none, our guides warned of pickpockets roaming the streets and historic sites, taking advantage of foreigners.
At the top of Upper Town, a delightful terrace offers a birds-eye view of the whole city, including modern structures somewhat jarringly out of place in the adorable, historical venue of Tallinn. As the capital, it offers a university, government buildings and contemporary buildings, but Tallinn will remain in my mind as a quaint surprise and perhaps, someday, the site of a return visit. (Though I am now aware that Tallinn calls more than western tourists: its uniqueness draws an ever-increasing tourist trade, especially Finns who visit on weekends from Helsinki, just across the Gulf.)
The Lower Town centers around Town Hall Square, a charming m/lange of pristinely restored and inviting shops, cafes and beer gardens. Sadly, we had little time for shopping (again) and rushed off to a Johns Hopkins alumni-hosted luncheon in a non-descript suburban restaurant, leaving behind the temptations of hand-stitched linens, handknit sweaters and beautiful pottery. (I managed to purchase a postage stamp, which I try to do everywhere I visit, only to discover when I peeked into the sack, it is a simple strip of adhesive blue paper with no art! Boo - a colossal waste of Kroon, the local currency!)
But the Town Hall itself is the oldest surviving Gothic town hall in Northern Europe, preserved from its earliest days in the 15th century. The warrior (“Old Thomas”) and his weather vane atop the town hall spire (rebuilt in the 17th century) date to 1530, and the interior is intricately painted. As I sat in the hand-hewn “pews,” I was reminded how much Old Europe has to teach us upstart Americans.
Two more lectures filled the afternoon as we watched Tallinn slip into the rearview mirror. Professors Katherine Terrell (University of Michigan) and Joseph Schofer (Northwestern) explained poverty in Eastern Europe and the many bridges, tunnels and canals of the Baltic, respectively.
Another wonderful dinner, more lounge entertainment, more conversation...but no hint of the rough crossing we were about to encounter. Sweden is next.
Cheramy Rusbuldt is a freelance writer who resides in McKinney.
