Icicles - Beautiful but be careful!
by mightywease
We visited Tallinn in March, snow crunched underfoot, the weather was freezing and everywhere amazing clusters of icicles hung down from rooftops. It was cold but beautiful!
However, be careful, when the snow and ice becomes too heavy or starts to melt it can crash from rooftops with some force, making a tremendous noise and spreading out like splinters over the pavement and street. Every building had warning tape or temporary bollards stopping people from walking directly underneath the eaves of houses, and we saw quite a number of people leaning precariously out of upper story windows knocking the show and ice off roofs. Both very prudent and sensible measure because if these icicles hit you they could case some damage. It is unlikely but do be careful, if you see overhanging snow take heed of the warning tape, walk into the middle of the street and avoid it, just in case.
Vaana Toomas
by jonkb
The mascot of Tallinn is Vaana Toomas, or old Thomas. The ledgend is that he was a young poor boy who wanted sneaked in on an anual competition between knits. It was a shooting competition held every may in the Parrot's garden. he competitors had to shoot down the wooden parrot placed on top of a high pole. The little boy shot the parrot down, making the knits and citizens angry (since they hadn't been able to fire a shot). The Mayor, however was amused, and made the young boy the town-guard (A great honor for a poor boy). Toomas proved his reliability several times during the Livonian war. He guarded Tallinn from the Town Hall in the shape of a statue from 1530. The original statue can still be seen inside the town hall.
A guide told me that Toomas is aquinted with another myth. Toomas is also supposed to be the one that tells the old man from the sea that Tallinn isn't finished.
Estonian Beer
by Kathrin_E
Estonian beer proved to be really good, even from the point of taste of a spoilt German tongue. I learned that the Purity Law we Germans are so proud of (beer may contain hop, malt, water and yeast, and no other ingredients) is also valid in Estonia.
The two biggest brands are Saku and A. Le Coq. The standard beer is a light, not too bitter Pilsner-type. They also do dark beers. Checking if a pub has specialities from a microbrewery can be worthwhile.
Üks õlu palun...
Some local habbits
by frockland
Tallinn is a very clean city! (I think I´ve never seen a cleaner city!) It very hard to spot any rubbish in the streets. Even fag ends are not to find. There are many garbage boxes and everybody is using them. On top of these boxes is an ashtray. Don´t throw your cigarette ends away.
On most bottles is a deposit. If you are not interested in returning the bottle to a shop to collect the money, give it to a beggar or to other bottle collectors.
Whenever the sun is shining for a second the local guys and construction workers will take off their t-shirts. Doesn´t matter where they are! Nice to look at when you are gay or a girl!
There was a time when every self-respecting Estonian farmer made his own beer at home. Drinking alcohol seems to be a widely enjoyable habit. Even in the early morning I ´ve seen people drinking alcohol. Like in many other former Soviet countries it seems to be quite comon.
Daytrip to Tartu is possible
by Raimix
To get to Tartu, to see main things and to go back to Tallinn the same day is possible. Tallinn-Tartu bus goes about 2,5 hour. It is always better when to leave Tallinn at about 8-9 AM and come back the same day at evening.
Tartu is second largest city in Estonia, quite different from Tallinn. If talking about Tartu-Tallinn differences, for me Tartu was more new in architecture, with much smaller old town, more green places and nicer atmosphere (not so touristy, more "local").
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Door of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads, Tallinn
Unimpressed by the on board catering facilities!
Pikk
Nice place for a rest
