Estonia; Tuesday, 25 July, 2006

My concerns the previous evening about the weather were partly about not getting photos, but also quite heavily about the fact that I had booked to go on a three hour bike tour of the city! Thankfully I didn't need to worry as a quick look out of the curtains showed another glorious day and the temperature in the room hinted that it was likely to be warmer than yesterday.

After liberally covering myself, clothing, bag and hotel room in sun tan cream I headed into town. The tour was booked for midday, meet at 11:45, so with just over an hour to go until the meeting time I had a wander around the old town and stopped at the Holy Spirit Church which had been highlighted in the guidebook as worth visiting. The church is quite plane on the outside, but inside is an example of what happens if you give a wood carver enough time, money, wood and the use of his own discretion!

Having stopped to pick up some water for the trip I wandered to the meeting point for the Bike tour. The tour covers about 15-20KM mostly around the North West of the old town, taking in the old prison, a detour to the only submarine in Estonia and the flea market near the station before ending up back in the old town.

I had an extended very late lunch in the city centre before heading back to the hotel for a quick shower. I headed back into town, had a wander and then a very light dinner, given than lunch had been less then 3 hours before.

I caught the tram out to the end of the line at Kadriorg and walked the short distance to the beach. I stopped at the monument to a Russian ship which had gone down in the early part of the 20th Century and then walked a little further down the coast towards Pirita. From here there are stunning views back over the city centre with the spires of the churches and cathedrals of old Tallinn to one side and the gleaming columns of the 21st century Tallinn to the other.

The scene was made all the more picturesque as the sun was now just starting to descend beneath the horizon, disappearing beneath the Baltic throwing amazing shadows over everything.

With the sun set, but light still in the sky for nearly another hour I walked to the bus stop and caught the bus back to the hotel.