Tallinn is Vowels and Vodka

More so than Riga, Tallinn forces you to rethink how the Baltics ever could have been part of the Soviet Union. Although it is similar to Riga, full of cobblestoned streets and short, pastel homes and churches, the city has more of an ethnic Russian presence, which somewhat explains last month's upset regarding the removal of a Soviet monument.

Estonia appears to have synthesized the Scandinavian traditional of socialist leanings while integrating Russian culture and cuisine into it's Finno-Ugric roots. Really, it makes you wonder if this is what communism could have been ~ clean and organized aesthetically and little economic disparity, but holding close to it's affinity for cheap vodka and garnishes of dill and sour cream.

Estonia's Finno-Ugric roots make wandering around Tallinn even more fun, since pronouncing an average street name turns into a a vowel-filled tongue twister. The streets of old town center around a main square, where concerts play on weekends. Today, we were treated to the bizarre sight of adolescent girls riding unicycles onstage to ethnic Estonian music.

Tonight, we are off to check out some of the local bars. We are only in Tallinn one night, before we head to Vilnius, the city where my grand-uncle went to law school, beginning a long tradition that probably won't end with me.

More later.