Only E-stone-ia Throw Away (Flat Trip Part 2)

At 50 miles south of Helsinki, we reached our destination at the capital of Estonia; Tallinn.  If you had absolutely no clue that the capital of Estonia was Tallinn, please do not feel embarrassed, just visit it.

Talinn from a view

Tallinn is becoming known as the up-and-coming Amsterdam: the future party capital of  Europe.  We checked into The Monk's Bunk hostel, and on the way to reception, were passed by one of the four stag parties residing in the accommodations that evening, filling the hallway with the overbearing stench of cheap beer, and perhaps even a hint of Jaggermeister .  The future groom was dressed in a full body chicken costume, and was making extremely obnoxious noises that I presume to be the sounds he thought chickens make.

The walls in our room were painted like outer space and there was even crafty little alien on the wall beside my bunk which was the handsomest thing I've woken up too in a while.  We were recommended to check out The Three Dragons for dinner, a medieval style pub/restaurant.  I was a little hesitant as these typically come off very cliche, but then again, the old town was remarkably well preserved over the centuries and it often times felt like you had stepped back in time while strolling down the cobble stone streets.  The Three Dragons was hilarious.  It was well hidden in the side of the Town Hall building, and all of the employees were not only dressed in peasant clothes, but acted in character as well.

Nick and Max anticipating their meal

"Look at you fools just standing in the doorway, you're letting the cold in! Come in or get out, quick, QUICK!!  Idiots", was how we were greeted upon arrival.


The room (for that's all it was) was furnished with uncomfortable stone benches and wooden tables. The only source of light was from the candles that were way to few and far between.  Nick looked at the group and told us not to drop anything, for it would be lost forever to the black abyss of the ground.  It took us a good ten minutes before we realized that no one would be coming to take our order, so we cautiously approached the counter and chose between the three items on the menu that evening: Elk soup, Elk sausages and small hot savory pies with different meat and vegetable fillings.  As the portions were small, everyone tried all three options.  Be it coming in from the cold, the actual quality of the food, the preparation, or all three; it was the most incredible meal I had tasted ever since I could remember.  They also served hot cider, and mulled wine in clay mugs to really put the meal over the top.  The best way I could describe it was (perhaps influenced by being surrounded by my kiwi mates but) I felt like I was in one of the pub scenes from Lord of the Rings...minus the hobbits of course.  I highly recommend that experience to anyone visiting Tallinn.

The city walking tour the next morning was equally impressive.  I've always found these to be a great way to get to know the history of city and other interesting tidbits would otherwise go unnoticed by the oblivious eye, and if you're a lone traveller they're a great means to meet like-minded individuals.  Since I was the only one interested in the two hour outdoor tour that chilly morning, I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Nola (originally from New York but also living in London at the moment) who was bright, sharp, and always had her wits about her.  We instantly hit it off, and I even took her to get another fix of The Three Dragons for lunch after the tour.

Our agenda that evening was filled with a tour of the Patarei Prison, a soviet-era detention facility shut down in 2005, and reopen to the public a few years later.  Tours normally don't operate in the winter, but as luck chanced upon us one of the local guides was a little strapped for cash and agreed to a private tour that evening.  He wasn't much of a talker, and actually was so absorbed in his cell phone on the walk down to the coast, he walked right into a stop sign.  I was tailing right behind him, and it made such a loud 'clang' when he smashed into it that my heart skipped a beat. I screamed and jumped back before registering what had happened, then quickly asked him if he was alight.

'Fine, fine', he muttered and continued his brisk walk.  Nola was right next to me and gave me an apprehensive glance as we started off again.  Dusk approached as we neared the entrance, further enhancing our uneasy feeling.  When we reached the prison gates, there was no city left in sight, no people wandering the streets, no animals out on an evening hunt; just silence.

Our guide stumbled with the keys that unlocked the large padlock on the thick wrought iron fence gate.  He quickly ushered us in, and securely bolted the exit behind us.

When travelling, it's easy to find yourself in a constant state of shock.  Being put in new and unfamiliar environments creates a rush of adrenaline that doesn't always keep you grounded enough to think clearly, or provide you with adequate time to stop, relax, and fully grasp your surroundings.

The bang of the gate slamming behind us, trapping us in the courtyard, jolted me back to my senses for a minute.  The realization that I was in a small group of young adults, on a tour that doesn't normally operate this time of year, accompanied by a guide acting very strange, on the outskirts of a city in Eastern Europe and locked into a prison that looked to be an exact replica of the movie "Hostel"'s shooting location, the thought that maybe this wasn't a smart idea slowly dawned on me.

There was no turning back now, so we continued our way to the inside of the prison.  My fears washed away as we began the tour.  Our guide, though slightly off, was extremely informative, and actually turned out to be somewhat of a prankster.  He took pleasure in scaring the living daylights out of us, and would randomly lead us into the pitch black of a cell, lock the door behind us, and after a few minutes us being locked in the cell with dead silence, he would pound loudly on the door making us all jump 10 feet in the air. It seemed more like a ghost tour than anything, and as soon as I realized it was in fact a legitimate tour and no one was out to murder me, I relaxed into it.

Nick and Xavier in an old cell

Art added after the prison closure in 2005

At the end of the tour, our guide even accompanied us back to town to show us his favorite local pub where we all ate dinner together before retiring for the evening.  Turns out, he was not just well informed on Patarei Prison, but could easily teach a history course on Estonia.

If you carry the passion to travel, you're usually drawn to one particular interest more than others.  For some it's the love of discovering new cuisine, for others, it's the sights to behold or experiences to be had.  For me, it's always been about the people.  I've been fortunate enough in my travels to meet people from all walks of life, and I haven't learned half as much from any text book as I have through conversations with fascinating individuals sharing their life experiences with me.  I can't wait to discover who my travels will lead me to next...

St. Mary's Church in Tallinn