Made it to Singapore

Arrived in Singapore late yesterday afternoon to humid and wet conditions - what a change to Helsinki.
For our last day in Finland, Maree and I went to the Olympic Stadium and visited the Sports Museum of Finland - as you would expect full of memorabilia of Finland's sports excellence. It was also a nostalgic visit to the youth hostel I stayed at over 30 years ago when I was backpacking through Scandinavia and Europe.
Today we went on the Singapore Flyer billed as the largest giant observation wheel in the world - certainly gave us a great view of the city and it has changed so much since we last here 30 years ago.
Also made a trip to Raffles Hotel for a gin sling - $A25 a glass - must have seen us coming!!!!
Thought I had left the expensive Scandinavia behind but this is another expensive city.
Maree and I are planning to visit Little India tonight for a good curry - am having cravings for a good curry.
Forgot to mention on our last day in Helsinki went to our favorite bar and managed to get the last glass of the seasonal dark stout out of the barrel - it was fantastic.

Second last day in Finland

Had an early start today after a great meal last night. Went to a crazy restaurant called Zetor which celebrates the gold rush and miners in Finland. Finally managed to get my reindeer sirloin which just dissolved in my mouth it was so tender - much better than waghu beef steak.
Had an early start by bus to Porvoo, an hour out of Helsinki. The old town dates backs to the  1700's and was very interesting with the old architecture.
Back to Helsinki in the afternoon to our favorite drinking hole which is a brewery outlet called Teerenpeli - they have a great dark beer at 7% alcohol. Went to the ferry to see off my brother-in-law Peter back to Estonia only to discover the ferry had been cancelled due to bad weather; then the fun started to find a larger ferry that was still operating. Finally put Peter in a cab to another ferry terminal along with his container of sprats - hope he reaches Estonia some time tonight!!!
Another cold and rainy day - top temp 10 degrees C.
May go back to Zetor tonight for a meal and then prepare tomorrow for our flight to Singapore at 11.40pm tomorrow night. The temp there is 30 degrees C and will be hard to adjust to.

Now in Finland

Arrived in Helsinki yesterday on the ferry from Tallinn just in time for the last day of the Baltic Herring Festival. It was amazing with the boats in the harbor selling herrings, breads, sauces. We ventured into a food hall (a Finnish version of Queen Vic Market) and saw some reindeer kebabs and had to have one - the taste was fairly nondescript but filling. The market area is on the harbor and was full of loud and drunk Swedes waiting to catch ferries home after the European Soccer League game on Saturday night between Finland and Sweden. The heavens opened up in the harbor area and Maree and I took refuge in a bar (already drenched). Finland is much more expensive than Estonia - a beer for me cost $A7 and a gin and tonic for Maree was $A12. Went to a casual bar/restaurant for dinner last night and had reindeer hamburgers - the taste was overpowered by the Finnish cheese.
Today took a ferry to Suomenlinna sea fortress in the harbor, only 10 minutes by ferry. The fortress dates back to the 1700's and we took so many photos the camera battery went flat - the place was amazing. Today was a hot day for Helsinki - top temp was 9 degrees C; we had to keep well rugged up and the wind was bracing. After returning from the fortress we had a reindeer stock pot at the Sunday market at the harbor - very filling.
Tomorrow we are catching a bus to Porvoo, Finland's second oldest city.
Tonight we are planning to dine on a reindeer sirloin preceded by a couple of beers just around the corner from our hotel at a bar we discovered yesterday afternoon after we dried out from the rain. This bar is trendy (lucky they let me in !!), some beers are good and bar staff friendly, especially when I try my Finnish on them. Overall the Finnish beers are disappointing. 

Last day in Tallinn

Recovering from my cold but think Maree is now coming down with it.
Had a very quiet day yesterday and did some souvenir shopping; also climbed the tower of St Olaf's Church in the old town - its spire of 160 metres was the tallest building in Europe in the 1500's.
Also had our staple of elk soup for lunch but had roast elk for dinner and it was unbelievable - so tender.
Having dinner with Maree's cousin tonight and then leave for Helsinki tomorrow.

Feeling lousy

Managed to catch a cold and not well. The hotel, restaurants, cafes and shops are all very hot and then you have to venture outside into the cold weather so guess it was inevitable. Had planned to travel to a town called Viljandi about  hours away from Tallinn by train but because I was feeling so crook we cancelled - maybe tomorrow if I feel better.
Had lunch today at a little cafe on the town square - we had elk soup. Had lunch there yesterday and were so impressed we went back today. Dinner last night was moose stroganoff at a Russian restaurant and it was great. Some restaurants also serve bear but have not tackled that yet !!
Tonight we are going to a little cafe we discovered that serves traditional Estonian pancakes with Maree's cousin. My favorite is mushrooms and blue cheese but have also had ham and brie cheese and one with shrimps.
The city's restaurants and cafes are preparing for the winter and are removing all the outdoor decking and seating. The last two winters have been bad with metres of snow falling.
Heading off to Helsinki on Saturday.

Back from Saaremaa

Arrived back in Tallinn yesterday afternoon from the island of Saaremaa. Had a great time and Maree caught up with another cousin.
We stayed in a guest house recommended by Maree's cousin in the US. The hosts were unbelievable and fed us true Estonian cuisine - marinated fish, fish soup etc. Even supplied some home brew beer which was great and local Saaremaa vodka at 80% proof - rocket fuel !!!
We visited the beach area where Maree's mum was captured by the Germans as she tried to escape by boat to Sweden and also visited the port where she was deported to Germany. There are many memorials to the battles between the Germans and Soviets.
We were fortunate to locate some old girlfriends of Maree's mum and visited the location where Maree's mum lived - just a vacant block now.
The hosts took us sailing to an island off Saaremaa one day where many people have holiday shacks. Also visited a new traditional home being built out of logs for a Tallinn-based multi millionaire - there was nothing spared in this luxurious house. Also visited a factory where wooden boats are built and repaired in the traditional way.
Not sure when we head to Finland as Maree is arranging more catch ups with relatives here in Tallinn.

Back in Tallinn

Arrived back in Tallinn three days ago after travelling two hours away from Tallinn on the north coast, 50 kms from the Russian border. We stayed in a spa hotel on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Finland. The hotel was good but expensive and the weather was very cool.
We travelled to the border city of Narva - very austere buildings and very Russian. All around the country is block after block of housing commission type apartments constructed by the Soviets to house the workers.
Saw many Soviet and German cemetries from World War 2.
We caught up with Maree's 90 year old aunt and learnt some of the history of Maree's father but the aunt was not fothcoming about too much of the family history as I think it is too painful going back to the times of the Soviet and German occupations. This country and it's people have suffered so much - so many were killed or shipped off to Siberia.
Maree's cousin and her husband were very good to us and acted as tour guides - the area is heavily into mining and we toured an underground shale oil mine that is now a museum while we were there.
We hired a Citroen C4 and it was interesting driving on the wrong side of the road with a manual car.
Maree and I caught a train two days ago to a country town and went walking and had a picnic lunch with food we bought at a local supermarket.
My brother in law Peter arrived from Oz yesterday and last night we had a session with 3 Norwegian's - bit of a sore head this morning !!
Tomorrow we head off to Saaremaa, an island south west of Tallinn where Maree's mother was born. Looking forward to that - have hired an automatic Mazda 6 for that drive so should be easier than a manual. Will be away for 5 days and staying at a guest house recommended by Maree's cousin.

Great time in Tallinn

Yesterday Maree's cousin's wife took us on a guided tour of the Old Town. Visited old church after old church and various museums. Climbed to the top of a tower which was part of the old fortified wall. Had  lunch in a restaurant that was in a building 700 years old. Managed to find a great farmhouse ale from the island of Saaremaa where Maree and I will be travelling later.
Luggage eventually turned up yesterday at last !!!
Had an SMS at 5.00am to say that Maree's brother Peter will be arriving here from Oz on Sept 26.
Leave here tomorrow for Saka, about 2 hours drive east towards the Russian border. Will organise a rental car today and more sighting this afternoon with Maree's cousin's wife.

Jockless in Tallinn

Arrived in Tallinn yesterday without our luggage. Qantas flight was late leaving Melb as a problem with door not locking; this was not an external door but an internal door - very frustrating. Then the passenger airbridge would not disengage from the aircraft. Left Melb over 1 and half hours late and had to run to catch our connecting flight in Singapore to Helsinki.

Arrived in Helsinki without our luggage but caught a ferry to Tallinn and went shopping for the basics - jocks, shirt, socks, jeans. Hopefully our luggage will arrive today.

Toured the old town of Tallinn yesterday afternoon and walked so I finished up with blisters. The old town is unbelievable with all the mediaeval buildings.Naturally had to sample the local beers; not all that impressed until I had a craft house red beer at a restaurant last night. The food is great - went to a restaurant with country style Estonian food - I had wild boar and Maree had roast pork - fantastic.

Meeting up for lunch with Maree's cousin's wife for lunch and probably dinner in the old town again tonight in search of another good home brew.

One More Sleep

Almost on the A380 - yoo hoo !!!!

Only two more sleeps

Then off to Helsinki via Singapore.