Blogathon, Day 24: In The Land Of Submarines

I've seen and experienced a lot today. 

For the first time in my life I've visited a submarine. Fortunately, Lembit was not under water but safely in Seaplane Harbour in Tallinn, Estonia. It still was claustrophobic enough for me. Hands down - guys working in submarines most be the toughest human beings on the planet. 

I took these two poor photos with my phone but I can assure you - this place is worth visiting. The building itself is amazing. No need to be especially interested in maritime or war history. There's plenty of other things to see and feel. There were also many nice details. For example the silverware used in the museum cafeteria was replica of the silverware used in Lembit the submarine. 

By now you are all singing Beatles, right? Happy news: there is a yellow submarine in the museum, too. 

Blogathon, Day 22: Small Step For Mankind, Giant Leap For An Expatriate

Few days ago I was sitting at a cafe writing. It's a small place in the centre of Tallinn with huge windows facing one of the most important ceremonial squares of Estonia.

It's not a fancy cafe, a cup of coffee (not served in paper cups) costs like one dollar, wifi works (as it does everywhere in the country) and I have a good place to work in peace and look at people coming and going. A salty slice of rye bread with herring and egg wakes me up.

It was an early morning, I was at the cafe all by myself, the waitress was doing her chores in the kitchen.

Suddenly she came to me and asked if I was going to stay at the cafe for 15 minutes or so. I said yes.

The waitress apologized and said that she needed to leave me alone for a second and lock the cafeteria door. She had to go outside to get some things.

Sure, fine for me, I said.

And there I sat, alone at the cafe with locked doors. It was a funny moment. In the very centre of the capital of this little country you can trust your client so much that you leave her alone in the cafe. I felt amused and honored.

I told this story to our Estonian babysitter. She started to laugh. She said that I've reached the point when I'm considered as part of the team. "Oh Silja, now you have lived long enough in Estonia", he said.

An expatriate usually always feels her/himself an outsider. In that sense I think this was a very good thing indeed.

Blogathon, Day 15: Doors Of Tallinn Meets Google Street View

I enjoy watching doors. Lucky me: I live in a city where there are plenty of delightfully beautiful doors.

In Yesterday's News I've started to show readers doors that have popped on my way and I've found beautiful and/or interesting.

The door shown today is on F. R. Faehlmanni street, pretty close the city centre. The door itself isn't very special but the round window with the decorations is great.

Today is also the day when Google Street View pictures of Estonia were officially published. If you want to see this door on the Street View pic, click here. The very door is there, on the left hand side from a lady with a blue shirt.

If you want to take a look at the previous door posts, click the tag "Tallinnan ovet" in the tag cloud.

Blogathon, Day 13: Tallinn Seen From The Ambassador's Balcony

Yesterday, on the 12th of May, the Embassy of Finland in Tallinn, Estonia opened its door to everyone. The residence of the ambassador is normally not open to public.

The Finnish Embassy is located on one of the best spots in town, just on the top of Toompea Hill. There's a great view over the town from the balcony of the embassy. 

Roofs of medieval Tallinn. 

More roofs

Enough of the views. "Mommy, I want back inside!" 

Inside the residence.  

"Show me the pigs!!"

We Finns have our Nokia but right now The Big Thing is Angry Birds. Happy to see how well the propeller heads at Rovio have succeeded. Finnish playground manufacturer Lappset is doing great, too. 

These two have started cooperation and I guess there will be quite many AB playgrounds around the world pretty soon. The swinging red bird got tested by my daughter on the embassy yard. Lappset (btw, the Finnish word "lapset" means "children") just opened a new factory in Estonia. 

Here you can get a glimpse of the port of Tallinn. There's a huge cruise ship traffic between Estonia and Finland. 

Blogathon, Day 2: Five Reasons to Come to Estonia

During Blogathon I may get new readers who have never even heard about weird little lands like Estonia or Finland.

Yep, EST and FIN are somewhere there up in the north. But just to make it clear: no, they most definitely not are part of Russia and no, there are no polar bears in either of them.

As a Finn living in Estonia I just must use the opportunity to write a few words about my new home country. One could ask why do I want to live in a former Soviet republic with 1,3 million people and terrible climate. But I guess me and my family sort of like it here.

Here are my 5 reasons, why you should come and visit Estonia, the land of warm people and appalling customer service.

- See the layers of history in Tallinn. One thing I missed when living in Silicon Valley was the history. In the Valley you'll be positively surprised if you find something older than 40 years. In Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, you have everything. There's the beautiful medieval old town, horrible-looking ghettos of Soviet era, skyscrapers of the 21st century and everything in between. It's sometimes a terrible mess but it still is way better than no history at all. The feeling of the town gives you roots. It helps you understand that you are not the first one on these streets.

- The size of the country. Estonia is tiny. It's great, it's practical. In 4 - 5 hours by car you are already in the neighbor country Latvia. Jump on the boat and take a two-hour cruise to Finland. One-hour flight to Stockholm, two hours to London. Not a big deal. Life is just too short to be spent in traffic jams.

- Wifi. It's everywhere. I mean e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. Estonians live in internet and you get used to it. I was shocked in Silicon Valley when I understood how ridiculously poor wifi connections they had there. Man, it's the Valley!

- Get a cultural shock of rude behavior. Just forget all your attempts to have small talk. They won't speak to you, those stone-faced, little-smiling Estonians. There's a total silence in a bus or a tram. They won't apologize if they bump onto you on a street. If you are lucky the cashier may greet you in a store but don't wait for good day's wishes. After you've spent here a few years you'll find the dry humor and remarkable friendship and hospitality Estonians have in them. It just takes time.

- Shoes. Ladies. I've got one word for you. Or actually three. When in Estonia -  go shop shoes.