Day 102 - Tuesday 13 August - Tallinn tour

Tuesday 12 August

Our next free walking tour started with about 60 there. We had the usual history timeline, then headed off through a little of the lower old town, then up the hill to the upper old town, which is not quite as old. Then we went down 138 steps (I counted them when we went back up later) and finished in Town Hall Square.

The Freedom monument, that cost millions, celebrates victory over Russia in 1918-20 War of Independence.

 Alexander Nevesky Cathedral, looks like the one in Sofia, but is much smaller.

 Parliament House opposite.

 Crowds at the city viewing platform.

 Looking back up the 138 steps.

Lots of little twisty streets, as usual for old towns.  And lots of stupid bumpy cobbles.

There were crowds of tourists because 2 cruise ships are in town, so once dismissed we went far away, via the RC cathedral, 

 

then towards the rail station. On the way, we found the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, dedicated to the Holy Mother of the Three Hands, which I was reading about last night. It has the ingenious feature that the railings around the crypt staircase fold down, and a wheel in the crypt winds out a floor section, so that the church floor is complete for services. There were interesting icons and other paintings downstairs.

 

  

The church with the crypt staircase.

The gentleman in attendance joked about our going 'down under'.

Lots of tiles painted with nature pictures.

Once around the end of the train lines, we got to the market. Here we had lunch (similar to Jurmala day), then looked through the antiik section. There was an almost-nativity - lots of people, but no Mary.
 

Dumplings

Then we went back up those stairs, and revisited a couple of the tour spots from the morning. I had asked the guide about the footsteps plaque, but he said there wasn't one. So I googled it while we were walking, and showed it to him, but he didn't seem interested. We think he was just jealous that Lithuania had thought of the Baltic Way, and organised it and made the plaques. Anyway, we found Tallinn's Baltic Way footsteps plaque, so our mission is complete.

Always looking for nativities.

Mission complete.  The 3rd Baltic Way commemorative footsteps.

While we were resting, it rained, Then I went shopping, D rested, and now it's dinner time.