Last few days

A 5-hour train journey south from Tallinn brought us to our final destination, Sigulda, the gateway to the Gauja national park.  It's definitely not FLatvia here, there's even an Olympic bobsleigh track!

Here in Latvia they really celebrate midsummer.  Officially 23rd is midsummer eve and 24th midsummer day - both are public holidays with lots of things shut.  But the evening we arrived (21st) was a big midsummer fete in the (huge) grounds of the castle in the next village, Turaida.  Lots of folky music and dancing, people wearing garlands of flowers, 

and a ritual bonfire as the sun set.

Apparently it had started at 4 o'clock in the morning for sunrise!  We got back exhausted well after midnight.  Paganism is alive and well!!

Next day a super 13km walk in the Gauja valley, 

good views, 

lovely flower meadows and forests but a killer climb back up at the end.

Quiet day today, a visit to Cesis to see the castle(s), both shut.  

But had another lovely walk and a good lunch - ideal.

Back to Rīga tomorrow then early flight Thursday.

More Tallinn pics

The palace 

with stove 

and formal garden 

The Japanese garden 

Seaplane harbour 

Telliviski

Goodbye Estonia

Heading back to Latvia tomorrow for our last few days.  Have had a great time in Tallinn, yesterday at the Kadriorg Gardens+Palace+Art Museum and today at the wonderful Seaplane Harbour Maritime Museum.  

Kadriorg palace was built by Peter the Great for Catherine 1st but apparently she wasn't too impressed - we were!  

Part of the art exhibition was about cleaning and restoring old paintings - really interesting. The gardens are huge and vary from very formal immediately around the palace to nicely wild further away, even a Japanese Garden.

Went to a jazz club in the evening, a big ensemble but they only played for an hour, shame as they were good.

The Seaplane Harbour was a ruin until 2010 but two years later it was rebuilt and houses a brilliant maritime collection - small boats, paintings, even a submarine, 

with bigger ships outside.  

Very well documented, lots of interactive stuff as well.  The building is nearly as interesting as the boats!

Wandered back through bohemian Telliskivi now full of bars, restaurants and huge murals.  

All great, would highly recommend Tallinn.

Tallinn day 1

Lovely weather, beautiful city, everywhere you look there's another pretty building, 

another church (all denominations), 

old walls and turrets.  

Walked the old town, all cobbled streets, 

took nearly all day, just great!

We've rented a flat next to the main market so eating what we can find on the stalls, all very tasty but the cheese is nowhere near as good as at Montréal!

Furthest north - Helsinki

Back in Tallinn now, after two nights in Helsinki.  Had a lovely sunny day there to visit the open air museum at Soerasaari, old houses, barns and farmsteads, beautifully set on a forested island. Very different style from those in the Baltic states.  

Then a stroll around central Helsinki admiring the rather stately buildings and the botanic gardens. 

Not a lot of great interest, even one of the highlights on the "Visit Helsinki" website is a day trip to Tallinn!  Found Helsinki very Scandinavian - expensive and difficult to buy alcohol.  Wouldn't recommend it for a city break but glad we went.

It rained all day when we left, and really surprised how many people were on the ferry, obviously some on a "booze cruise" as midsummer festivities are only a few days away and alcohol is much cheaper in Estonia.

Tartu part 3

Lovely buildings,

and the botanic gardens.

Tartu part 2

Sunday afternoon we strolled around Tartu, via statues, 

the ruined cathedral 

and the superb botanical gardens.

Then the heavens opened and we had the town square in the wet.

A beautiful town, lots of parks and interesting buildings.

Heading further north tomorrow.