Thursday, September 28, 2006

Tallins, Taigas


Tallin
Originally uploaded by jamesandthebluecat.
I should have said, we didn't spend the night in Tallin, as we were able to persuade the ferry people that our tickets had gone astray, so they just printed us new ones. And the Wanderer returned yesterday morning, just as we were seriously starting to think we ought to inform the authorities. I had gone out to the shops to get a paper, singing 'Diamonds are a girl's best friend' to myself (why do people think I'm gay, why?) and suddenly realised our missing party member was sauntering casually towards me, looking slightly stubbly but completely un-murderered. He'd stayed in Tallin for the night, then made his way back on the ferry the next morning.

marsha klein said...

Would you recommend Tallin (bastards in capes, cursing locals etc notwithstanding)? We couldn't go to Estonia when we were in Helsinki recently because the children don't have photo ID, but we're hoping to go back soon (without kids).

Hmm, it was good for a day's visit, but it's much poorer than Helsinki, hence the constant procession of people trying to flog you complete rubbish. In fact, me and Patch met up with the lovely Taiga in the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art where she works (and gave us free stuff, woo hoo!), and when we told her where we'd been she looked at us with horror and told us of the relative not-safety of Tallin. I think it's fine as long as you don't stray too far from the centre though.

(Taiga also told me that the Underground Mall of the Dead is also a bit of a dodgy place to hang out, although I suspect on a Sunday morning, I was probably the most dangerous thing down there. After the McDonalds Express, obviously)

Anyway, back to Tallin - if you're not being accosted by various caped and/or cursing accosters, or idiots wandering off with your tickets back, it's a beautiful old medieval city, and if you climb up the spiral staircase of the main church, you get a fantastic (albeit slightly wobbly if like me you're scared of heights) view, depicted.


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

At least it wasn't a madonna medley, perhaps following up DAAGBF with 'material girl' and 'like a virgin'

But if you'd done it all in finish it would be completely acceptable.

Anonymous said...

I mean 'finnish' of course

Anonymous said...

Actually, isn't "Finish" a furniture polish or something? In which case doing it all in Finish would be a pretty impressive performance art piece.

Taiga the Fox said...

James, it was lovely meeting you too.

Hmm, before I'm completely drowned under the e-mails of the angry Estonians, I might explain that Tallinn is a very pittoresque city with a beautiful medieval old town, and reasonably safe too, just like you said. But you're probably safe anywhere you go, if you go on singing alone and say you're the owner of Falmouth.

Oh, and the tunnel is one of the few "underground cities" of the world. You can reach two subway stations, the main railway station and bus station, the university, few shopping cenres, few museums etc. through the tunnels, so basically you really could live without seeing any wet city snow during the winter.

Anonymous said...

I read in this morning's paper something about Johnny Depp trying to take over Falmouth or something (Falmouth won). Pirates, I think. Just thought I'd let you know.

James Henry said...

If Depp thinks he can sneak into my home town just because I've wandered off for a bit, he can jolly well think again. He used to try this in Canterbury all the time, and he's a lot shorter in real life and his hair is fake and he smells of beetroot and stuff.

Secretly of course I heart Johnny Depp in a manly sort of way, and want to talk to him about playing Iron Man, which is too late anyway as it's been cast but he'd be great as a slightly pissed Tony Stark, actually I'm a bit pissed as well now I think of it ooh hotel meals are great sleep now.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that, James. A day trip is what we have planned for our "adults only" return trip. How interesting that Taiga works in the Kiasma Museum - it's another place we failed to visit in the summer due the presence of the aforementioned kids ("Aw, Mum! Do we have to go IN?!") Hopefully, we'll be able to see the inside of the museum in January.

Anonymous said...

You can say what you like about Tallin's scary back-street urchins, eleven of their footballers gave a very decent account of themselves last night on Channel Five- and very nearly succeeded in mugging my team (Newcastle United) in the televised European game on Tyneside. And I rather suspect their fans may have felt just a little nervous if they had ventured into the Bigg Market district around about closing time...

Anonymous said...

Who's been cast as Iron Man; as you will remember, I favoured Sam Rockwell for his humorous and yet louche, ne'er-do-well qualities but does Hollywood ever listen to the likes of me...? Does it buggery.
Also was hoping I might exploit your blog on the off chance that any of your lovely correspondents might know how to go about finding good Spanish courses in Buenos Aires as I haven't a clue.
Hasta luego, hombre.