Seen Around Town...

Busker on a side street : Old Town : Tallinn, EE

 Cozy, intimate dining at Il Bottega : Old Town : Tallinn, EE

Just a few shots in and around Tallinn featuring people and the surroundings. We enjoyed dinner at an Italian restaurant in the Old Town called Il Bottega. Our host kept apologizing for the prices, but my colleague and I reassured him that, compared to Geneva, the prices were incredibly inexpensive. I think the three of us ate for less than 110 euros, which is unheard of in these parts!

Evening Coffee : Old Town : Tallinn, EE

Buying flowers outside the gates of Old Town : Tallinn, EE

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Domes of Tallinn

Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral : Old Town : Tallinn, EE

Iconic domes of the Russian Orthodox Church : Tallinn, EE

Given its proximity to and its long history with Russia, it's not surprising to see the iconic domes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tallinn. Just a few pictures of the Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral in Old Town. Unfortunately, it was closed when we walked by, so we weren't able to see the interior.

Evening Light on the Nevsky Cathedral : Tallinn, EE

Same shot, different orientation : Tallinn, EE

Domes : Nevsky Cathedral : Tallinn, EE

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Details, Details, Details

Scrolled woodwork adorn the eaves of a building in Old Town : Tallinn, EE

Modern wrought iron gate : Tallinn, EE

I didn't have a lot of time in Tallinn to photograph it properly, but I did try to capture some of the smaller, lesser noticed details in the buildings. Again, just a few examples.

Weathervane on a building in Old Town overlooking modern Tallinn : Tallinn, EE

Brackets on window panes : Tallinn, EE

Estonian saints or philosophers? : Tallinn, EE

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Doors of Tallinn

No. 7 : Tallinn, EE

One of the beautiful features in Tallinn's Old Town are the colorful doors and detail. Here are a few examples.

Green Door : Tallinn, EE

No. 9 : Tallinn, EE

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Tallinn

Tallinn's City Hall : Tallinn, EE

In the two years I've been based at a U.N. organization in Geneva, this is the first time I've been on duty travel. The destination: Tallinn, Estonia. The next few days will feature pictures from this former Soviet satellite country on the Baltic Sea.

Turrets and Dragons : Tallinn, EE

First up, City Hall in Tallinn's old town section. Tallinn is Estonia's capital and largest city. It sits on the edge of the Baltic and is 80 km from Helsinki, across the Gulf of Finland. Founded in 1154, Tallinn actually has a history dating back to 3,000 BCE. City Hall was built sometime in the 1500s. Tallinn is a UNESCO World Heritage city and one of the 2011 European Cities of Cultural. It's also one of the most technologically and digitally sophisticated cities in the world, ranking in the top 10.

Old Thomas, the symbol and guardian of Tallinn : Tallinn, EE

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11