4:45 Moonset/Sunrise

Sunrise comes early in Estonia : Tallinn, EE

In the late spring and into the summer, the sun goes down late and comes up early. On my last morning in Tallinn, this was the view outside my bedroom window at 4:45 in the morning.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Tallinn through the Eye of Apple

Peter the Great's intended summer get-away : Tallinn, EE

Our last evening in Tallinn, I decided to leave my camera at home and just take my Apple iPod Touch with its built-in camera and the Hipstamatic and Instagram apps. That may or may not have been the right decision. Either way, here are a few final pictures from Tallinn. Peter the Great of Russia intended to have a summer home in Tallinn, but he died before construction was completed. This is his I-never-lived-to-live-in-it palace. At one time, it was the home of Estonia's president, but he lives just up the hill from this in a Pink House.

Peter the Great's place as seen by Hipstamatic : Tallinn, EE

Library : Tallinn, EE

Recently renovated... : Tallinn, EE

Tallinn is full of wooden houses and buildings. Many of them are in various states of disrepair, but here and there throughout the city are examples of efforts to restore/gentrify these beautiful old structures.

Soviet-style bloc housing, a leftover from Estonia's days

under the Communists : Tallinn, EE

As a former Soviet satellite state, Tallinn is littered with Soviet-style block housing. According to our host, this tract isn't even the worst of it. Still, it's pretty bleak. This was the view outside my hotel window looking down from the 24th floor.

All-in-all, though, Tallinn is a lovely city and one I would highly recommend visiting as part of a package of cities. If I go back, I'll likely visit Helsinki, Finland, and St. Petersburg, Russia, in the process.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

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

Wired

Sign in the cafe at the Radisson Blu : Tallinn, EE

As mentioned yesterday, Tallinn ranks in the top 10 as one of the most digitally sophisticated cities in the world. There's free WiFi everywhere. In the offices where we worked this week, there's a machine that generates a unique username and password for 24-hour use. Everyone seems to have a smartphone and it's rare to see someone who isn't wired up.

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