Expatiperro

Rested, laundered, and relaxed, Kyle and I said goodbye to Helsinki and boarded the ferry that would take us over to the Baltics. Two hours later, we arrived in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, and were met at the ferry terminal by Martin, who would be our Couchsurfing host for the next four nights.

Tallinn, and the rest of Estonia for that matter, is a place whose reality contrasts with what the world expects it to be. While it is a Baltic state along with its more Slavic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, it refuses to be bunched together with them. Looking around, you can sense that it has much more in common with Scandinavian countries- the language looks and sounds almost Finnish, the people are blond and fair-skinned, their English is probably better than mine, wi-fi is ubiquitous, and in conversation they are insistent that they are only tied to the other Baltic States by an accident of geography and the Soviet occupation, and not by any voluntary choice.

The capital also contrasted with the expectations. The old town is beautiful, an incredibly well-preserved medieval area with some of the oldest buildings in the region, including the oldest town hall in Europe. Wandering around its winding lanes was like being transported back in time, at least if you didn't see the souvenier shops lining the streets. Our three days there was plenty to explore the gorgeous city center, visit several museums, and eat some delicious food (including a meal at the wonderfully named "Hell Hunt" restaurant).

Our three nights there were somewhat less bucolic. Martin and his friends did their best to show us the incredible nightlife of Tallinn, whose small size (only 400,000 people) belies the intensity and energy of its bar and club scene. Highlights included eating some of the best chicken wings I've ever tasted at a cafe at 5 AM; making best friends with a 50 tear old bartendress and earning a standing invitation to come back to Estonia and stay at her place; going to a birthday party of one of Martin's friends and meeting not only the Estonian Oprah, but also both the most famous actress and weatherman in Estonia. Over the weekend, sleep was definitely fleeting.

Monday morning we picked up our rental car, said goodbye to the city, and set off across the countryside. Outside of the few main cities (definition: population 5,000 and up), human life seemed to dissappear, replaced by endless forests, huge lakes, and sandy coastline. After our hectic stay in Tallinn, a little time spend relaxing was much appreciated.