Alexandra Nevsky Cathedral just got served

 

One of the most epic 24 hours so far. Starting from where we left off, landing in Tallinn after 10 days in Scandinavia, we headed out for dinner around Old Town after freshening up at the hostel.

 

 

We settled at Deja Vu, an outdoor hookah lounge/cafe/restaurant with the most misogynistic of menus.

 

Inappropriate.

 

Calling it an easy night, we hung out at our hostel’s bar for karaoke night:

 

Photo Credit: David Zhou

 

The next morning we got on the free 2 hour walking tour that started at 12pm in front of the tourist information center in old town.

 

 

Started at the symbol of Estonian Independence, hated by most Estonians:

 

 

A church of Atheism, as 80+% of Estonians are not religious:

 

 

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral:

 

 

Photos are not allowed inside:

 

 

Secret walkways through old town:

 

 

Tallinn from the lookout:

 

 

The main hub of Old Town, Raekoja plats:

 

 

After the 2 hour walking tour, a few in our group went to eat legit Russian food at Troika

 

Alice's, Duncan's and Joyce's first attempt at bear meat

 

…while the rest of us scarfed down gyros and headed to Taktikalise Laskmise, the local gun range northwest of Tallinn, about 10 min away by cab.

Unlike shooting ranges in the USA, in Estonia they let you do “funner” (aka “irresponsible”) things such as near-automatic firing-from-the-hip with an AK-47, pump action shotguns, double pistols John Woo-style, taking out headshots with a silencer pistol a-la-James Bond, sidewinding with a golden Desert Eagle, and sniping with a bolt-action rifle.

Costs are 40 euros for basic, 75 euros for premium.

3 videos first:

 

After about an hour at the shooting range, we then rejoined the rest of the group at Patarei Vangla, or the Soviet Prison for a tour.

Originally a fortress, it eventually became a Soviet-style gulag/prison that then went into the hands of the Nazis during WW2 before returning to Soviet control. It’s now a museum/public space for parties, street art, and poetry slams.

 

 

The bedroom for “more useful” prisoners that had certain trade skills to part-time as staff members for the prison:

 

 

Then there was the holding area, fitting over 40 prisoners in a room meant for 10:

 

 

We then wandered the confined outdoor area where prisoners were allowed 1 hour of the 24 hours in the day to breathe some fresh air:

 

 

Then it got worse as we visited the maximum security wing of the prison:

 

 

Then it was solitary confinement:

 

 

And finally, death row: ending up at the very room where they “took prisoners to the shower only to never come back.” AKA where they executed their criminals “with 2 shots to the back of the head”:

 

 

Of course, the obligatory group photo:

 

 

Around the corner from the prison is a beach facing the Gulf Of Finland where you can grab a drink and fall asleep to the sound of the waves.

 

 

Afterwards we regrouped at atmospheric Olde Hansa, famous for not only great food but also playing up the atmosphere of medieval Estonia with wait staff dressing up and performing to time of old Estonia, even going as far as saying “Wifi? What’s that? We haven’t discovered that” and “We don’t take American Express as we haven’t discovered America yet”:

 

Wild Boar
"Divine Leg Of Pork"

 

During dinner, Joyce picked up her little brother from the airport, Joshua, to join our group all the way to Vilnius.

 

 

Our group is now 15 strong, and we look forward to welcoming a new monsooner! Better late than never.

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- At time of posting in Tallinn, Estonia, it was 18 °C - Humidity: 84% | Wind Speed: 11km/hr | Cloud Cover: mostly sunny

 

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