Tallinn, Estonia

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tallinn, Estonia
09/09/2008 Nita and I set off for Tallinn at 8:30 AM and Ron and Avie at 11:00 AM; No our friendship has not come to an end, or differing departure times were dictated by body needs. I’ll leave it at that. Tallinn dates back to the 10th. Century, its advantageous position relative to the sea turned into a motive for continuous warfare. In 1219 it was invaded by the Danish, then 100 years later they sold it to Germany for 19 silver marks. 200 years later it passed to the Swedes and then Russia. Estonia declared its first independents in 1918 which lasted until 1940 followed by Nazi occupation in 1941 then back to the Soviet Union in 1944. Sixteen years ago Estonia achieved full freedom with the fall of the Soviet Republics. Tallinn is now enjoying high speed growth while catching up for its lost years. Today Tallinn is a beautiful town with its medieval Old Town. Its cobblestone streets led us through medieval houses, churches and shops that remain intact. The red tile roofs, cobblestone streets and onion top church steeples provide for a fairy-tail setting for a walk in the rain. The Russian Orthodox church was one of the most beautiful and inviting churches I have ever seen. The Russian icons, gold antiquities were in stark contrast to the red and white marble floors and the devout worshipers. There were no pews, the worshipers knelt and stood on the hard floors. They made us Catholics with our kneeling padded rails look like wimps. I was lucky to witness several parishioners approach a long grey bearded elderly priest, he draped their heads with a holy cloth, they kissed his cross touched his bible then leaned into his neck and whispered their confession into his ear, he crossed them and sent them on their day with Gods blessing. I have never seen religious worship brought to such a personal exchange as I saw today