tallinn

back home all pampered... mudbath, lava stones, paraffin for hands and pedicure. but, the weather wasn't particularly nice for tourist activities once the spa treatments were done, rain, rain, rain and some more rain.

shopping would have been one option as there are plenty of opportunities for that in tallinn, but mom is even worse shopper than i am. i used to be quite good, but then i ran out of closet space and don't have to wear my own clothes at work, so i really don't need new clothes. i made a new year's resolution for this year not to buy any clothes in finland. i must confess that i've bought some, but very few, and i'd like to add they were something i "needed". read that how you will...

we did eat a lot... mom might have thought that we ate too much, but aren't you supposed to do that on vacation? even on a mini-vacation. first our hotel... don't you just love the soviet-era architecture of the pirita top spa hotel...






they did, however, have quite nice resturant up on top floor the hotel, nice views to the baltic sea. here is my entree of duck breast







mom's dessert of frozen cranberries with hot caramel sauce, yam! i've done this, somehow my caramel wasn't quite this good (mom says to cook it longer...)







a very wet town hall square with xmas lights and market







by the square is reastaurant balthasar that is located in a building dating back to 1400's... here's my steak







tallinn has changed so much since i've last been there for more than a few hours, and quite remarkably since i first visited nearly 15 years ago. i'm quite abashed as what to think about estonia. basically i'm all for change, i' just not sure it's going to right direction over there...