We awoke on a sunny day in Tallinn feeling like new people after a great night’s sleep and immediately headed down for breakfast. And what a breakfast it was. Gigantic buffet with bacon, hard boiled and scrambled eggs, salads, fish, fruits, bread, pastry, hot and cold cereals, yogurt, cold cuts, coffee and tea. Crowded with Finns getting ready to checkout and take a ferry back to Finland.

The Reval Hotel Central…View image… is an easy four-block walk to the old town. Location…location…location, and armed with a map from the hotel, we set off at a leisurely pace to enjoy and lose ourselves in the medieval ambiance of Tallinn. The Explore group wasn’t scheduled to arrive until tonight when we’d meet for orientation, and the “Historic Baltic Republics” would officially begin tomorrow morning.

Down Narva Mnt Street and past the Hotel Viru, infamous as the former Intourist Hotel where every room was tapped and monitored by the KGB. Now, just an ordinary hotel. At busy Parnu Mnt Street, cross over using the stop lights or pedestrian walkways only if there is no light. ex-Marine actually saw a jaywalker get a ticket! It appears that they take jaywalking seriously in Tallinn. Can you believe that? We were also shocked that cars, trolleys, trucks and buses will actually stop and wait for pedestrians as long as you are in a crossing zone without even a honk. Can you believe that! Estonia also prides itself on being completely WI-FI (more about that later).

enter Old Tallinn, Estonia through the 16th century towers
Made a left on Parnu Mnt Street, walked one short block before turning right. There was the entrance to the Old City right before our eyes on a street filled with flower sellers…View image. It couldn’t have been any easier. We walked through the opening between the Town Wall and Towers…View image… built in the 16th century with…guess…what! That’s right, a McDonald’s…View image… right before our eyes…and headed straight up Viru Street to the Town Square and all-important Information Office for more maps, “Tallinn This Week,” and additional information.

a McDonald’s meal for 45 Krone/EEKs=$4.50 U.S.
The busy Town Hall Square had cafes around most of the perimeter…View image… with people eating and drinking, the 14th century Gothic Town Hall and little streets running in all directions. Quaint houses that have been turned into restaurants and stores selling food. I had my first taste of what was to become the highlight of the Baltics — Pastries. The variety seen and eaten by us over two weeks was beyond description. FYI: The cobble-stoned streets through Old Tallinn are not only hard on the feet but easy to get caught a foot caught between. I was forever falling off curbs. More little shops sold home-made chocolates…View image, clothes, other food. Young women from Old Hansa (a restaurant) dressed in Estonian costume were handing out free samples of toasted nuts,

restaurants around Old Town Square, Tallinn, Estonia 

the beginning of a powerful pastry/sweet roll addiction began in Tallinn, Estonia 

Old Hansa Restaurant handing out food samples in Tallinn, Estonia
I next discovered the adorable ’20′s style hats seen only in Tallinn. So cute and so expensive but it didn’t stop me from coming to a grinding halt before each and every hat and amber store while ex-Marine griped and whined. Onwards to Toompea Hill…

United Airlines Low Fares on Orbitz!