Deep Oceans: Estonian Waters.

And I am not referring to the seas that lie on the coasts. Ahah- then it must be the rum! Vana Tallinn - the water of Tallinn, yum. Such a new flavor unlike anything before, I couldn't help myself. Also their vodka Viru Valge, was so clean, u could drink it by itself and truly enjoy it. I would definitely recommend both those to anyone for sipping. Plus the vodka was the best I've ever tasted in my life! I imagined myself walking the cold streets back in the occupation, sipping on a fifth of the stuff periodically to keep warm. Yet I was on holiday and it was freaking cold and the stuff warmed your insides! So... As expected, my ships liquor stocks were filled on this port. Couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Speaking of water you must try Estonian water yourself... take a carafe of regular ice cold water. Add some sliced orange (2 slices). Then slice up (long ways) about half a good sized cucumber and add to water. Let sit for a bit, then enjoy. The water should taste more like cucumber than orange, so do it to taste as well. If you drain the water and just put the carafe with the orange and cucumber in the fridge, and only refill it when using it, you get more life out of your veggies. But man o man, that's some good water. I've been drinking it ever since, yummm.

Wow. That is really all I have to say. To think I could actually sail back in time to the Renaissance, sail to the Port of Tallin.

Aside from being pampered and enjoying complete relaxation, I had a terrific time out on foot in the preserved historic city, the capital of Estonia. No lie it was total reversion back in time to the medieval ages. Every building, house, etc. on every block was connected and preserved or restored to its original status. Every street was cobblestones and winding alleys leading around in circles and back to the main town square. The city was actually so big I didn't cover but a little over half on foot during the stay. Even in winter there were markets, street corner merchants, and a street full of outside flower shops - aaaa, the smell. Speaking of smell... the famous Olde

Hansa house/ restaurant was near the town square and they sold as an outdoor merchant wagon candied almonds (1 of my favs). But the coolest part was the hotel was in the historic district (and the restaurant was not even a minute walking from the hotel), so every time you stepped out the front doors it smelled of sweet almonds. Castles and fort walls built in stone are around the entire city. Churches on every corner (kinda like pharmacies & fast food in the U.S., hehe). Most persons in the town played the full time part of the history in costume, if u will... there it still remains the dress more often than not. I truly appreciated the art of the era in architecture.

The food... had some bad picks... don't ever eat Estonian Chinese or Indian. Yeah right? Why those places of all to eat? Well, at sea you don't have the option to eat such delights. I enjoy authentic food, so why not? There was a ton of cafes to choose from, one chain I found to be the best was Reval. But the traditional food and the Hansa food was delicious! I tried so many different meals, it was truly an experience in itself. The best food was at the Olde Hansa: between Baltic pepper steak and a fillet mignon and boar mix over sauerkraut with berries and a cherry wine sauce, it was absolutely the best different meal I've had in a long time. For starters I recommend dried elk meat, which came in the form of salted beef jerky, and a fired cheese plate with juniper herbs, which closely resembled Greek halomi cheese when cooked (I love cheese, cheese is good food). Aside from tasting drinks in the fashion, amongst liquored coffees (which came with treats, and if I didn't know better it was a style of fruitcake). Dessert was rose pudding. Funny thing is they didn't serve any soda or "magik drinks" as they called them, hehe. They only had what was available from the appropriate era.

The hotel was a totally classy 5 star, in the historic district as mentioned before. The carpet in the halls were cool because it had old love letters and telegraphs in it. Anyway breakfast came with the room, and aside from a tremendous buffet, you could order special made stuff. So I actually looked forward to getting up early every

day for breakfast - haha - believe it or not. Who wouldn't when your getting super good eggs benedict right!?! The eggs were made very different to any other type of poached I had tried before, they were light and fluffy, and they came over a little round crisp. But the hollandaise sauce was the best I have ever tasted in my life. Oh yeah and their pancakes... little silver ones, I don't know what they are called in English anymore, but they were so different and tasty, mmmm the pancakes. Also, the music throughout the hotel in the morning and during the day was all classical and Louis Armstrong (one of my favs). Then in the evenings they played the same with some jazz and trip hop, and for dinner time in the restaurant they had a harpist playing. I didn't get a chance to eat dinner there because of all the other places to try, but I did catch a dessert late one evening. It was ok, but nothing comparable to breakfast. The spa area (did I mention it was a spa hotel - cha ching) had the 2 therapy areas, a pool with roman waterfalls, a jacuzzi, eucalyptus steam bath, and sauna. The pool was a bit small, but it wasn't like i was there training, i was there to relax.

I visited 2 museums while there (which is a hobby of mine in travels). That was pretty cool to read the history of Estonia and how it was back then. I did walk around town alot. On the hunt for buying bottled alcohol (a must when on land to bring back to the ships stock), I ventured outside the old city gates and into the huge booming sky scraper city that has been built around the historic part. You wouldn't know it was there since the historic part is so big and built like a fortress. And you think malls are big in the U. S. - Hah! The one found there was 4 stories tall and gigantic. Got the alcohol - if you are ever in Europe the grocery/liquor stores are always found on the bottom floor or in the basement of these type malls (fyi). I also tried some ice cream, that's a must.. try other places ice cream. Its funny, people eat more of the stuff when its freezing and cold than in the summer, hah. I still like Norsk ice cream better, its creamier :-D .