7. Tallinn.

I do like Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It dates from medieval times and the old town has well preserved city gates and ramparts surrounding a large town square and innumerable little narrow streets and alleyways. Although busy and thronged with tourists, the town has lost little of its character and charm. The gift shops are stocked more with local handicrafts than fridge magnets and tee shirts, although there is a nod to the importance of tourism as many of the servers in the restaurants are dressed in national costume. 

However, before exploring the town we had headed for the harbour museum, primarily a maritime museum built under the concrete domes of Tallinn's seaplane hanger which dates from 1916. As interactive museums go, it was excellent especially for children young and old. The main exhibit was the submarine Lembit, the pride of the Estonian navy when it was launched back in 1936, and visitors can now clamber through the hatch and have a glimpse of what life was like inside during its operational days.

After the museum we headed for Fat Margaret's Tower where more marine exhibits were on display, including items from the wreckage of the Estonia which sank in the Baltic in the early nineties with the loss of over 800 lives...one of the worst shipping disasters of modern times. We then climbed up above the old town to get the best views of the streets and harbour below. This is obviously a very popular viewpoint as two sets of newlyweds were having their photographs taken there as we arrived. What they thought about dozens of tourists photobombing their wedding pictures, goodness only knows. In fact, Friday must be a common day for weddings in the country as when we wandered into the city Cathederal, another marriage ceremony was taking place. The bride was dressed in red so when I get home I will have to research as to why.

As the afternoon was wearing on, refreshments were required so we stopped for icecreams and a short time thereafter for a pint of the local brew. A leisurely stroll back through the pretty stress meant that for the second time in three ports of call we made it back to the ship with just ten minutes to spare.