塔林為愛沙尼亞的首都，雖然我不算第一次去，但是距離上次去也已經經過了15年了，第一次去是2011年在英國唸書時趁復活節放假的時候跟朋友一起出去玩，我們是從芬蘭的赫爾辛基搭船到塔林，這次則是直接從倫敦飛到塔林，一樣在四月的時間但為復活節後，而旅伴變成我的先生。
愛沙尼亞是非常支持烏克蘭的，到處都可以看到烏克蘭的國旗，也有許多烏克蘭人住在這邊，在塔林也有遇到許多烏克蘭人做抗爭的聚集，我們也走進一家烏克蘭小店，一走進去有種不安感，裡面有放著戰爭砲彈的殘骸，我們也跟店主人聊天，真的真的跟著一起很心碎的感覺，買了小東西支持他們，希望世界不要再有戰爭，世界和平。
15年之間覺得塔林變了好多，老城區依舊可愛復古，但是外圍的樣子我已經記不起來了，一定是變了許多，這次我們選擇直接待在塔林七天六夜，從塔林出發我們先去了第二大城市塔爾圖，從塔林搭火車大概需要兩三小時，因為火車在這邊算是比起巴士是比較不方便的，到塔爾圖中間點我們還需要換搭接駁巴士到另一個火車站，再從這個小火車站到塔爾圖。
剛到第二城市就已經覺得沒那麼喜歡了，這裡是大學城，畢竟塔林的可愛應該是別的城市都比不上的，我們在這裡住了一晚，住的地方比較像是學生的宿舍，窗外面對出去的是有名的建築Snail Tower，這棟建築在這個城市裡是非常高和突兀，大概從每個地方都可以看到它。塔圖的老城區小小的，我們很快地就走了圈，這裡還有一棟歪歪斜斜的房子，就在河岸邊，也是滿有名的，晚上我們去了gunpowder的酒窖吃晚餐，還好我們很早吃晚餐，因為後來就客滿了。
隔天搭車去了另一個小鎮叫做Viljandi，會去這裡是因為Liam很喜歡一幅畫為Paul Kondas的Strawberry eaters，收藏在Viljandi Muuseum，這個小鎮非常可愛，我們經過一家麵包店被吸引進去，在裡面工作的人還為我們演奏他的自創曲，還請我們吃麵包，甚至還帶我們去旁邊的書店認識大家和看了另一個當地畫家的小展覽，真的是非常熱情呢，所以我也為他拍了一張人像。在這裡光影很美空氣也很新鮮，在這個小鎮待了半天，後來回到老舊沒在使用的火車站前搭巴士，一天大概只有三班的巴士，好險我們順利搭上了，因為也滿多人搭這班末班車。
回到塔林好像回到家的感覺，很放鬆，住宿的地方也有洗衣機可以使用，也有廚房可以煮點吃的，住宿樓下來有一家有名的美式餅乾店，在塔林待了幾天，我們也去了一個叫做VIRU BOG TRAIL，從塔林搭巴士去大約一小時的時間，巴士時間一樣不多，所以回程也要記好時間，在愛沙尼亞大部分的人都是仰賴巴士作為主要的大眾運輸。
這個viru bog walk是Liam找到的地方，我們這趟旅程都沒有事先規劃要去哪裡，所以抵達這個地方時我好喜歡，感覺就是走在溼地上，踩在木板上還有下沉濕濕的感覺，空氣聞起來好新鮮無污染感，到處都聽得到鳥在唱歌的聲音，四月的塔林，還是冰冰涼涼的，但是配上暖呼呼的太陽，湖邊反射的倒影也看起來格外美麗，途中還會經過一片森林，Liam為我背的Pentax67實在很值得呢。
我們喜歡在城市裡慢慢走慢慢逛，也在黑膠店挑了一張愛沙尼亞音樂的黑膠，我們想每次聽到音樂就可以回想到我們的旅遊。還去了當地植物園去了Linnahall也不小心走路走到了Music festival 的 Tallinn Song Festival Grounds，這裡靠近海邊，走到最上面可以看到海。也去了很有趣的Estonian Maritime Museum，裡面好大好挑高，設備也做得很互動式，想著小朋友一定會很喜歡。
關於食物有一天我們吃了烏克蘭的餐廳，是很像我們台灣的水餃，但是內餡吃起來很不一樣，有一天吃了當地的速食店我點了兒童漢堡，還有路邊的薯條店，而有一天吃了超級難吃的中式外帶，吃特別的巴爾幹半島的料理，還有去麵包店咖啡店，塔林的麵包店是偏北歐口味，所以我們兩個都很喜歡，連咖啡店裡隨便吃的麵包都很好吃，咖啡也是很好喝，有點出乎我的意料，只是物價也是沒有想像中的便宜。
第二次來塔林，感覺真的很不一樣，翻到15年前去的塔林照片，街景也差了好多，雖然很多事情都想不起來了，好在都還可以靠照片來記憶。
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia. This was my first visit since Easter 2011, when I was studying in the UK. A few friends and I went during the Easter holidays, taking the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. This time, again in April, my husband and I flew directly from London.
Tallinn has changed quite a lot over those 15 years. The Old Town is still just as charming and old-fashioned as I remember, but I can hardly remember what the other neighbourhoods of the city looked like back then.
We decided to base ourselves in Tallinn for six nights and seven days, and take trips out to see more of Estonia.
One thing that really stood out was how supportive Estonia is of Ukraine. Ukrainian flags are everywhere, and there are many Ukrainians living in Tallinn. We came across a few protests and gatherings while we were there, and also went into a small Ukrainian shop where they had fragments of shells and other remnants from the war on display. We chatted with the owner, and it was quite heartbreaking hearing about what they are going through. We bought a few little things to support them, I really hope there will be an end to the war.
Our first trip out of Tallinn was to Tartu, Estonia’s second city and a university town. We stayed for one night and had a wander around the small Old Town, including the famous crooked house by the river. We also saw the Snail Tower, a rather unusual building that seems to pop up wherever you go in the city. Tartu was nice, but after Tallinn, I have to admit I didn’t love it quite as much.
The next day, we went to a village called Viljandi, because Liam really likes Paul Kondas’s "Strawberry Eaters" painting, which is in the collection at Viljandi Museum.
Viljandi was a lovely little town and ended up being one of my favourite parts of the trip. We passed a bakery and popped in, and one of the people working played us some of his own music and even gave us some bread to try. He then took us to the bookshop next door, introduced us to everyone and showed us a small exhibition by another local artist. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. I ended up taking a portrait of him.
The light was beautiful, the air was really fresh and the whole place had such a peaceful feeling. We spent half a day wandering around before making our way back to Tallinn.
Going back to Tallinn felt a bit like coming home. We really enjoy travelling slowly, just wandering around and seeing where we end up, and Tallinn is a great city for that. We visited the botanical garden, Linnahall and the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, where you can see the sea from the top of the stadium. We also went to the Estonian Maritime Museum, which was huge and surprisingly interactive, with a full sized submarine inside. I think children would love it.
One of the highlights for me was the Viru Bog Trail, which Liam found. We hadn’t really planned our itinerary in advance, so it was a nice surprise. The trail takes you across the bog on wooden boardwalks, with birds singing all around. April was still a little cold, but we had lovely sunshine, and the reflections on the lake were beautiful. Liam carrying my Pentax 67 all the way there was definitely worth it!
We also ate really well in Tallinn, especially in the bakeries and cafés. The bread has quite a Nordic feel to it, which we both love, and even the coffee was surprisingly good. We tried Ukrainian dumplings, some local fast food and Balkan food along the way. We also had one particularly awful Chinese takeaway, which was probably best forgotten.
We picked up a vinyl record from an Estonian composer while we were there, as we thought it would be nice to have something to play that takes us back to the trip whenever we listen to it.
Coming back to Tallinn after 15 years felt very different. I looked through my old photos afterwards and realised just how much the streets and cityscape have changed. There are so many things I can’t remember anymore, but luckily, I still have those photos to help bring some of the memories back.