August 9, 1998, Sunday

In the morning after breakfast I packed and checked out. A taxi took me to the ferry landing where, after passing through passport control, I boarded a hydrofoil. The ride was smooth—about like riding a train—and took half the time of a traditional ferry. When we landed in Tallinn the Estonia passport officials stamped my passport. A taxi dropped me off at the Hotel Olympia. I did some exploring. The Old Town within the walls was a twisted labyrinth of cobbled streets. Along a section of the city wall were several booths selling Estonia wool products. There were many restaurants with sidewalk tables and many shops.

The wool merchants’ booths were all in a line along the old wall that at one time circled the Old Town. Here and there sections of the wall remain. At the wool booths sweaters made of Estonia wool were the main item of trade. Wool stockings, hats, and purses were also offered. There was only one shop that sold amber and stack dolls. There were many shops with plate glass windows that sold dresses of the latest fashion. Just as the wool merchants had their stalls in a line, the flower shops were in a row. The brightly colored flowers were an attention getting display that was hard to ignore.

During the day no cars were allowed on the narrow cobbled streets. They were crowded with a mass of shoppers and tourists. In a large square there was a carnival with open air restaurants and even ponies for children to ride.