See the free states of the Baltics in 3 weeks – Tallinn Estonia 5/2018 (12)

7-9/6/2018. I started this trip on the 1st of May and was now into my fifth week on the road. The bright idea was to kill two birds with one stone—to see Central Asia and, ultimately, the Baltic States. I started from Kazakstan and was now in the Baltic states, having gone through Lithuania and Latvia, now moving toward Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.

I had never heard of Tallinn before, possibly because of its small size and my ignorance. Estonia has only 1.3 million people. The three Baltic States’ combined population is less than half of Shanghai’s 24 million. For someone who has made Shanghai home for years, the feeling of being lost at sea finally found some footing. Truly, it is not the size that counts, but what you do with what little you have. Estonia’s size belies its stature. Like other Baltic states, it is also a developed nation, having become independent only 30 years ago. It has history, the classiness of Europe, the freedom that allows one to roam unfettered. English speaking is common. I found that these northern European countries are very composed, civil, and friendly. It was a bit cold for me, though, but that’s not their fault. I am too tropical. Still, good heavens, do they ever have summer here? The hotel front desk girl told me there is nothing warm clothing cannot overcome, but it was the long, dark days that bothered. I suppose cold is only a discomfort, but a dark world is an oppression.

7-9/6/2018 这次出游已经五周，五月一日出发，始于哈萨克斯坦，打算一石二鸟探索中亚和波罗的国；刚跑了立陶宛和拉脱维亚，准备到爱沙尼亚塔林。

爱沙尼亚比立陶宛和拉脱维亚还要小，人口才一百三十万。虽小但不能小视，独立三十年已经是发达国家。这里有深厚欧洲历史，也有欧洲的风尚，英语普及，且水平高；还有自由，容我奔放。可是老天啊，那西伯利亚风一吹就更感天寒地冻的，这里到底有没夏天呀！但人们彬彬有礼，很暖心。前台小姐说，寒冷不算什么，多穿点就好，倒是长时黑暗难熬；严寒只是皮肉，黑暗使人绝望。