Tallinn, Estonia

The bus trip from Riga to Tallinn passed through flat expanses of forests, with wooden homes hidden behind the trees. This scenery is very typical of the Baltic region. Along the way, I could also spot empty passport control booths. Similar to the Lithuania-Latvia border crossing, there were police at the side of the road stopping vehicles and checking passengers’ documents a few kilometers into Estonia. I always find border controls within the EU puzzling as isn’t eliminating borders one of the reasons these countries joined the EU?

I only had a few hours to explore Tallinn’s famous Medieval old town and it was not enough. Most of the old city walls and its towers were still intact. Many of the buildings were Medieval-style, with pointed roofs, and cellar doors. Besides its Gothic town hall and cathedrals, there were also several Orthodox churches, due to Russian occupation. My favorite part of the visit was climbing to upper town, or Toompea, and savoring the views of the lower old town.

I had two highlights in Tallinn. First, I enjoyed visiting the Gustavus Adolfus Gymnasium Museum, which has displays chronicling the history of Estonia’s oldest continuously functioning school. The school was founded by the Swedes in 1631. What made the visit enjoyable was that the curator took time to explain to me the history of the school. Being the only tourist in the museum, I felt special to receive that kind of attention.

My second highlight was observing the modern architecture of Tallinn. The new apartment buildings are simple, chic and somewhat Nordic (though others may disagree). I think the most aesthetic cities are those that are able to blend in the historical and contemporary architecture, creating a mosaic of eye-pleasing structures.

It seems that the further north I traveled, the more polite were the drivers. I was very surprised to observe that drivers yield to pedestrians at zebra crossings in the Baltics (especially in Estonia). I was equally impressed with the widespread adoption of technology in Estonia, from free Wifi all over the city to ID cards that can be used to vote online. By the way, it turns out that Skype was developed by Estonians!

My five-day visit to the Baltics has come to an end and I will definitely be back in this region! (Possibly coupling this next trip with visits to Belarus and Russia to see the contrast.) The region contains hospitable people, scenic nature, quaint towns, clean air and a Nordic lifestyle. While the region still has a bit of societal corruption (e.g., giving doctors gifts) inherited from the Soviet era, it seems that the rest of society has broken free from its past, embraced the West and is growing by leaps and bounds. The only visible remnants of Soviet occupation are the apartment block buildings and some of the buses and trams.

Selcuk and Ephesus, Turkey

My first city in Turkey was Selcuk, which is next to the ancient Greek/Roman city of Ephesus. The bus ride from Bodrum to Selcuk was one of the most enjoyable rides I have been on. On board, there was an attendant who served us snacks and drinks. He displayed excellent customer service. All this puts the U.S. airlines to shame!

Selcuk itself is a small town that has more heritage than I thought. In addition to a Medieval castle perched on a hill, the town contains the Church of St Jean and the Isa Bey Mosque. There are also some Greek and Roman ruins, in the form of columns, cistern baths and an aqueduct.

My highlight though, had to be the visit to Ephesus, the ancient Greek/Roman city. The site is huge and contains ruins and many intact buildings. Of notable interest are the huge Grand Theater and the Library of Celsus. I was surprised at the sight of an old latrine that had running water.

I also got my first exposure to Turkish culture while in Selcuk. First, the Turks are so hospitable and friendly, always asking if they can help with directions and wanting to drink tea with me. For example, my CS host Erkan works in a carpet store and his boss invited some of us foreigners to eat dinner with his family in front of the store. I also got to taste baklava, a dessert of oats, pistachios and honey, which is reportedly the best in Turkey. Lastly, my host Erkan taught me a little about the double-knotted Turkish carpets and kilims. Carpets are so important in the Turkish culture hat every house has several of them. Even though I did not end up buying one, I enjoyed learning about the carpet-making process and observing the intricate designs.

Kos, Greece

Kos, another island in the Dodecanese chain, is where Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine was from. I originally was not planning to come here but did so because I needed to make a ferry connection to Turkey.

My highlight in Kos was visiting the Medieval castle right by the harbor. Kos Town also has a bunch of Greek and Roman ruins scattered around the center of the city. Other than these few places, there isn’t much to do on the island besides relaxing on the beaches.

My ferry to Turkey was quite interesting. I arrived at Greek exit point more than 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. When it was my turn to present my passport and ticket to the officer, he told me that I had to go outside and wait in line for a boarding pass, even though I already had my ticket. What unnecessary bureaucracy! I waited in line for the boarding pass for half an hour and almost missed my ferry because of that. Luckily, the ferry waited for everyone to obtain their boarding passes before heading to Bodrum, Turkey.

Rhodes, Greece

Rhodes, part of the Dodecanese chain of islands, is located in the eastern Aegean Sea, close to Turkey. I came to visit the capital city’s (also called Rhodes) UNESCO-listed Medieval old town, the largest inhabited one in the world.

Rhodes exuded an old world charm, unlike what I have seen so far in Greece. I felt like I was wandering down alleys in France or in Italy. The long city walls were completely intact, protecting the Palace of the Grand Master and churches. The old town also contains a few mosques, a reminder of the city’s Ottoman past.

My highlight was wandering down Ippoton, the Street of the Knights. This thoroughfare dates back to the 14th century, when the Knights of the Order of St. John ruled Rhodes. The street connects the Palace of the Grand Master to the main church. All along Ippoton were Medieval stone buildings, several of which were “auberge des linguas”, or language houses (French, English, Spanish, Italian). These houses were places where knights from the same or nearby kingdoms could chat and relax.

St. Emilion, France

St. Emilion is blessed with two things--a UNESCO world heritage-listed Medieval town that is surrounded by beautiful vineyards. Thus, I decided to make a quick trip from Bordeaux.
The town’s architecture was similar to Sarlat’s, consisting of stone homes with wooden shutters. I guess I’ll never get sick of wandering down alleys with historic architecture.

As for the wineries, since I didn’t have a car, I was limited to the few wineries within walking distance. Many of these wineries have wine tasting by appointment only. Furthermore, many are closed for about 2 hours for lunch. Wine tasting in France is an informal affair. For example, it is less commercialized than in the U.S. and hours are not strict. I got a taste of the latter when I arrived at a winery during operating hours, only to find the doors shut and the staff nowhere to be found.

I only got a chance to visit one winery in town. I was amazed at the underground stone cellar, dating from Medieval times. This is definitely something they don’t have in the “new world”. As for the tasting, I sampled a series of Bordeaux reds (blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) and whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon). Several of the reds tasted “spicy”, which was interesting.

Sarlat, France

Excuse the cliché, but Sarlat is a rare diamond. I remember reading Michael Crichton’s Timeline, which was set in France’s Dordogne Valley. I had read about Medieval castles perched on hills overlooking the Dordogne River and was eager to check out this part of France. Sarlat is the area’s largest town.

I spent the afternoon on a relaxing walk throughout the Medieval center of the town. The cathedral, unlike most of the ones I have seen, is not Gothic. Instead, it was built from tan stone with a gray turret. The other buildings in Sarlat were mostly built with tan stones and brown or gray roofs. The shutters, which range in color, was my favorite part.

I also got a chance to visit the interior of some of these Medieval buildings. This is because many of them have become art galleries. Thus, I got to enjoy contemporary art while also admiring architecture. The most intriguing aspect of these buildings was the spiral staircase.

I was quite disappointed to find out that Sarlat is actually not by the Dordogne River and that one needed a car to fully explore the chateau, caves and ruins in the area. However, with most of the places I have visited, there is always a next time. The first visit is merely to sample the “icing on the cake”.