16 Comments
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Kinja Pakarinen's avatar

This was beautifully written! :) I will save this for my next trip to Tallin. I just started writing a series of Helsinki recommendations and your piece gave me inspiration for the next post.

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Cheryl  Queen of Markets's avatar

I'm delighted you think so, thank you. Let me know when you've written your Helsinki post!

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Shell Plant's avatar

Loved this post! I loved Tallinn when I visited, and now definitely want to go back! If just for Tallinn bun day!

Such a sad history, but I love that they freed themselves with music. Thank you for such a splendid post Cheryl

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Cheryl  Queen of Markets's avatar

Thank you very much for reading my story. Do click on the link to the song festival, it's beautiful and emotional.

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Tessa's avatar

Beautifully written Cheryl and a wonderful reminder of our trip and the meals we shared. I’d love to try that borscht again. I have a feeling I might return to Tallinn one day and hop on the ferry to Helsinki.

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Melissa Norman's avatar

Have never been but looks amazing. Love the fact about the music freeing the city.

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Cheryl  Queen of Markets's avatar

Did you watch the video? It's so emotional.

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Melissa Norman's avatar

No, I will do though.

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Ang Mitten's avatar

You had me at the first mention of sea buckthorn, and then there was sea buckthorn gelato! All looks as if it was delicious. Thanks for a great post.

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Cheryl  Queen of Markets's avatar

Isn't sea buckthorn wonderful? Serendipity is a lovely thing.

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Anne Dolamore's avatar

Fascinating piece. We use a printer in Estonia from time to time. Very good quality. They printed our boxed set of Elizabeth David Collection booklets!

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Cheryl  Queen of Markets's avatar

Thank you very much Anne x

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Claire Ivins's avatar

Looks brilliant! How easy is it to manage in the markets and smaller shops if you don’t speak Estonian or Russian?

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Cheryl  Queen of Markets's avatar

Me in market, having memorised how to ask for 100g of sauerkraut in Estonian. Woman behind the counter answers in perfect English that 100g is nothing.

And so it goes. English is spoken mostly everywhere. Apart from a few older people we met, everyone else was fluent. Estonian is one of the most difficult languages to learn, so Estonians have very kindly learnt English too.

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jackycooksherbooks's avatar

I wonder if you can still buy knitted mittens etc in the market by the city walls ?

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Cheryl  Queen of Markets's avatar

Loads of mittens..some very beautiful hand embroidered ones for about E60!

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