Tallinn, Estonia

That's the sound of the bubble popping as you pass from Russia to the West. I'm not sure if you're bursting out of a bubble of insanity or breaking into a bubble of serenity, but that was the sound I heard at about 02.17 as our bus crossed the border into Estonia. All of a sudden the sun is shining, people are smiling, and I can drink water from the tap :o)

I never associated those words with Tallinn, Estonia. But both were there aplenty as I arrived today. Goodbye Russia!

This one was right up there with running into Adam Yukelson just outside of Vernazza in the Cinque Terre. I was shooting panoramic photos from the top of St. Olaf's bell tower in Tallinn, when I hear a familiar northern English accent expressing her profound fear of heights. Indeed, it was my next door neighbor from the Russian dormitory, Laurie. We managed a hug on top of the tower, but because of her vertigo we had to wait to photograph the moment until we were back on solid ground

I spent five days cyclotouring around the coast and islands. See"Biking the Baltics" for more details on that trip.