Hello
thanks for your comments. It’s lovely to hear news from home. The pace has changed in this lovely little city- pop400,000. It’s easier in a small city and with the girls gone we have slowed down. At the moment we are having a pre dinner vodka watching TV in our suite. Last night we had an Estonian meal and it was delicious. Beetroot soup for me followed by fish and pickles for Steve followed by pork – a HUGE bone covered in delicious meat . Too much but delicious .
We did the tourist bus this morning after b/fast in the lovely dining room. Easy pace and we got to k ow the new as well as the old city. You can sense how hPpy the people are now they are not occupied by Russia. There is another SuMmer
Palace here that Peter the Great built for Catherine lucky girl. It is pink and has beautiful gardens around it.
Steve headed off to yet another Maritime museum and I took in the Art Gallery which had an interesting photographic exhibition showing life in Estonia over the years.
HIGHLIGHT: dinner last night . Yum

Jill – we were talking about your market trip coming up . You will love it. There are street markets here selling all sorts if knitted gear, linen toys etc. It’s cold today so be warned- layers cos it’s always hot inside. Also learn to like vodka and mulled wine.
Bye for now
Fran x

Hello from Estonia – Tallinn.
We came by bus : leaving St Petersburg at 7. We were dropped at a dark bus stop – no signs no one spoke English around the place so we just hoped the bus would arrive. It did and we got on but not seated together. We got to the Russian border. It was like queuing to get out of theconcentration camp. All off the bus with all belongings. No smiles , filthy toilets and grump with a big stamp! Back on the bus and then another stop to get stamped into Estonia! Two hours getting out then into the nextcountry. For all that ……….
We did love Russia. It’s big grand amazing sights but food was hard to find – good quality and I don’t think they do service very well.
Tallinn is quaint, clean , friendly tourist ready and we were given a suite T the hotel! We LOVE this place! Sitting in my fluffy gown typing this on th iPhone! Next big problem – which of the restaurants will we choose.
Tomorrow lots of site seeing using our Tallin card. Great value at 40. Aus $ each . All entries to lots if museums, walking tours, guided gallery tours, the round town tour bus, us lots more. We won’t have to keep dipping into our wallets looking for money.
Hope to download some More photos.

Hi to all the readers!

Today we lose Pip. Very sad. We just had a little walk now the girls are checking out. We’re all a little heavy in the head! We finished last night with two vodkas ! Lovely at the time but all feeling heavy today!
Off for coffee now then the last of the sightseeing. St P is amazing .it has little canals like Venice but is prob more like Amsterdam. Good for walking.

Hello from St P.
We have had such a good time here – there are 4 of us now and lots of walking.
Last night we glammed up a little and went to the Kirov Ballet at the beautiful Marinisky Theatre. It was a great production of Spartacus. It’s so different even going to the theatre. It started late – everyone just had to cloak their coat ( that cold weather creates another hazard  THE COAT) then have a drink (Russian bubbles is not great) then pose for photos! It all takes time so they were late starting. We were in a little box  – kind of sitting side on but curved towards the stage. The production was great. Very strong athletic preformances. Huge cast and lovely leading ladies and men (though the girls thought them a little on the gaydar) . There were 2 intervals between the acts – which both lasted 30 mins or so. The crowd move slow here though they certainly know how to push. Although it was thrilling to watch we were a little starving. It started at 7 and finished at 10.45. We caught a taxi back to near our hotel and tried 3 places before finding a restaurant that would serve food at 11pm. It was an ENGLISH pub!
Today a slow start – then a lovely boat ride up the river out to the gulf of Finland and to the Sumer Palace. It is gorgeous there . We walked took photos of the stuning fountains – worked out the ticketing. The Russians haven’t quite worked out how to ticket things to make it easy. A ticket for the ferry , a ticket when you arrive to get into the gardens, a ticket at the Palace to get in a ticket to see the boat house! We worked up a hunger so stopped by the water in the warm sunshine and had soup and mulled wine. YUM.
Ferry back and into the Winter Palace – to use the toilets the internet and make a copy of our photos onto DVD. Pip leaves tomorrow about noon and Phoebe about 4pm. All very sad as we’ve loved having their company.
Pip is off for a grand adventure in London. Please excuse any mistakes – don’t have time to preview!.
Photos next time as they will be on DVD. I hope.
Love to all