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🌍 River Cruise Wrap-up, Part II: The Challenges and Rewards of Traveling in Eastern Europe
Last year we traveled through nine Eastern European countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in the spring, followed by Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania on our recent Danube River cruise. And the one thing that unites all of them is a chapter that Western Europe simply doesn’t have: the Soviet Occupation Chapter. But…
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🍸 What to Drink in the Baltics: A Guide to the History of Baltic Drinks Culture
Vodka Anthropology: Drinking Habits and Traditions Under Soviet Rule in the Baltics I’ve been studying wine & spirits for over a two decades. One of the things I’m most interested in when we travel is what I call cocktail anthropology – what can you learn about a country through their cultural drinking habits and traditions.…
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🏢 Soviet Architecture in the Baltic States: If It’s Ugly, the Soviets Built It
We just returned from a trip to the Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. There is much to be fascinated by in this corner of the globe, but one thing – instantly and in particular – pulled my focus: Soviet architecture. The ubiquitous, drab, depressing structures that litter the Baltic states. The basic rule…
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📸 🇪🇪 Photo Essay: Estonia
I take a lot of pictures when we travel. A LOT of pictures. Probably approaching an annoying amount of pictures. But when I post them, I try to curate. I choose the top 10-15 photos that represent the day and edit them. Because no one wants to see 113 un-edited vacation photos. No one. After our…
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🍷🇪🇪 What to Drink in Tallinn: A Sip-by-Sip Guide to Estonian Drinks Culture
One of my favorite things to do when we travel is to explore the local drinks situation (alcoholic and not). I could spend hours in the local grocery/wine/liquor store just studying the shelves. Ken is not as enthusiastic about this activity, so I usually send him off to climb a mountain or something. When we’re…
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🇪🇪 A Taste of Tallinn: A Walking Food Tour
Still BRRRR today, but calmer winds. Quick stroll through the flower market to get my blood moving – my Estonian mittens have paid for themselves already on this trip. One of the best ways to learn about a culture is through food and drink. So whenever we visit a new country, we always try to…
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🇪🇪 Exploring Tallinn: History and Architecture Highlights
We are exploring Tallinn today. Went on a 2-1/2 hour walking history tour this am. Our guide, Jonas, is an archaeology and history teacher, originally from Iceland, but married to an Estonian. He was a phenomenal guide. It is legit FREEZING in Estonia today. 18 degrees this morning, with a ferocious wind. Super happy I…
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🇪🇪 First Impressions of Tallinn: Cold Temps, Impossible Language & Warm Bread
On the move today. Early morning flight from Munich to Tallinn, Estonia – new country for all of us! First impression of Tallinn: BRRRRR. It’s cold and windy. Was not expecting it to be glove weather. Had to buy an emergency pair of wool mittens. My hands are much happier now. So, the Estonian language.…