Another awesome trip

Let me start out by saying something: Tallinn, Estonia is fucking cool. It will one day be very popular with budget conscious college students because the nightlife is great, the food is cheap, and the architecture is beautiful. The same goes to a lesser extent for Riga, Latvia. So to all the future college students who go there on their trips through Europe (because who can honestly afford Paris anymore), I say: Haha I went there before it was cool.

I also went there 2 weeks ago. I have been waiting to get around to developing pictures, but I guess I'm just going to have to steal Valentina's instead. I had to use a disposable camera anyway, so hers are better quality. 

Disposable Camera Quality

Digital Camera Quality

Dancing before the clubs opened

Anyway, our first stop was Riga. We got in pretty late on Saturday night, so we checked out the nightlife. It was weird to have to wait until 11 for the clubs to open, because in Uppsala all the nations open at about 8, and it is only free to get in until 9, and they close at 1:30. Unlike most people, I am not complaining about that schedule because I am an old person at heart and don't mind going to bed early. However, it was a nice change of pace to act like an actual 21 year old for once. 

When we did get to the club, no one was dancing, though, which kind of sucked. But then Valentina and I saw one guy really trying to get people to start dancing, so we joined him and proceeded to be the weird people dancing while everyone else stayed seated. It's okay, I know you're all secretly jealous that you have too much pride to look that silly, because we both know I'm having more fun than you.

The three brothers (buildings) with the 5 sisters

The next morning we checked out the sights of Riga:
















But we couldn't stay long because we had a bus to catch to Tallinn!
 That night we decided to save money by cooking at home because our hostel included a kitchen. Now I realize it is probably a stereotype that Italians are good cooks, but trust me, it's true. I was on a trip with four of them, and even though we just ate pasta it was somehow better than I would be able to make with the exact same ingredients. What I am trying to say, is if you ever get an invitation to a homecooked meal by someone from Italy, rearrange your schedule.  It is going to be embarrassing when I repay them in fajitas. Also, why do I always wind up rambling about food in this thing?

Anyway, once again we visited a club, where for some reason they were playing "Cotton-eyed Joe", which is a song that should never have been made, yet is inexplicably popular. I was the only American in my group, but everyone knew the song. Luckily it gave me a chance to put my old 3rd grade square dancing skills to good use.

Castle thoughtfully named "Fat Margaret"

Symbol of Freedom from Russia

Then once again there were sights to see:

note the wine

Tallinn is great because it has this very medieval feel to it. Walking around the weather was only a few degrees above freezing, but it wasn't windy and the sun made it warmer, and I like the cold (to that extent) so it was really nice. We bought sugared almonds and hot wine, and it kind of made me think of the holidays. I would actually really like to go back there closer to Christmas, even though it will be snowing, because it was a nice feeling. But more importantly, I need that recipe for hot wine, because it was just like hot cider, but grape-y and alcoholic! 

We also ate at a really cheap Estonian place, where we were told that traditional Estonian food is pancakes filled with stuff. Mine had cheese and bacon, so I was pretty much in love with it, and it was only $3! I have no picture to show you though.

Then we hopped an overnight ferry back to Stockholm and the the weekend ended with everyone a bit poorer, but having been to totally awesome places a full 5 or 10 years before they get cool.

I didn't want to share her with Paulo

Motorboating the mannequin

The group minus Angeline. I'm the alcoholic one.