So far so good

With the exception of tourists, Tallinn appears to be void of foreigners, the population is made up of Estonians and Russian-Estonians. Neither of whom like each other, for that matter even Russians living in Russia don’t care for their transposed brothers and sisters.

Everyone that I’ve met has been friendly and speaks sufficenient to perfect English, along with two other languages. Customer service leaves a bit to be desired, but then again they are paid so little in most service type jobs.

Unlike in Ireland where you re advised to shop around to fund the best prices, Estonians take a more patriotic approach and will buy an item produced in their own country over that of a cheaper import. Such sentiments may be down to the fact that they have only been a free country since 1991, everything Estonian is cherished while everything Russian is distrusted and despised, although not always publicly.

Estonians have a habit of staring at you when you are out, it’s not because they immediately like or dislike you (which was my initial suspicion), but they simply stare at you. I haven’t quite figured out if I preferred to be ignored in Dublin or stared at in Tallinn. So lads should you ever find yourself on a stag night in Tallinn and some long legged lovely gives you the look, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your sleeping arrangements are sorted.

This nicely leads me to pubs and clubs. The very obvious difference is that a pint of beer costs 2.40 Euro and 4.00 at a nightclub. Although there aren’t as many clubs or pubs, you will still find Irish bars, such as Molly Malone’s, Saint Patrick’s and O’Malley’s dotted across Tallinn city centre, all serving great food, in plentiful amounts for half the price you would expect to pay in Dublin.Shopping centers differ primarily by the absence of familiar outlets such as HMV and Game, but you can buy phone credits and bus ticket via your cell phone.

Surprisingly you can purchase alcohol in the Cinema, where unlike cinemas in Dublin, after every show the auditorium is perfectly clean as nearly everyone takes away their rubbish. Everyone that is, except for those Russians.