sheldita - now moved to new website!

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
D and I spent 4 days in Estonia, hired a car and went driving around wierd places, and even crossed the border to Latvia. It was interesting, remote and cold, but not very green as the snow had just melted and the flora hadn't rejuvenated. Daryl has taken the task of explaining our photos..... over to you daz!

We spent a good hour in the freezing cold to get this lovely photo of trees reflecting the in the soft light of evening

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Shelda's tall even without the low-light stretch

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Estonian Blackpool

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
This place was built a crazy German family and then taken over by the Soviets. Now it's a freaky (but very good) hotel

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
In the mad-house. What could one have in one's galleried landing? A rather odd seating nook?

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
A giant chandelier..?

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Only complete with a stuffied Lamagaier. We're not prejudiced but left out the stuffed wild boar, stag's head, in fact pretty much all the local wildlife of a hundred years ago which was also hanging on the wall.

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
The end of Estonia and the beginning of Latvia

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
I'm not sure too many architecture awards are won in Latvia

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Showing your back to the communist era

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Typical Latvian countryside with a farmhouse...

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Easter Sunday morning on a beautiful empty beach in Latvia

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
We had the whole beach to ourselves for miles. Would have been great in the summer, although I think that amounts to about 1 day each decade

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Car on the beach

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Estonia seems to be characterised by lots of ruined buildings

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
More Russian church action. Big turn-out for Easter

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Here's another... a brilliant old church

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Off the ferry and onto our island... The road to Padaste spa.

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
This is Padaste Manor - a posh spa we stayed at on an island off the coast. Shelda insisted on getting the "estonian hay treatment" which seemed to consist of being poached for half an hour in a giant tea-bag full of grass mowings. Not really my bag to be honest

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
A church in down town Tallinn

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Padaste and the sun's shining

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
The spa was set in the 18th century manor house with the grounds running down to a very cold beach

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Here's the manor in the twilight. We had a great dinner. Shelda was very concerned about the roast rabbit.

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Sunset from outside our room, with the evening star beginning to shine

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
The ghost of Padaste

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Shelda was a particular fan of the bathroom

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Beaches on the shores of Muhu Island, where Padaste is. It's about a 2 hour drive from Tallin to Virtsu and a half hour ferry ride to get to the island

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Quite an array of mail boxes

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Ruined church on the way to Virstu

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
This is a square in the old town of Tallinn. Don't be fooled by the sun it was very cold

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Shelda in the old town in the cold

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
They were arsey about taking pictures in the Russian Orthodox Cathedral so here are some slightly oddly angled 'undercover' pictures. While we were in there the local bishop was conducting an almost operatic Good Friday service.

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
To which Daryl had written: Shelda gets it, I don't

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Shelda sitting on a carved stone pigeon

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
The Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Tallinn

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Shelda looking out over the old town

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
The roofs of the old town. Tallinn is a very picturesque city

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Just to prove the picturesque point. They're really into very pointy churches in the Baltic States

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Hotel Schloessel in Tallinn, where we stayed. Other notable guests include Duran Duran, various ex-Soviet diplomats and the Queen...

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Reception was rather olde-worldy and quaint. Nice hotel though

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
A scenic windmill on Muhu

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Some little crooked alleyways in the old town

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
The Soviets did their best to ruin the 600 years of home build. Now the Estonians are tearing the Russian monstrosities down and using Finish & EU money to rebuild

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
A hook at the Galvex Mill

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
My firm owns the largest galvanising mill in Estonia and it would have been churlish not to visit. That's the pool of molten zinc that's used to coat the steel rolls

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Cranes around the habour

15 Apr 2007. Download Original.
Windmills on the Latvian boarder. The wind never stopped blowing so I guess they're a good investment