Arrived in the old cobbled City of Tallin, it was a lively filter of muted reflective colors and History. Yes, wet from the rain and exaggerated in a sheen. Green, tan, gold, the old renewed, what better story could there be? Don’t we love renewal?

And I arrived on Sunday at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. There was a Russian service and lovely but modern windows. You must admire stained-glass and how the colors of the day, the light from dawn to sunset, weather, a variety of angles and thoughtfulness create a new viewpoint.

What is this supposed to mean?

And then there is always a mystery of what is beyond the stained-glass. What are the other colors and images outside, and are they a distraction or an amplification of the messages of the artists?

Https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_script

I think this is a reference to Sts. Cyril and Methodious, and the written Cyrillic script they created to evangelize. Is this really still used?

I was my usual exhausted self, but still exuberant, my normal states during travel. Upon arrival I felt like there wasn’t enough time, and I believe time is rarely generous unless you are suffering, and then it is interminable. Still not generous.

During the Russian service I was consistently distracted looking about at the infants and toddlers resembling wonderful creatures from fairy-tales, with blonde hair and chubby round faces. I noticed the congregational features in the church and definitely received an impression of what the locals looked like.

I didn’t know where to begin, but felt that beginning by praying and thanking God for the experience was a good start, and off I went tramping across cobblestones slippery in the rain, carrying too many electronics, endless bags hanging about my neck like the albatross in the Mariner… and “walking while distracted.” This was actually a wonderful beginning in Estonia.

Window depicts Jewish philosophy teacher, Dr. Edith Stein, Sister Teresa Benedicta, murdered at Birkenau. She became a nun and was killed by people who hated both Jews and nuns. 

So it was Tallin in the rain. One third of the Estonian population lives in this capital and it is 70% ethnically Estonian. The remainder is primarily Russian. Oh, come on America, don’t faint in horror that not everyone is as diverse and divided as the glorious you.

Estonia is not a religious place and has the highest number of unmarried couples in the EU. It is Baltic, not Nordic, and the country is closely associated with Finland.

Men will be interested in knowing it has the highest number of fashion models in the world and there are only 84 men for every 100 women. No guys, don’t rush there now. There is some theory that the men were killed during the Soviet Socialist era, which the country shook off in 1991.

It is tech focused and there is Wi-Fi availability everywhere. I have heard that there are even Wi-Fi zones in the woods.

So the day began with a happy mindful foreigner and it was…can I say something thing trite…oh forget it. I know what you are wondering. Ah, sorry no photos of supermodels.