Today is starting out as one of those rainy, overcast summer days, meaning only one thing. Time for more ‘Further North’.

In honor of the extra daylight we celebrate here in The Netherlands during the summer months, I had decided a few weeks ago to write about visiting some of the places that enjoy even longer days.

By virtue of being Further North, the inhabitants of these fascinating places (and the many visitors who join them) soak up every precious minute of sunlight to be had. And well they should. They’re storing up the feelings and memories of seemingly endless daylight to comfort themselves during the coming days of winter darkness.

I started the periodic series with Stockholm, Sweden, a fantastic city sprawled across many islands, surrounded by water and dazzling sunshine.

 

 

Today we head directly east to Estonia.

A small country on the eastern shores of the Baltic, Estonia is flanked by Russia to the east and Latvia to the south. Finland lies directly north, across the Bay of Finland.

Its prime location linking Western Europe with the East meant that it was the object of much fighting down through the ages: it’s been controlled by (what is now) Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Russia before gaining independence in 1991.

 

Tallinn is a growing city with a gorgeous  historical center still intact. In fact, it boasts the oldest town hall in Europe; this impressive building still anchors the old square with its vibrant cafe culture. (So you know I was right there, front and center.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Son tried the bear meat dumplings served in a hot broth, reporting that ‘they taste a lot like venison or boar’; Daughter stayed with the traditional pork.

I loved the various flavored yogurts with garlic, horseradish and fresh herbs that you could mix in to thicken the broth.

 

The beer was refreshing, the sky a brilliant blue and the people-watching prime. Need I say more?

So take a look at some photos of a wonderful day spent soaking up the sun while wandering the nooks, crannies and side streets of this magical old city.

And above all, capture the light!