ARRIVING AT HELSINKI'S FERRY TERMINAL, YOU CAN'T MISS THE USPENSKI CATHEDRAL (1868), THE LARGEST RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA.
Tallinn is one of those places ideally located for an excursion of a few days or a week. The most accessible country for a short getaway is Finland. Almost a commute,
Helsinki is about 35 miles north of Tallinn, across the Gulf of Finland.
The proximity of each nation’s capital has contributed to a growing
commerce between the two countries, and large numbers of tourists
from Finland come to Estonia to enjoy the relatively low prices. Estonia
has wisely allowed tourists returning to Finland unlimited duty free on
alcoholic beverages (Estonia produces excellent vodka) and this practice
has enormous appeal to the heavy drinking Finns.
By car, our apartment in Tallinn was about five minutes from the ferry
terminal. There was ample parking. We departed the ferry terminal at 10 am on a Friday and arrived in Helsinki before noon. From the quay it was a short taxi ride to our hotel, the Hilton.
Elysee and I chose the Super SeaCat ferry, an automotive/passenger
ferry of large size that makes the crossing in one hour fifty minutes. There are several Super SeaCat crossings a day, and other choices as well; even helicopter service! In the good old Soviet days, there was one crossing a week! Guess who got to go?
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