Russia and the Baltic States September 7-October 17, 2017
A journal kept by Susan Hanes during a trip through Russia and the Baltics from September 7—October 17, 2017. Volume 5. Photos by Susan Hanes and George Leonard, c. 2017 Cover: Alberta Street Art Nouveau, Riga
Russia and the Baltic States September 7—October 17, 2017
We rented a car in Vilnius and drove to Riga, Latvia and then to Tallinn, Estonia, spending three days in each before ferrying across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki for the final three days of the trip.
Volume 5: Riga, Tallinn, and Helsinki
Sunday, October 8
to Riga, Latvia
A representative from Prime Auto met us after breakfast and turned over the keys to a grey Toyota Corolla, which we will use for the next four days to drive to Riga and Tallinn. We were on the road at 9:00, commenting as we left town that we had seen no evidence of economic hardship following the breakup of the Soviet Union. The road was good and the light industrial area on the outskirts of town looked healthy. We passed Dominari, a Lithuanian furniture factory owned by a Swiss company, which I learned is set to become one of the largest furniture manufacturing concerns in Eastern Europe. It was rainy and windy as we drove to Trakai Castle, located on an island in Lake Galvė. Its construction began in the 14th century when Trakai was one of the main centers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the castle held great strategic importance. Looking out across the lake through the misty rain, I thought the castle looked magical.
By 10:00, we were heading to the Hill of Crosses, about 200 km away. We passed lakes and rolling fields and small agricultural communities of simple houses with steeply pitched roofs. We encountered little traffic along the two-lane roads we drove. Our GPS instructed us to take an unpaved road through muddy fields to reach the Hill of Crosses, located twelve miles from Šiauliai, the nearest town. We arrived in the rain, but enjoyed occasional patches of sun that peeked out through dark storm clouds, creating a dramatic effect. We found crosses—thousands of them—in every size and of every quality, from beautifully carved works of art to those purchased at the souvenir stands in the parking lot. Wooden steps led to the top of a hill where a statue of the Virgin stood; other footpaths led through crosses in every direction. I made my way through the maze, trying unsuccessfully to capture the scope of the display and choosing tiny details to photograph. The origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is not known, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed there in the mid 19th century. The site took on a special significance when Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union. Lithuanians placed crosses there to express their allegiance to their original identity, religion, and heritage, although the Soviets bulldozed the site at least three times. Over the years, the hill has come to signify the endurance of Lithuanian Catholicism despite the threats it faced throughout its history. However, to be truthful, with the proliferation of kitschy beads and toys added to the crucifixes and other religious symbols, the place has taken on a rather tawdry look in spite of its poignant history.
Hill of Crosses Lithuania
We crossed the border into Latvia just after 2:00 and by 3:30 we arrived in Riga. With a population of 650,000, it is a good deal larger than Vilnius. It was quite a production to find the Neiburgs Hotel in the heart of Riga’s Old Town (Vecrīga). We were fortunate that, this being a Sunday, we encountered no other traffic as we negotiated the old cobblestoned squares. When I set the GPS to walking rather than driving, we were able to find the hotel. With its striking façade, it is a beautiful example of Art Nouveau. The building was commissioned by Ludvigs Neiburgs (1871-1948), an early Latvian entrepreneur, and has had a long and tempestuous history; today its lovely historical elements have been supplemented by creative interior design. Once we located the hotel, we had to take the car to a parking facility that was not easy to find either. We had dinner at the Neiburgs restaurant where we enjoyed Baltic fish and fresh produce, ending the meal with a sample of Latvia’s Balsam liquor.
Old Town Riga a UNESCO site
Monday, October 9
Riga
I happened to wake up at 2:00 am and looked out of the window. It was a clear night and from my vantage, I could see that the tower of St. Mary’s Cathedral was beautifully illuminated. Grabbing my camera, I took a time exposure that turned out well. When we set out this morning after breakfast it was in the 30s, the coldest we’ve encountered on this trip. Crossing the Cathedral Square, we stopped to admire the Three Brothers, houses that together form the oldest complex of dwellings in Riga. The oldest dates from the late 15th century. A man stood in front of one of them, playing a soulful French horn for anyone who passed by. In an area of decrepit old warehouses, we saw that one of these “arsenals” has been turned into an exhibition hall. We passed the Swedish Gate, the only remaining entrance built into the city's medieval walls. We walked through Kronvalda Park and down Antonias Street along Embassy Row (noting the significant police presence at the Russian Embassy). The sun was shining as we reached the city’s major Art Nouveau architectural area, located in a triangle formed by three streets: Strelnieku, Alberta, and Elizabetes. Art Nouveau architecture makes up nearly one third of all the buildings in Riga, giving the city the highest concentration of such architecture in the world. At the end of the 19th century, this Hanseatic seaport was an important city in the Russian Empire and experienced a period of rapid economic growth. It was at this time that most of the Art Nouveau buildings were built, primarily as apartment buildings. We walked through the area for nearly two hours, gazing up and taking pictures, trying to capture the overall effect and the amazing details of these glorious buildings.
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Three Brothers
Kronvalda Park
Riga’s Art Nouveau
Returning to the Old Town, we stopped to admire more historic buildings, including the 1909 Cat’s House and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, first recorded in 1209. Unfortunately, we were unable to see the House of Blackheads. Erected in the 14th century, Blackheads was improved in the 16th and 18th centuries, bombed by the Germans in 1941, demolished by the Soviets in 1948, and reconstructed in the late 1990s. It is now undergoing a further restoration and is covered in protective netting. While Jake went back to the hotel, I went off looking for antiques. Although I came back empty-handed, I had a chance to observe the town as things start to wind down for the winter: temporary structures were being dismantled and outdoor furniture was being carted away to storage. This evening, we went to Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs (“Folk Music in the Basement”) for a casual meal. With 16 local beers on tap and traditional Latvian dishes to choose from, we sat at a communal table in the vaulted brick cellar and enjoyed the lively atmosphere.
Tuesday, October 10
Riga
Rain. Not intermittent, but constant, all day. Jake and I put on our slickers and walked a short distance to the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, located in the former St. George’s Church, the foundations of which date from 1207. We went through the top two floors that cover the Art Nouveau period to the present. We saw examples of Latvian design in furniture, weaving, ceramics, and jewelry. On the way to the museum, we peeked in at the door of St. Peter’s Church for a glimpse of its soaring red brick interior. Jake decided to take it easy today since the weather was not good, but I set off on my own to visit a couple of Latvian design stores. While I was out, Jake suggested that I might want to return to the Art Nouveau shop and buy the large book on Riga’s Art Nouveau history that we had been considering. I said that I would be willing to buy it and lug it back to the hotel if he carried it back to Chicago. I visited two Latvian design shops: Riija on Tērbatas Street, and Gallery ETMO in the Old Town. I enjoyed finding my own way, walking gingerly on the slick, uneven cobbled streets as I got a sense of the city. Latvian weaving is special. The artisans use natural materials—linen, wool, and cotton—dyed in earth tones, and often sign their pieces. I bought two scarves and a lap rug, as well as a linen shopping bag friendly to wet weather. The women in the shops told me about Latvian crafts; talking with them made my shopping experience particularly pleasant. On my way back to the hotel, I stopped for a latte and a slice of honey cake at Kaspara Dilana Konditoreja, across from the Powder Tower on Smilšu iela. It was nice to sip my coffee in the corner of that small place and watch the rain from the window. For our last dinner in Riga, Jake and I stayed at our hotel, making reservations to sit at the same table by the window where we had enjoyed our first evening here.
Wednesday, October 11
to Tallinn, Estonia
We woke up to a fresh morning after yesterday’s rain. At 10:00, we checked out of the hotel and redeemed the car. As we drove out of Riga, we saw the blight of Soviet-era apartment blocks that loomed over the suburbs. We got on the A1 highway that runs parallel to the Baltic Sea, connecting Riga and Tallinn. Our drive took us through thick forests where we passed few houses. Bright sunlight set off the gold of deciduous trees against dark green conifers and black clouds that we hoped were safely off in the distance. Unfortunately, we headed right into them and encountered rain most of the way.
Along the Baltic Coast
A little after noon, we passed through the town of Pärnu, Estonia’s resort
The three merchant houses that comprise the hotel were built on Tallinn’s
city in the southwest. We reached the Tallinn suburbs at 2:30 pm, where
main street in 1362. We checked in before returning the rental car, and after
older wooden structures were interspersed with large modern homes.
the usual hassle, walked down to the ferry dock and hailed a taxi to bring us
Tallinn, with a population of nearly 450,000, is the largest city in Estonia.
back to the hotel. We are staying in a quirky room located under the stairs.
Once known as Reval, it is situated on the northern shore of the Gulf of
It has a low-beamed ceiling and uneven walls, and the Wi-Fi is spotty. We
Finland, 80 km south of Helsinki. Mention of Tallinn was first recorded in
relaxed in the room until our 6:30 dinner reservations at the hotel’s Bordoo
1219 by the Danes, but the earliest human settlements date back 5,000
Restaurant. Seated at a table next to a large candelabra in the window, we
years. Due to its strategic location, the city became a major trade hub,
ordered Chef Pavel Gurjanov’s six-course tasting menu, featuring his
especially from the 14th to the 16th century when it was part of
interpretation of Baltic and Estonian cuisine. The courses were: oyster and
the Hanseatic League. Tallinn's Old Town, a UNESCO site, is one of the
broth; salmon from the oven; wild mushroom soup; celeriac; Saaremaa roe
best preserved medieval cities in Europe. We easily found the Three Sisters,
deer and early cabbage; “Bird's Milk” cake. Each course had an earthy,
a Relais & Chateaux hotel where we will be staying for the next three nights.
natural aspect. Sous-chef Eric carefully explained each dish.
Thursday, October 12
Tallinn
Sunrise is getting later, and there is not much incentive to get an early start
least spoken and most unusual. The building itself is part of the show, as glass
when it is dark until almost 8:00, especially when it continues to rain. The shops
plates in walls and floors reveal aspects of the original structure. Across the
and museums don’t open until 10:00, and some not until 11:00, so we had a
street, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, with its stunning blue and gold clock, is the
leisurely breakfast and left the hotel just after 10:00. We walked up Pikk Street
oldest in Tallinn, dating from 1360. Inside, as someone played the organ, we felt
to the striking 1410 Gothic Great Guild Hall, which after a varied history, is now
the warmth created by the dark pews and painted panels, including a 1483
home to the Estonian History Museum. The main exhibit, “Spirit of Survival:
altarpiece. The main square is dominated by the 15th century Town Hall, the
11,000 Years of Estonian History”, asks questions such as, Is Estonia the most
only surviving Gothic town hall in northern Europe; unfortunately, it was closed
secular country in the world? What is the oldest Estonian word? Have Estonians
for the season. Around the corner, women dressed in period costumes
been happy in their own land? and seeks to illustrate with interesting artifacts the
shouted back and forth to each other in front of the Olde Hansa restaurant and
perseverance of a people who have fought off invasions, wars, and conquest. A
were happy to pose for pictures. In spite of the persistent rain, it was a pleasure
portion of the exhibit is dedicated to the Estonian language, one of the world’s
to walk along the old streets and admire the handsomely restored buildings.
Estonian History Musuem Great Guild Hall
Holy Spirit Church
Tallinn Old Town a UNESCO site
to St. Nicholas Church Niguliste Musuem
2017
1944
Dating from the 13th century, St. Nicholas Church was bombed by the Soviets in 1944 and burned in the 1980s, but it was since restored and is now home to the Niguliste Museum. Part of the Estonian Art Museum, it contains a collection of religious art. The most prominent pieces are the massive 1481 Hermann Rode altarpiece, and Dance Macabre, painted by Lübek artist Berndt Notke. An exhibit of “Five Forgotten Paintings” displayed five 17th century Estonian religious paintings that have never before been shown. I was moved by their beauty, naivety, and honesty. A collection of small silver artisan’s shields from the 17th-19th centuries was interesting as well.
1481 Hermann Rode Altarpiece
Artisan Shields 17th—19th c.
We walked to the base of the town ramparts. Craft shops (selling jewelry and glass) and souvenir shops (selling amber and ceramics) had taken over the lower floors of most of the Gothic buildings we passed, with restaurants filling in between. I poked into a couple of antiques shops, but soon discovered that most “antiques� here consist of Soviet pins and paraphernalia. Completing our loop, we returned to the hotel on a street that parallels Pikk, stopping to go in the austere 13th century St. Olaf’s Church, at one time one of the tallest buildings in the world.
On the recommendation of the hotel desk clerk, we walked back to the Town Square area for dinner at Olde Hansa. The place is intended to replicate a medieval Hanseatic merchant’s home, and guests are served authentic 15th century dishes and drinks to live period music. The place predictably caters to tourists and was probably not the best choice for us, but we should have known what to expect. On the way back, we warmed up at Maiasmokk Café where we had lattés and pastries. Maiasmokk is the oldest café in Estonia and has been in the same location since 1864. Its interior, with original Thonet furnishings, has remained unchanged for almost a century.
Friday, October 13
Tallinn
Although it was not raining this morning, the sky was overcast and a gusty wind was blowing as we looked out over the courtyard at breakfast. Since the weather report promised improving conditions by mid-morning, we stayed in our room and caught up with a few items of business. At 11:15, we took a taxi to Toompea (“Cathedral Hill”) at the top of Old Town, with the plan to walk back down. The driver dropped us off in front of the Riigikogu, the Estonian Parliament building. Across the street, we visited Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral. This imposing structure was completed in 1900 when the country was part of the Russian Empire. At a slightly higher elevation, St. Mary’s Lutheran Cathedral was founded in 1233 by the Danes and is the oldest church in Estonia. It was the church of the rich and titled, and the whitewashed walls are covered with the elaborate coats of arms of Estonia’s nobility.
Riigikogu
Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral
St. Mary’s Lutheran Cathedral
Patkui Lookout
We passed embassies and government buildings as we walked to Patkui Lookout for views over the Lower Old Town before following the sloping cobbled path through Long Leg Gate. We saw a number of school groups visiting various historic places. Returning to Town Square, we visited the historic Raeapteek, the oldest operating pharmacy in Europe. The shop still displays its apothecary jars and ceramic-labeled wooden drawers while continuing to dispense medicines and sundries. I went into a couple of adjacent antiques shops but found them disappointing.
The Tallinn City Museum is appropriately housed in a medieval merchant’s home. Its attractive exhibits provided an overview of the history of the city from the 13th century to the present. Artifacts were creatively arranged with pictures and dioramas showing the way people lived at different times in Tallinn’s history.
Old Thomas, the Town Hall weather vane, a symbol of Tallinn
The 16th century artillery tower at the end of Pikk Street, known as “Fat Margaret,” has housed the Estonian Maritime Museum since 1981. This year, the museum was re-opened with a new design. It has six floors that are accessed by a central spiral staircase, creating a cog effect. The winning design seems successful in every way except accessibility. By climbing two additional flights of stairs to the roof, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the Bay of Tallinn. After a brief respite in our room, we walked through the park to the restaurant Leib. Meaning “Bread,” Leib is located in a hidden garden accessed by steep steps through an inconspicuous gate. We enjoyed creative Estonian dishes that incorporated fresh vegetables, herbs, and sprouts. House made liquors added a nice touch. Unlike last night’s experience, we were among local Estonians and felt the evening to be very special.
Tallinn
Saturday, October 14
to Helsinki
At 9:00 am we called for a taxi to take us to the terminal for the 10:30 ferry to Helsinki. Aboard the Tallinn Shuttle Star, with free Wi-Fi, live music, and attractive shops, the time passed quickly and we arrived in Helsinki at 12:30 pm. We found a taxi to take us to the Kämp Hotel, established in 1887 and located on Helsinki’s Esplanade. Our room is large and comfortable, which with today’s miserable weather is a real bonus. We relaxed until around 4:00, when we decided that we should get out and walk around. However, we only made it about a block in the icy drizzle before choosing to have an early dinner at Ravintola Aino, a Michelin-rated restaurant that prides itself as being an advocate for traditional Finnish food. We began with ice-cold glasses of schnapps from Koskenkorva and a Marskin Ryyppy flavored vodka. Then we both enjoyed creamy salmon soup followed by arctic char with vegetables. By the time we walked back to the hotel, it was dark—and still drizzly. We decided to make it an early night and hope for better weather tomorrow.
Sunday, October 15
Helsinki
The sun returned as we’d hoped. After breakfast in the historic atmosphere of the Brasserie Kämp, we set out along Pohjoisesplanadi to explore the Design District of Kluuvi, the central commercial center of Helsinki. We found intriguing Art Nouveau elements on many of the buildings, including Stockmann, established in 1862 and the largest department store in the Nordic countries. We walked down to Helsinki Central Railway Station, designed by Eliel Saarinen and opened in 1919. In 2013, the BBC designated it as one of the world's most beautiful railway stations. Its most distinguishing features are its Art Deco clock tower and two pairs of statues holding the spherical lamps at the main entrance.
Central Railway Station Eliel Saarinen 1919
Helsinki Cathedral Carl Ludvig Engel 1852
Alexander II The Neoclassical Helsinki Cathedral was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and completed in 1852 as a tribute to Tsar Nicholas I. It was later modified to emphasize its architectural connection to Saint Isaac's Cathedral, which had become so familiar to us during our long stay in St. Petersburg. The cathedral overlooks Senate Square and a controversial statue of Alexander II that was erected in 1894. From 1899, the statue became a symbol of quiet resistance, with people protesting against the decrees of Nicholas II by leaving flowers at the foot of this statue of his grandfather, whose reforms had increased Finland's autonomy from Russia.
Uspenski Cathedral Aleksey Gornostayev 1868
Stora Enso Building Alvar Alto 1962
We walked down to the South Harbor area but the market was closed today, so we returned to the hotel. We are finding Helsinki to be a city of music, as we’ve heard street musicians playing everything from ringing bottles, to Mamma Mia with brass, to excellent chamber music. I thought about how much color music brings to a city, and Helsinki’s musicians excel. Later, I walked up to Galerie Forsblom, a fine art gallery owned by my friend Liza’s sister. Although Rafaela and Kaj were not there, I enjoyed seeing the three exhibitions that had just opened: works by Chinese artist Li Gang, Helsinki painter Kaarlo Stauffer, and a Finnish group exhibition entitled Nature Morte? I browsed in a couple of Finnish design shops that were open today and was impressed by the quality and imagination of the handmade items for sale.
Li Gang
Monday, October 16
Helsinki
In spite of a damp, grey morning, we set out after breakfast on our own architectural tour of Helsinki. Primarily, we were looking for buildings designed by Alvar Aalto (1898-1976). Aalto was not only the best-known Finnish architect and designer, but he was a prominent international figure of Modernism. Although he believed in the reforms inspired by the Modernist movement of the early 20th century, his was a more human version: he wrote that architecture should be “in harmony with the human being”. Walking the slippery streets of uneven stones, we began with his Academic Book Store down the street on Pohjoisesplanadi 39. Completed in 1969, it provides a bright and efficient interior illuminated by geometric glass skylights and surrounded by austere white marble. Nearby, the earlier Rautatalo Office Building (1951) was known as the Iron Building as it was designed for the ironmongers and builders’ merchants. Another of Aalto’s office designs, the Stora Enso building (1962), stands in the shadow of the Russian Cathedral.
Alvar Aalto
Academic Book Store Alvar Aalto 1969
Aalto designed every detail of Finlandia, the city’s performing arts center, which was completed in 1971. The main feature of the building is a tower-like section with a sloping roof. Alvar Aalto’s idea behind the design was that a high empty space would provide better acoustics. He also chose Carrera marble for the façade, which has aged to an interesting patina in Helsinki’s brutal winters.
Finlandia Alvar Aalto 1971
The Music Center, designed by Marko Kivistรถ, is stunning inside, but its understated exterior was intended to unify the disparate but important buildings around it, including Finlandia, the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art (designed by American Stephen Holl in 1998), and the Neoclassic Parliament House across the street.
The Music Center Marko Kivistรถ 2011
Kiasma Museum of Art Stephen Holl 1998
Our tour included a pair of imaginative churches. Kamppi Chapel (K2S Architects— Kimmo Lintula, Niko Sirola, Mikko Summanen), was constructed in 2012. Popularly known as the Chapel of Silence, it was intended to be a place of calm in one of the busiest areas in Helsinki. Finally, we visited Temppeliaukion Church, created by architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen in 1969, and built directly into solid rock. Plans for a church to be erected on that rocky hill began as early as the 1930s but were interrupted by WWII.
Kamppi Chapel K2S Architects 2012
Temppeliaukion Church Suomalainen Bros. 1969
atmosphere, and elaborate cocktail menus has been carefully crafted to bring the feeling of an old Speakeasy to life. We had some trouble finding it, but we felt a sense of accomplishment once we did, and enjoyed complex cocktails while reading the imaginative and beautifully produced book of menus. Soft jazz by Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra played and votive candles gave a cozy warmth to a room furnished with well-worn tables and soft chairs. While Jake had a gin and tonic made with T&C’s own secret recipe and garnished with grapefruit slices, I enjoyed an Amelia, made with Absolut vodka, St. Germaine, blackberry, and lemon, and according to the menu, “a kickass cocktail”. I would agree.
Later in the afternoon, we returned to the Old Market Hall. Located by the port, it first opened its doors in 1889. Merchants have small booths stocked with everything from cheese, fish, sausages, and vegetables to cakes and breads of all kinds. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, things had started to wind down for the day, so we never did get to have a snack there. Instead, we crossed over to Katariinankatu Street to see if we could find the secret location of the fictional Helsinki office of the 19th century London-based detective agency Trillby & Chadwick. The fun of Trillby & Chadwick is its backstory. Everything from its secret location, murky
For our fiinal dinner in Helsinki, we had an intimate meal at Emo, where we enjoyed wellprepared dishes reflecting modern European cuisine with a Nordic touch. And oh, that bread!
Tuesday, October 17
to Chicago
We rushed this morning to pack the last of our things in our bags and take a
most unexpected times. Palin might have a point: the smoother the journey,
taxi to the rail station where we caught the comfortable Finnair Shuttle bus to
the duller it is. Just when I feel that I have had it with living in discomfort,
the airport. It turned out that this was an excellent way to manage our
away from home and all that is familiar, something happens to ignite my spirit
departure and we had plenty of time to check in and rid ourselves of our
and I am back feeling the joy that comes from something unexpected,
heavy luggage until Chicago. Security was efficient, like most things seem to be
revealing again how the world somehow comes together, the more I see of it.
in Finland. Although we were only here for three days, it was long enough to appreciate this country that, in spite of its size, has excelled in the world in so many ways. We arrived in Munich a half-hour late and had to rush from one gate area to another, passing through two passport control stations and a further security check that needed to be accessed by a shuttle train and an impossibly long escalator. We made it to the gate just in time to board LH 0434 at 3:00 pm for Chicago. Our plane, an Airbus 340-600, has lower level restrooms accessed by stairs, something I had not encountered before. Although I usually avoid it, I tried out the in-flight entertainment, coming across an audio book written and read by British humorist Michael Palin about his trip around the world in 80 days. He began by saying that the compulsive urge to travel is a recognized condition, with an ultimate goal to circumnavigate the planet. He writes that the fact that air travel accomplishes this in 36 hours shrink-wraps the world, leaving it small, odorless, tidy, and usually out of sight. By boat, it takes 63 days but you see only water for 58 of those days. Palin maintains that it still takes 80 days to travel around the world and really see it. Foggs’s journey, the one that Palin attempted to duplicate, gave him a sense of scale in spite of the armory of bureaucratic obstacles and visas that complicate modern travel. The challenges he faced created experiences that included both euphoria and deep gloom but nonetheless gave him a sense of global scale and of the relationship of one country to another that few experience. I find that I, too, have felt this sense of the “euphoria and gloom� of travel that seem to bounce back and forth at the
The maps and itinerary for this trip are included at the end of Volume I
The Cubs vs. Dodgers in World Series playoffs at Wrigley Field
A journal kept by Susan Hanes during a trip through Russia and the Baltics from September 7 —October 17, 2017. Volume 5. Photos by Susan Hanes and George Leonard, c. 2017
V. 5