Hi there, my adventure has begun!! i had a very enjoyable few days in stockholm - very expensive city, but lovely to look at - it seems that everywhere you look there are stunning buildings all around. i walked loads, its very easy to do here, as its so flat. i was staying in a really cool hostel. it was, well, it still is a boat, which has been converted. it was very central and right next to what i think was one of the most expensive hotels in the city! the first day i wandered round the old town - gamla stan - down narrow cobbled alleyways, past touristy shops, and watched the changing of the guard outside the former royal palace - something ive never seem in london! it was interesting, of course a little touristy, and seems to go on, in smaller form throughout the day, at all the sentry points around the palace. you stand really close to them - seeing their bayonets at close proximity!! but it was such a cold day - i totally underestimated the temperature (probably because there was sunshine and blue skies), that once id finished doing some sightseeing, i wandered back over to the shopping district, and kept going into department stores to heat up! fortunately, although i wore far more layers the next day, it wasnt quite so cold. i took a tour of the city hall - one of the main symbols of the city - which was really interesting. somehow i dont think ayrs would compare! we saw the blue hall, which is where the nobel prize winners have their banquet (on the 10th of december every year), the city chambers, with its roof designed like an upturned viking boat (if you want to know why, just ask!), the golden hall, which supposedly used 80million mosaic tiles!! if you visit the city, i highly recommend this tour. and also going to the vasa museum. the vasa was a royal warship, built around 1628ish. however, it sank on its maiden voyage, about an hour after it set sail! (whoops!) it was raised about 1961 and is housed in a purposebuilt museum, which was also really interesting. its hard to believe, looking at the boat now, that it was lying on the sea bed for over 330years. i also went to the nobel museum, which has info on nobel himself, and the controversy his will caused, as well as exhibits on the work of the prizewinners. and then i took a ferry to tallinn, where i arrived yesterday morning. i love it already!! i cant remember the last time i arrived somewhere and felt so excited about it!! i dont know what it is exactly, but its great. ive just been wandering around, taking endless photos, big smile on my face! if i hadnt already booked my first night in moscow, i think id have a couple of days longer here. there are loads of museums i want to see, and id like to get out of the city too, and see a bit more of estonia. ah well, that will have to be on another trip! yesterday i saw some of the city walls, the nevsky cathedral - complete with its onion domes - the main plaza, a museum about occupied estonia, from prior to the second world war, until it gained independence in 1991. today and tomorrow i think will be more of the same, wandering round, soaking up the atmosphere, having a look at the museums, generally just relaxing and enjoying this city - i cant recommend it highly enough!! right, thats enough for now- time i got back out into the sunshine, and did some more sightseeing!! hope all is well wherever you are. Joanna x