Yesterday afternoon I rode most of the on-off bus route and made it back to the boat, only to crash for an hour. After I woke up, I walked up the hill on the land side of the boat and found a trendy, expensive restaurant, Marie Laveau, where I had a great pot of mussels. It is a Cajun restaurant, complete with cannisters of Tony Chachere Cajun seasoned salt like I use at home!

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This morning I took a taxi to the central station, where I divested myself of my luggage in a locker, and then went to the Gamela Stan, old part of the city. I went to the royal castle, which is a not too interesting one (all castles look alike in many ways and this is a fairly austere,new one) but when I emerged I was at just the right place to watch the Changing of the Guard. Horse cavalry and all. It was delightful, and I’ll post pictures in a couple of days. It went on for 45 minutes, though, which is perhaps a bit much.

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I then walked down and around the old quarter, stopping for a piece of salmon and spinach quiche. I ended back up at the Central Station, where I caught a taxi out to the dock of the Tallin Silka line. I’m now on this “cruise ship” which I fear contains a great quantity of young males in various stages of inebriation, as well as the usual component of couples, kids, etc. This is a bit different from the one up to Oslo from Copenhagen, which was almost a commuter boat. This one does have several good quality restaurants, a big casino and nightclub with floor show, etc. I had a morel and leek risotto for dinner which was delicious. We’ve been going for two hours now and still aren’t out of the archipelago of Swedish islands on both sides of the boat. Tomorrow Tallin!