Yellow

Flock of Turkeys & Dinner Table

seems to have been the theme color this Thanksgiving, both on the wall and on the table. The dinner party was held on Saturday this time. It took 8 pairs of hands of varying sizes, one kitchen, and 5 and a half hours to prep and cook the dinner. The results looked and tasted great. We made the traditional hand turkeys and played a board game while waiting for the turkey to roast. The bird, by the way, came from France and was described as part chicken, part pig to those of younger ages in attendance. The after-dinner-exercise consisted of not a walk in the colorful woods but instead a sled dash in the snow.

2 weekends, 4 campsites

6 new recipes.

So it snowed

We had been out running errands and were coming back in a tram. We stepped out and walked 500 feet by the end of which there were caps of snow on our heads. We couldn't actually tell if it was snow or hail but based on others' stories about white blankets covering the ground I'll call it snow. Older people claimed they did not remember having seen snow in summer before but they did recall one summer 35, 36, or 37 years ago when it never warmed up enough so that they could have removed their outer layers of clothing.

Estonians are the worst

to work in customer service positions. This was what I thought and how I remembered things. Now I'm beginning to believe that there is hope for us.

Within the last fortnight we've eaten out several times. No doubt, there have been some prototypical Estonian servers that barely say hello, don't come to the table to check on their guests, or even take offense if they get the order wrong. But it seems that over the winter more eateries have instructed their employees to ask their customers if they would like to start out with drinks and later, to finish with desserts or coffee. Also, there are now more than one place in town where the servers have learned that being friendly and helpful is what works not only for the guests but for them as well.

I've written a word or two about postal service before. I guess their systems are outdated or perhaps hard to uncomplicate. But their people are nice. I talked to a customer service rep at a desk yesterday and she took her time to try to help me out. I talked to the mail lady in our current abode today and she was generous with advice. They didn't just ignore me and use an excuse of having work to do. I talked to another person on the phone about some special request. He didn't just say "no, we don't have it" but instead came up with an original solution on the spot and made me happy.

Perhaps one group of people in business that haven't contributed to my changing opinion on the service level here (with one exception, though) is real estate agents. I thought they were like car dealers - no offense - out for a kill but I suppose I was mistaken. The brokers we've dealt with have not been pushy at all. They tend to ignore queries or be curt when responding, and laid back when waiting for a response. Let's blame it on this bullish market and not the agents.

If I was a tourist

coming to Tallinn in spring I would try to hold on with my visit until the second half of May. If I remember it correctly, during the last 3-4 (or 6) years there have been at least a few days of 25° C/ 77° F and sunny weather in every May. So, when planning your trip months in advance, you just might get lucky with the weather. And the cost of getting over here should be lower as well. However, as this week proved you might also luck out and end up having to make your first order of business a visit to the ladies selling woolly mitts and hats. So it's a gamble.

I like spring in Estonia. There are blooms everywhere: tulips in gardens, lilacs and chestnuts outside of them, and globe-flowers and lilies-of-the-valley in forests. I suppose May then would be a good time to visit the Botanical Gardens.

There will be names

I think when we want to record some restaurants that we like more than others. Perhaps there will be names of events and of more towns. I also hope there will be more photos. Having been a tourist for 90 days I would want to keep on being one.

Ronda

has an old bull ring and a deep gorge.