North Eastern Europe

Inspired by Freezer post.
Im travelling through the Baltic countries for the next month. Would be nice to catch up with a local or someone else travelling. Just for a beer would be great, hunting would be amazing. I'm actually in Helsinki right now then onto Estonia working my way west to Poland with no fixed plan.

If people have suggestions of places to go please let me know. Always like different stuff. As crappy as it sounds would like to fire a full auto AK or something just because.

Many thanks in advance.
Aaron.


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@Savage1 may have a couple suggestions

Not that I'd ever get sick of our fine country but I reckon I could happily spend my days in Latvia :) Riga is beautiful and relaxed, and the people are nice. The stags and boars I saw running down the highway an hour or so south would keep anyone happy.

Poland is an eye opener. The camps are very sobering. A must see.

I visited both Estonia and Poland recently.

ESTONIA:

Tallinn's biggest appeal to me is the old town area if you're into old architecture. The Radisson Blu hotel located just outside the old town has an open viewing deck on the 24th (?) floor and offers panoramic views of the city, particularly over Tallinn Bay. The building to the right of the photograph used to be the KGB offices (see below):

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Apparently the area of Maardu to the east of the city is to be avoided as it's inhabited predominantly by Russians and is a bit "edgy" - I didn't get to check it out for myself. Linnuvaatlustorn to the NNW west of the city is good for light nature walks or biking.

Solaris Keskus is a pretty decent mall and (can't remember the name now) there's a food outlet which has a massive variety of hot and cold foods, every conceivable Baltic fish etc. A. le Coq and Saku are the main beers.

I took a day trip down to Pärnu in SW Estonia. Highway 4 is the main road from Tallinn - it has hands down the largest concentration of speed cameras I have ever seen in my life. A ridiculous amount, the speed limit's also a very pedestrian 90km/h unless you're a Latvian or Lithuanian truck driver. :P An example of what the speed cameras look like is below:

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When you get there, I really recommend lunch at the yacht club, particularly if fish is your thing. The Strand Spa and Conference Hotel also has a viewing deck at the top of the building which is open (has a bar there too) and is good for photo ops.

POLAND:

Firstly, Głębokie Gardło shot bar:

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Warning! Ensure you are familiar with your flight times the next day before visiting! I had too good a time there and missed my flight to Vilnius :sick: The Pałac Kultury i Nauki (palace of culture and science) is a pretty interesting building - particularly at night, it was a gift from Stalin which given the history... he maybe could have dug a little bit deeper? Just saying...

The Warsaw old town is worth a look but unlike Tallinn's, it should be considered as "reconstructed old town" as it was pulverised by bombing during WW II. The Royal Castle is there and is worth photographing - particularly from the other side of the Vistula river (accessible by foot). Molly Malone's Irish pub was ratchet. Walking across the Vistula to Praga is the zoo - I didn't go in, just walked past it.

Near the zoo and directly opposite the red-brick cathedral (can't remember name) is a restaurant. I think it's called Rusalka - it looks kinda like a railway dining cart, I was really hungover and went inside because I'd seen people carrying tasty looking meals out the door. It was staffed by an old lady who spoke zero English so I had to bust out the Google Translate and she spent about 5 minutes rummaging through a pile of papers behind her desk and came out with an English menu which looked as if it never got used.

Long story short, the place was like a copy/paste of Soviet era - that funny pastel green that's so prevalent, the tables and chairs and I have to say, the cuisine as well. It was fine though - it was warm and what I needed lol. I came across an ANZAC Day Parade at the time which was pretty cool.

I only spent a couple of days in Warsaw and there was a lot of drinking - speaking of which, you won't ever go thirsty:

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Thank you very much @Ryan @Pointer @Nibblet so far. Great help.
Almost everyone I've met so far has just done Tallin in Estonia so nice to hear of some other places.


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Take some pictures of the local ladies as well, or selfies with them. Apparently they are well worth the trip!

Estonian language :o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddExbingf6Y

I'll try and get some time to write a message like Ryans.

One serious bit of advice, change your plans and hire a car and drive from Tallin through to St Petersburg to Novgorod, Moscow and then back to Riga, I stopped in a real soviet style town called Velykie Luki. Awesome trip and you're so close that you must do it, the roads are shocking which is half the fun.

Even jump in a car from Tallin and head to the border town of Narva and spend the day, it's true Estonia, walk around the dodgy streets etc. Google "hill of crosses", its, believe it or not, a hill of crosses, on the road between Riga and Vilnius which is worth a quick stop.

I have a fascination with Soviet Russian and the Bloc countries so can be biased when giving travel advice.

I'll post again soon.

Is it onerous getting a Russian visa? My hotel in Tallinn was spitting distance from the Russian embassy and there were always queues outside the door before it opened. I'd have loved to visit Russia but my travels took me west (way west) after Estonia.

I came into Russia via China, the visa was painful. Had to queue in person. After all that, arrested in Russia, jailed for a few days and deported!

@Pointer you gotta fill us in now!

Yeah been looking into visas but a month waiting time just a little to much. I will return with proper visa and do it well. This time was on a bit of a whim. Was meant to be learning to kite surf in Kenya.


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The Visa was all arranged by my employer but wasn't a hassle, but then they were applying for them all the time. Got mine through the London embassy.

I've got a mate that has kite surfed all over the world, he rated some place in the middle east somewhere, I can find out if you like.

Poland is beautiful...the language can very difficult but the people will go out of their way to help you...the gunshops are fabulous (rather sexist towards lady hunters :), (I bought an ammo bag) ) ... deer signs along the roads...food delicious...

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Originally Posted by 223nut

@Pointer you gotta fill us in now!

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All I will say is the holding cells are communal. Two backpackers with all their possessions in a cell with a bunch of Russian petty crooks. After day two of no sleep, sitting on our packs, backs to each other, one guy got thrown in who could translate for us. He was a car jacker, the others were thieves except for one huge mother who was on leave from his vessel ando allegedly killed a fellow sailor in a fight but was too drunk to remember. This particular gent pulled a piece of lint-covered cheese out of his pocket and offered it to us for 'friendship'. I tell you what, when your big Russian murderer friend offers you the dirty cheese, you eat the fucking cheese and say 'spasibo' :D

@Pointer Sounds like you could have used some tips from Bert Kreischer lol (below is a radio interview with Joe Rogan).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PAtFsJY5q0

Ha! Truth is we were young and dumb. Looking back on the events leading up to it, we were very lucky. We weren't far off being sent home in powdered form.

I noticed someone above suggesting explore the rougher parts, my advice is don't. You don't have to look for trouble in eastern Europe, it will find you if you hang around long enough. You're not in Kansas anymore Toto. The cops are a pack of crooks in their own right but getting arrested is the lesser of much greater evils. Life is cheap over there. About $800 US, exactly.

I think you might be referring to where I posted about not being able to check them out?

Nah, I think it was Savage1. That Krescher interview is classic!

My bad, when I say walk around the dodgy streets I mean get off the normal path and get out of the city centers. I certainly don't recommend walking around the dangerous areas of the towns.

No, my apolgogies for misinterpreting it. I didn't realise you meant dodgy as in questionable pavement dodgy.

No no, my bad! Dodgy was just a stupid word to use to describe getting off of the beaten trail.

My kind dodgy involved a train carriage full of Chinese hookers being transported from the peoples republic to Moscow and my mate and future best man taking a shining to the Russian pimps lady. It got ugly. Think 'vor zakony' looking for us ugly. The internet is a big place so ill say no more unless we share an ale one day :)

Thanks for all of the tips guys/ladies. On my way to Tallinn today. Then no idea.


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Originally Posted by Ranal

Thanks for all of the tips guys/ladies. On my way to Tallinn today. Then no idea.


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They sell these warmed pecan nuts with orange glazing on them from street vendors - not sure if they will still be out as it's warmer now but if you see them, try them - they're good!

I'd offer advice on drinking spots but I got so pissed that all I remember is starting at an Irish bar by the old town square, partying up with a group of local girls and being dragged back to the hotel by one of my passengers.

Great place, the old town is awesome.

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Originally Posted by Savage1

I'd offer advice on drinking spots but I got so pissed that all I remember is starting at an Irish bar by the old town square, partying up with a group of local girls and being dragged back to the hotel by one of my passengers.

Great place, the old town is awesome.

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I know the very one! I walked past on the way back to the hotel. I tried the Russian restaurant Troika on the other side - left if you're facing the town hall from the Irish place. It was underground and myself and my Estonian hosts were the only non-Russians there. Felt like I'd walked into some Russian version of The Godfather. Live Russian folk music and ruddy faced jovial Russian mobster looking dudes clapping along. The food was delicious, as was the vodka which was served with alarming frequency by our non-smiling waitress.

I'm trying to get a local guide from Tinder. Shall see what happens. So far served me well.
Pretty sure I got used to tick the kiwi flag off some ladies list of countries the other week. No complaints tho. Haha.


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http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...63b6e1bcc0.jpg


Probably somewhere new but NZ is still home.

Is that your "tour guide" to the right? ;)

Haha nah unfortunately no Tinder date as of yet but working on it. If not I'll hit the pubs tomorrow.


Probably somewhere new but NZ is still home.

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Originally Posted by Friwi

Take some pictures of the local ladies as well, or selfies with them. Apparently they are well worth the trip!

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Not the old ones, Not the old ones, Never saw a good looking old polish lady!! but the young ones have a certain beauty. Get to Krackow,the salt mine and the death camps, go to a local street market on a Sunday and buy 1950s gear! dont take photos there of the people, their hands come out for money, The War graves at the Krackow cemetery are worth a stroll or if in Warsaw go to the uprising museum, and drink their beer its awesome!! Oh and authentic polish restaurant, egg and sausage soups the go and an a mug of lard with bacon and white loaf!!!

So far been pretty random. On the bus to Latvia.
Got in trouble from an older English lady because I thought I was thinking something but actually said it out loud in regards to some stunning ladies and a man who resembled a potato.
I'll try and post some photos in a few days. (Not of potato man)

I'll have to scroll through my photos from a few years back. I loved in the United Kingdom for almost two years and traveled extensively around Europe / Scandinavia.

Currently in Malta and heading over to Sicily in a few days :)

@Pop Shot what are you doing in Malta? My job is there right now!

Do yourself a favour and catch the Trans Siberian train, but jump off at some point and board the Mongolian express. Country and people are magic are are many if not most of those in Eastern Europe. Rural beats urban anytime. Plenty of game in the Polish forests for example, but access can be tricky. We found Russian authority to be (still) suspicious and ultra serious, so don't, like me, make inappropriate comments about their leader.

Well flew to Norway to send a week in the fjords now back in Poland waiting for a train.
Is it worth buying optics here? Still unsure if I'm heading to the states this year where I normally pick up something other than STI's

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Originally Posted by Ranal

Well flew to Norway to send a week in the fjords now back in Poland waiting for a train.
Is it worth buying optics here? Still unsure if I'm heading to the states this year where I normally pick up something other than STI's

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Silly Bugger.

I live just outside Bergen.
Second hand optics are cheap here.

@norsk bugger. Would have been nice to say hello. I was down in Rosendal.
Maybe next year I'll be back.