Rooftops and Cobblestones. Road Notes from Tallinn

Text and photos by Elena Siemens, CC-BY-NC 4.0 2024

Kiek in de Kök Tower Museum

The old town on the hill, where did they get so many cobblestones? I was glad I wore my combat-style ankle boots to the EUPOP conference in Tallinn.

On this score, I’m at odds with Henri Lefebvre who celebrates the Old Town (Lefebvre). Fortunately, the conference took place at the Academy of Theatre and Music located in the New Town where paved sidewalks are more friendly to walkers, as well as transport.

Milton Glaser: “You’re no longer the same after experiencing Art”

It was a long journey from Canada to Tallinn (planes, trains, boats), but meeting with old friends and making new friends made it all worthwhile. “You are no longer the same after experiencing Art” (Glaser). This quote was reproduced on Sarah’s bag. Seemingly straightforward, it made me see things differently in Tallinn and beyond.

Paper Boat Sculptures, Tallinn, Estonia

An oversized replica of a paper boat near Tallinn’s port. A work of art, this sculpture is made of metal and is the opposite of paper boats that kids sail in water puddles in the Spring. Paper boats are diminutive and fragile, but they can float.

Rooftop view, Tallinn, Estonia

Departure time, bags packed, a quick excursion to the hotel’s rooftop cafe, I didn’t have a chance to visit it earlier. A few farewell snapshots of a neighboring skyscraper and the big sky. No clutter. I can think more clearly here and dream big.