Red Corner: Hammered in Tallinn

by Neil Woodburn on

Looking for a good time?

The newest hot party spot in Europe, according to the New York Times, is none other than Tallinn.

That’s Tallinn, Estonia for those of you rusty on your old Soviet geography.

Formerly a reluctant republic of the Soviet Union, Estonia is now its own country. This is good news for party-goers across Europe. Due to its convenient location just across the gulf from Finland, Estonia is an easy place for Europeans to sneak away for a weekend of drinking and debauchery. And, since this is Eastern Europe we’re talking about, it is extraordinarily cheap to do so as well.

But Tallinn is far more than a cheap place to drink alcohol. It has become the place to drink alcohol. Countless bars, clubs, and restaurants have sprung up throughout the city catering to boatloads of visiting Finns and planeloads of bachelor parties from England. A travel agency called “Tallinn Pissup” arranges many of these trips; a popular tour book called “A Hedonist’s Guide to Tallinn” tells them where to go.

This certainly sounds like a far different Tallinn than I witnessed in 1992. I’m sure its new status as “party capital” hasn’t affected the beautiful Old Town and wonderful architecture which abounds in this ancient city. I just have a feeling people aren’t noticing it is as much any more.

Red Corner: Cheap Polish Skiing

by Neil Woodburn on

While it may not be the best skiing in Europe, it is certainly some of the cheapest.

Just in time for the ski season, The Warsaw Voice has published a comprehensive list of Poland’s best ski resorts. Although Poland is usually not the first place that comes to mind when searching for some heavenly slopes, you might want to reconsider after checking out the details. Where else, for example, can you cruise 18 km of ski runs on a 1-day pass that costs just $25? And rent skis or a snowboard for just $15 a day? Food is equally as cheap and accommodations are laughably inexpensive compared to the Alps.

Don’t expect the best skiing in Europe, however. Conditions aren’t as great as the Alps, but they are good enough for resorts like Zakopane to host this weekend’s World Cup of Ski Jumping. With this in mind, Poland may not warrant a trip on its own for the sole purpose of skiing, but if you happen to be in this part of the world in wintertime, it is most definitely worth a detour.

Oh, and if you’re in North America instead and looking for some Polish-style, inexpensive skiing, check out Erik’s “Ski Cheaper” post today.

Red Corner: Ukraine Visas Dumped

by Neil Woodburn on

Big Brother is no longer watching-at least not as closely.

After the fall of communism, local governments opened many of the borders and welcomed tourists with open arms and relaxed visa restrictions. As mentioned in yesterday’s Red Corner post, however, a few stalwarts remained mired in KGB paranoia and choose to keep tight reigns on visiting westerners. Russia, for example, has not changed their visa policy since the Cold War. Visitors must still present a “Letter of Invitation” from a Russian citizen or company and proof of hotel accommodations for every night spent in the country in order to get a visa. This is a timely and expensive process.

Up until this last summer visitors to Ukraine had to do the same. But in August, the Ukrainian government finally announced a “visa free regime” for Americans (and many other nationalities as well). Now tourists can fly into Kiev as easily as any country in Western Europe and enjoy the onion-domed churches, exotic Black Sea coastline, and historic palaces of Yalta without the restrictive hassles of the Cold War era.

Red Corner: The Problem of getting to Russia

by Neil Woodburn on

For a country as large and diverse as Russia, the number of tourists who actually pop in to visit is alarmingly anemic. While this dearth of tourists (and tourist traps) is certainly part of what I find appealing about the country, it still shocks me that a destination so incredibly rich in tourist sites is so utterly lacking in tourists.

Journalists Kevin O’Flynn and Anna Nemtsova address this very issue and come to some obvious conclusions-well, obvious at least to anyone who has ever visited Russia: For the most part, they blame a tourist bureau that has little money to promote tourism, expensive hotels in Moscow, and a pricey and burdensome visa process (e.g. the visa process hasn’t changed since Soviet times).

Simply put, Russia is not an easy place to visit.

But don’t be put off by all this. That which is most rewarding in life, is often that which requires the most challenges to overcome. Go to Russia now and enjoy its empty ski slopes, majestic nature, top-notch museums, and fine architecture before the busloads of camera-toting Kiwanis descend like ravenous locusts.

Red Corner: Baikal Exchange

by Neil Woodburn on

We’ve blogged a few times already about the majestic Lake Baikal in the heart of Siberia. This sister lake to Lake Tahoe is one of the most unique in the world, and is literally overflowing with superlatives: oldest, clearest, most bio-diverse, and largest supply of fresh water in the world. It is truly one of the most unique places I’ve ever visited on this planet. And now you can go as well.

Students and recent grads interested in environmental issues can forgo the prerequisite one-month Eurail tour of Europe and instead spend their vacation attending the Summer Environmental Exchange sponsored by the Tahoe-Baikal Institute (Motto: preserving mountain lakes one person at a time). The Institute will select 18 students from America and Russia to participate in a ten week exchange program (focusing on “watershed conservation and sustainable development”) in both Lake Tahoe and Lake Baikal. For applications, visit their website.