Saturday, September 29th

Glimpses of the Baltic Sea between the pines
Much of our long drive followed the coast of Estonia and Latvia as we headed to the airport
to return the car, spend the night in Riga, and fly to Amsterdam tomorrow

Missed the first ferry off Saaremaa island by 2 minutes - but only an hour until the next one A quick 30 minute crossing

Enjoyed the island 
Taking a ferry gives it a strong vibe of getting away
Had a bit of a struggle finding lunch on the mainland highway (2 lanes lined by pines)
Finally saw a sign (in English) and we scored


I was happy - sea trout paired with baked avocado topped with shrimp & cheese, surrounded by baby greens with blueberries, radish and a berry I'd never tasted before
(size of a grape with the coloring of a watermelon) 14Euro
Sandy pleased with pork ribs and roasted potatoes, despite the flavorful carrot puree 12 Euro
Nice place to stumble upon


Some fun facts .... 
 - Drove 1,697 miles, about average
 - Spent $5.20/gallon for gas / Averaged 43 miles/gallon
 - Car rental $12/day (inclusive of tax and fees)
 - Averaged $67/night in airbnb and booking.com apartments
 - Roads in Estonia much better than Latvia/Lithuania
The Baltic States were more expensive than Eastern Europe, but  cheaper than Western Europe 

We've completed our loop through Lativa, Lithuania and Estonia

Lessons learned...
 - Colder than expected 
 - People don't mind rain, cold or shine
 - Nature is talked about as a distinct being or entity 
 - Food is fresh and local with extensive use of herbs (no salt)
 - Flowers are important, in even the most modest places  

Possibility  for another trip.....
Returning to Estonia and incorporate Helsinki, Finland and St. Petersburg, Russia into an itinerary

Onward for a few days in Amsterdam 
 Stay tuned

 



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