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Jun 30, 2010 - Dikli, Latvia to Tallinn, Estonia
We left Dikli with regret this morning. We had had such a positive experience there, and not surprisingly, our hostess from the night before (the mistress of culture?) was out with her small son to wave good-bye as our busses passed. Also not surprisingly, we followed several kilometers of dirt road before reaching a two-lane “highway.” As we passed through the Latvian countryside, we got frequent commentary from our guides, Galina and Olga. And before long, we crossed the border into Estonia: new money, new language.
Around 11 a.m.we reached the port city of Pärnu. After proceeding to the older part of the city, our guides led us on a 45-minute walking tour of the historical highlights. 
The photo at the right illustrates the fine weather we had for this walking tour, and for the whole day for that matter. One of the points of interest on the tour was Eliisabethi Kirik (Elizabeth's Church), a Lutheran church built in 1747. As so often happens in our visits to churches and cathedrals, we gathered at a central point and sang. This time it was “Crucifixus.” Often, others who happen to be present pause to listen and appreciate the music appropriate for sacred spaces. This time, the only two women present walked out while we were singing, and the attendant at the front desk never changed her dour expression.
We had an entirely different experience at the Russian Orthodox “Church of the St. Martyr Catharina,” shown from two different angles in the pictures below.
This was a rather small church with a very ornate alter. At the time of our visit, it seemed to be presided over by two ancient ladies, whose dress was as simple and old as that of peasants, heads covered by scarves. Apart from running the gift shop at the door, their job was to enforce the proper respect for their church. They brandished a sign saying that there must be no photos without paying a fee, and one scurried among the crowd of tourists to ensure that the men's hats were removed. Their facial expressions were severe, and it seemed that they treated us as hostile, disrespectful invaders.
Then, under Bruce's leadership, 15 or so of us started singing (in Russian) “Tebe Poyem,” by Tchaikovsky. The simple text translates as “We sing to Thee. We bless Thee. We give thanks to Thee, O Lord, and we pray to Thee our God.” A more appropriate song for that place and time can hardly be imagined.
One of these elderly guardians then approached Kevin Moss with a stack of religious-themed calendar cards as mementoes of the church, indicating that they were a gift. 
She then shook Bruce's hand, all smiles, and as near as we could gather said, “May St. Nicholas be your guardian angel.” It was a precious moment, the kind of experience that can never be planned and that means so much. We call it a “Mastersingers moment,” and you can click here to hear what “Tebe Poyem” sounds like.
After returning from our walking tour through the town of Pärnu, we were scheduled for 45 minutes at the beach.
This was an opportunity relished by all. Some seemed instantly prepared for serious swimming; others (like our director, Bruce McInnes, at the right) just took off their shoes and socks, rolled up their pants legs, and set off into the water. As you can probably tell from the picture, the depth increased very slowly, so it was possible to wade hundreds of yards from shore.
From the beach we went to a group lunch, and then loaded into our busses for the 2-hour journey to Tallinn. As usual our guides, provided background commentary. On arrival, we settled into the very comfortable Hotel Euroopa, and had a 1½-hour rehearsal. Then we set off in different directions for dinner on our own.