In Parnu

Despite its small size- about 40,000 people- Parnu has had an important role in Estonian history. The first settlement in Estonia was set up on the banks of the Parnu River thousands of years ago. Johann Voldemar Jannsen, the founder of Estonian journalism, was also a key figure in Estonian nationalism in the 19th century. Independence- the first one- was declared in Parnu in 1918.

We ate a great pizza place for lunch. I added chicken and shrimp to mine. It threatened rain most of the day. We took a stroll near the abandoned beach. I couldn't believe how cold it was for June 1. We walked around beautiful Beach Park with its trees the color of fairy tale green. It felt as if my eyes had changed to some setting that mad  everything look like it was in some nonexistent golden age of yore.

We took a stroll down the breakwaters. It was romantic, but they don't tell you about the swarms of gnats that persistently followed us.

We ate dinner at an Asian fusion restaurant. It was what you'd expect from an Asian fusion place in small town Estonia. We then bought our weight in chocolate. We got Estonia's chocolate Kalev, Latvia's Laima, and Lithuania's Pergale. We took a romantic walk back to where we're staying and got lost. A block later, we weren't lost anymore because Parnu is tiny.