TOUR OF

BALTIC STATES AND RUSSIA
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Note from Barbara: The entire three weeks we spent in this part of the world, I was very strongly impressed with how undeservedly blessed our country has been to have never suffered war, occupation and oppression like these people have.
I had a heaviness like I had never before experienced in my travels .
In reflection, I believe my spirit was somehow aware of the impending events
that were to come upon our country just two and a half weeks after our return to America.

September 11, 2001 seems like a nightmare that is too real.
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At the end of our mission in Latvia, we had left our team in Riga, Latvia, turned our watches forward an hour and took a five hour motorcoach trip north to Tallin, Estonia.

Here we began a memorable, two week, eye opening, rather disconcerting trip
through the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Belerus) and Russia.

We found the old medieval part of Tallin to be absolutely enchanting.

The 13th century town is surrounded by a live moat and high, massive, impressive stone walls.

Brilliant flowers abound and every home or shop regularly displays their beauty. Our first evening meal was in the warm atmosphere of a hunter's lodge type motel outside the main city. The following evening we enjoyed a fabulous meal inside the old city walls, soaking in the ambiance and local color of the city of yesteryear.

Amazingly, wars have not destroyed this beautiful old city.
Here you see a small portion of the city wall which consists of more than three hundred towers !!

Singing minstrels and people dressed in medieval costumes added to the13th century atmosphere Unfortunately, we had a tremendous downpour of rain while we were getting our orientation of the city. But soon the sky cleared and we were provided with a spectacular sunset as we arrived back at our 'lodge'.

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... RIGA ...

The following morning, we moved our watches back one hour,
as we headed south to Riga again !

Riga is a beautiful resort town on the Baltic Sea.

This city is very different from Tallin, but equally compelling.

It is called the city of cathedrals, and indeed,
we gazed upon many outstanding pieces of architecture as we toured the area.
Both times we stayed in Riga we were fortunate to be inside the walls of the old town
where you could walk the cobblestone streets safely
enjoying the shops displaying unbelievable pieces of amber jewelry .

We stayed in the elegant old Riga Hotel our second time to the city.
It is located across the street from the Opera House
and was used for official headquarters during time of occupation.

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*** Villages of Latvia ***
(Human needs Mission)
*** Tallin, Estonia and Riga, Latvia ***
(Charming old cities)
*** Vilnuis, Lithania/ Minsk, Belarus and Smolensk, Russia ***
(Pastoral scenes and KGB Geocide Victims Museum)
*** Moscow, Russia ***
(Beauty and the Beast)
*** St. Petersburg, Russia ***
(Young, beautiful city)

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