The beautiful Alexander Nevsky Cathedral , why is it all churches have some scaffholding on them? That is one to ponder.

I had a belly busting meal last night at the hotel where I am staying. Started with mushroom soup ( a old favourite of mine) then had loin of pork wrapped in smoked bacon with veg and fried potatoes, and finished off with the biggest baked Alaska that a man could wish for. I'm sure that it was really meant for 2 people to share, but I knuckled down and got stuck in, it took some eating but I would not let it defeat me. Also had 2 beers. I can say one thing for Estonia, the portions are huge. All of the above cost a mere 14 euro, great value.
It rained all last evening and throughout the night but at least it was dry this morning, although cloudy. I took the bike back into town and by the time I got there the sun was out and it warmed up nicely.
First port of call today was the Alexander Nevski Cathedral which is a Russian Orthodox church above Tallinn old town on what is called the Toompea. As all Russian Orthodox churches, this one was full to the rim with gleaming gold and silver, a sight to behold.
After that I had decided to visit another tower.....more steps. This one is called "Kiek in the Kok" which I am assured meant Peek in the Kitchen, this was because from this tower which is quite high, the soldiers could look into the kitchens of the old town. This tower has been turned into a very good museum, spread over 6 floors with exhibits depicting the history of local war on each floor. Below the tower there are tunnels under the bastions, however as the next English tour was not until 3pm I had to come back to it.
Another museum that I was told I ought to see was the Museum of Occupation, this small place tells the story of the occupation of Estonia by 1st the Russians in 1939, then Nazi Germany in 1941 followed again by the Russians after the war. Although it is small the story it paints is very touching telling the stories of those involved and the stories of the thousands that were killed, many shipped to Russian Gulags. Well worth the 2 euro entry fee.
After this it was a short walk back to the main square where I noticed at the base of the town hall there were some wooden bench seats and tables and a sign saying "Elk Soup 1 Euro", well it was time for dinner, so in goes I. Came out with a steaming bowl of Elk soup (tastes like beef) and a fresh from the oven hot meat pie (did not ask what meat) Lunch for a total of 2 euro, it does not get better. I started to chat with a couple from Cheshire who told me that the place was given a very high recommendation in the Guardian travel section...well I can agree and so can Jed, which speaks volumes.

Jed with his empty bowl of Elk Soup, for 1 euro he may treat himself to another.

By now it was about 2.30 so I made my way back to the tunnel tour below Kiek in de Kok.

This tour lasted about 40 mins and took in a section of the tunnels built when the bastions were constructed in the 1400's. Although constructed when the Swedes occupied Tallin they were never used in battle. Instead over the years they were forgotten all together, being re-discovered and used by the civil defence during the war, they were then altered slightly (re-inforced) when the Russians had control and they were prepared as nuclear shelters for those in power. After being abandoned again they were taken over by some homeless people before being used in the 80's by punks as somewhere to play their music as the punk movement was banned. In 2005 the tunnels were cleared and cleaned and opened to the public by way of guided tours.

That's about it for today, tomorrow, weather wise, looks a bit grim with rain forecast, that's typical as I am going to the seaside at a place named Parnu, about 100 mile from here, I can only hope the forecast is wrong.