i'm still here although i lost touch for a while..

i'm sorry you were disappointed with the hotel imperial in tallinn and with the town itself... i loved them both... i thought the location of the hotel was perfect for us and we loved walking around the town over and over again.

Very enjoyable. I'm in Riga now. Wa amazed by your statement:

generous three years of parental leave mandated in Estonia

Egad! At first I misread thinking that parents sent their grown children off for 3 years. LOL

Bob - I liked Tallinn well enough, and am glad I went, but I don't feel any need to go back. Riga and Vilnius, on the other hand, which I don't think you've seen, I think would repay a second visit.

Tdudette - hope you're enjoying Riga! Yes, European social policies are very different.... Although I don't think you get three years in the UK, for instance.

OK folks, the Bulgaria tour is over, so I have a little more free time. I've had a nice time in Skopje, which is building at a fast and furious pace, and leave for Lake Ohrid tomorrow. I've just put up the first post on a new thread for Serbia and Bulgaria - go here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...d-bulgaria.cfm