I check out and take the bus to Narva, Estonia, just across the border. Narva has about 75000 inhabitants only, and I don't think there's much to do here for a visitor. I choose to stop in Narva because my journey towards Tallinn is more pleasant with a stop on the way. It's four hours from St Petersburg to Narva and three hours from Narva to Tallinn. Plus, I take the opportunity to take one night in a hotel instead of a hostel. I've been looking forward to privacy, an electrical outlet to be able to shave, and a decent shower. The Moscow and St Petersburg accommodations were quite bad!

Estonia and the city Narva was once part of the Swedish empire. It is well known to (some) Swedes because of a battle in the year 1700, when king Charles XII who only 18 years old led his army of 17000 men and won over Russia's Peter the Great's 40000 men. He won the battle, but lost the war, through a series of losses in Poland and Russia.

I have lunch at the hotel's restaurant and will have to say it felt like the best meal I've had in months! After the Russian small portions of boring food and dry meet, train food and Mongolian cuisine, it was plain happiness to get a delicious pork main course, mineral water that actually taste something, and a piece of bread which reminds me of Sweden. It brought a smile to my face. And add a dessert of icecream and hot raspberry sauce to that ...

I read Estonian history and understand that they've had a rough time. After the second world war Estonia fought extremely well with limited resources, in what's called the Estonian Liberation War, 1918-20, against Russia's Red Army. Britain helped, as did Scandinavian countries and Finland. It ended with the Red Army surrendering and giving up Estonia completely.

In 1939 the Red Army came back though. Russia demanded access to Estonias territory in the war against Hitler. It resulted in occupation and installation of a communist government and they made Estonia part of the Soviet Union. In a year or two they had lost it all to Hitler though. In 1944 they managed to take it back. This year Narva was completely destroyed, mainly due to Russias bombing of the city.

So, most of the old architecture was destroyed.

I take a walk after my meal and take a look at the old City Hall building which have been restored since the 1950's.