FEBRUARY 2014 SUNRAYS | 39
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were astonished to find that Skype, the
well-known application that allows video
phone calls over the Internet, was de-
veloped by Estonians, and that there is
virtually nowhere in the country—in-
cluding its beaches—where Wi-Fi is not
available. Even voting in their elections
can be done on a smartphone. They were
the first among the Baltic countries to
join NATO and the European Union, and
the first to meet the stringent require-
ments to use the Euro as their currency.
We loved the medieval charm of the Old
Town in Tallinn, Estonia, and, judging
by the number of cruise ships in its
harbor, a lot of other people loved it as
well. We browsed the handicraft shops,
sampled the hand-painted marzipan
candy (“good for headaches and broken
hearts!”), walked the winding cobble-
stone streets, strolled the grounds of the
summer palace built by Peter the Great
of Russia, and marveled at the quality
of the Estonian artists in the modern
art museum. Searching for amber is an-
other don’t-miss opportunity in the Baltic
countries. With over 250 colors, ranging
from cognac to green to black and even
blue, the diversity and quality can’t be
duplicated elsewhere. We even did some
hunting for amber along a beach where
storms and wave action routinely deposit
the stone. If you happen to find a piece
of the ancient pine resin with an em-
bedded insect (we didn’t), you’ve struck
Baltic gold!
a resilient people
There is much to intrigue the casual
tourist in these countries: charming old
towns, friendly people, good shopping,
and beautiful scenery. Yet, those willing
to dig a little deeper will be awed by the
stories and character of these resilient
people, who were conquered, occupied,
and oppressed for centuries yet never
lost their love for country, for freedom
and for family.
LEFT: Amemorial menorah stands
in Rumbula Forest, in Riga, Latvia,
where more than 30,000 Jews
were killed during World War II.
BELOW: Sandy’s husband, Nick
Martinez, holds up a piece of
amber found on the beach of
Tallinn, Estonia.
