Reiska
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Post by Reiska on May 21, 2008 10:38:12 GMT -5
Some FSU pictures from the small Estonian town Haapsalu. This was my second visit there. A beautiful old town an an excellent spa. Haapsalu was a restricted town for turists during the time of Soviet Union. Not so long ago, as you know.   The ruins of an old (1279) castle of a Bishop.  |
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Post by nikonbob on May 21, 2008 11:00:00 GMT -5
Very nice to view especially considering the almost total lack of huge ugly advertising signs. I hope that doesn't change in the future. The way it is now looks very clean.
Bob
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2008 12:27:56 GMT -5
Beautiful town and photos. Any idea why it was restricted in the old days? From it's geographic location looks like it could have had naval significance.
Wayne
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on May 21, 2008 14:48:44 GMT -5
I this, that it was easier to say "njet" to foreigners, than to watch their moves. Although I can't see that there were anything classified there. Harbor is small and I think that there were neither any landing stripe. Baldinski naval harbor is far to the north. It was possible to visit there as an invited trusted person only. Some more pictures:   The strand hut of an old Laine Spa.  A rail-buss waiting for a restoration on a railway yard of an Imperial Railway Station. Today it is a railway museum. |
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2008 17:15:37 GMT -5
A beautiful place. One I would like to visit.
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SidW
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Post by SidW on May 21, 2008 19:15:03 GMT -5
Fine pictures Reijo.
The Soviets (and their Czar predecessors) had many reasons for restricting foreign travellers. At the paranoia level, in addition to military areas, they were particularly afraid the Estonians (like the Caucasus people) would be persuaded to leave the union. And don't forget the numerous attempts to land partisans during the cold war, making any coastal area sensitive. On a more mundane note, foreign visitors needed invitations to go anywhere, and for tourists the invitations would be provided by Intourist, but only for places Intourist was organised for.
I visited Tallinn towards the end of the Soviet period, I should have the pictures somewhere. I'll dig them out. Make a nice comparison with yours. I wasn't aware of any restrictions, but I wouldn't have dared take a train or railway station ....
Where is Haapsalu? I couldn't find it on my map.
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on May 22, 2008 12:22:18 GMT -5
Thank you Wayne and Sidney?
My pictures are giving a colored depiction about the reality in the past. Things have changed since 1991 and mostly
to the better direction. Estonia was a sad experience in 1985 when I first visited there.
Grigori Aleksandrovitš Potjomkin wasn't anymore able to style the landscape. Especially the border districts were left without care.
Haapsalu is situated on the eastern coastline of the Baltic Sea, roughly at Lat. 58 90 00 Long. 23 55 00 in Estonia.
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Post by davesworld on May 23, 2008 8:10:06 GMT -5
Superb shots! and I also would love to visit this part of the world  Thank you Dave  |
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Post by Randy on May 23, 2008 8:24:34 GMT -5
The one small building looks to have some kind of ice breakers built on the roof. Very clear and serene shots.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2008 12:56:39 GMT -5
Seems like I remember the Old Soviet government didn't worry a whole lot about the environment and left portions of the landscape littered with a variety of types of toxic waste. I seriously doubt "freedom" made it worse.
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on May 23, 2008 14:11:48 GMT -5
Randy, Those structures on the roof are for an enemy parachutists. A very early model from the Viking Age. Notice the unarmored bowboat on the wall ;D Stephen, I had to use a dictionary. You are absolutely right. It is more like a driving trailer. I had in my mind those small local "trains" here country fifties/sixties. They were called rail buses but they were different indeed. Here is one on Helsinki Railway Station. Wayne, You are close to the truth   Photo from Wikipedia |
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2008 19:28:00 GMT -5
Experience on many photo forums has taught me that when photographers get off the topic of photography and start giving political opinions things pretty much go to h3ll.
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Post by camerastoomany on May 25, 2008 10:11:18 GMT -5
Well said, Wayne.
Love the photos, Reiska
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on May 25, 2008 11:22:37 GMT -5
Once again, thank you all for your kind comments! I humbly apologize for expressing my opinion, because I think, that I started it again. Randy, I don't really know what is a function of those rods on the roof. My guess is, that they are needed to hold the club-rush (reed) in position. Same kind of roof like this on the hut in Finnish archipelago.  Stephen, You seem to be a "train enthusiast" . You mention the different gauge. I suppose, that you meant a rail gauge, which is broader in Estonia (about 5 ft) My first thought was, that they changed the fuel-, temperature and speedometers to the metric standard ;D . Perhaps it was done too. |
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