The economy of Estonia is recovering very quickly. Spring has brought with it a gigantic inflow of new visitors. The bars and restaurants in the Old Town are full. Things have returned to the heady days before the crash. Finns, Swedes, Germans, Spaniards all aiming to get to the bar first.
However, one of the more... bizarre... signs of this recovery is the return of the British stag party. Now it is possible to fly directly to Tallinn from Edinburgh, Liverpool and East Midlands, as well as Stansted, Luton and Gatwick, we seem to have the return of the previously unmissed and unlamented Stags.
Except this time, instead of pasty faced and flabby men in Borat-style, mankinis, a measure of wit seems to be emerging. In one bar last night, the stags wore matching t-shirts explaining that the prospective husband "likes gnomes", accordingly they all were wearing matching smurf hats. Later another group of about 14 individuals were all wearing different superhero outfits.
Since the stags are not generally welcome- their rowdiness drives more regular punters away- they tend to get concentrated into the few bars on adjoining streets which do welcome them. The result is concentrated surrealism. It is a bit like watching a carnival - admittedly a staggering and rather tuneless one, but a carnival nonetheless.
Meanwhile the Estonians watch bemused, and make plans to be out of Tallinn next weekend.
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Your pal, V.I. Beninski, Mothafucka, c/o http://beninski.blogspot.com/