The following reached EWR, and merits publishing, before many of us head to the fatherland for the song festival, visit relatives this summer. The author is known to the editors, but wished to remain anonymous.

Just got back from Eesti a couple of days ago. One of my relatives living in Saaremaa had her 70th birthday party and I was invited.

Tallinn has come a long way since I first visited there in 1994 and it no longer gives the impression of being a drab former soviet city.

Unfortunately, while the hospitality industry is up to standard and the buildings have been fixed up and many new highrises built, the city government still lacks the resolve to clean up the taxi industry.

They are knowingly facilitating ripping off western tourists by allowing several different fares. The setup is such that you have to look at the fine print posted on the complicated tariff plate attached to the window very closely and know what the normal tariff is to avoid getting scammed with a fare that is at least twice what it should be.

Something is rotten there and the impression western tourists will get is that getting a cab in Tallinn is not much different than Moscow. It should be an easy fix so I can only conclude that there must be corruption if the city authorities do not want to do so.

Song festival is just around the corner, perhaps it would be a good idea to warn people to only use taxis that the hotel calls for them. Tulika Takso is reputable as well and the driver I had told me that the taxi mafia is no longer allowed up the taxi ramp at the airport. Rider beware!

Märkmed: