Authors
Neil Taylor
Neil Taylor is author of 'The Bradt Guide to Estonia' and editor of and principal contributor to 'Baltic Capitals' (also published by Bradt). Neil splits his time between London and Tallinn. He is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers.
— Articles by Neil Taylor —
The Latvian capital has long been shaped by outside influences. Every new master required the reinvention of the country's identity: what was acceptable was brought into the open and what could not be denied had to be conealed. Guest contributor Neil Taylor introduces us to the high art of political camouflage.
There is more to Estonia than the tinselled turrets of Tallinn's old town. For the soul of Estonia, look to Saaremaa. The Baltic island is a microcosm of the country, a place that captures the spirit of Estonia.
The Estonian half of the town is called Valga and the Latvian side Valka. During the days of the Soviet Union, Moscow imposed a civic unity on the dual community. Now, with the extension of the Schengen area to include the Baltic States, that unity has returned.