The Baltics: Overcoming the Yoke of Soviet Oppression

After spending some time in Russia, you will find the Baltics to be welcome relief. You'll feel energized just by feeling the spirit of the people, ecstatic to be free from the Soviet Union after they became independent in 1991-1992. These three small countries and their capitals are very different from each other: Lithuania is Slavic, and Vilnius has a rustic, worn, friendly feel to it; Latvia is Germanic, and Riga is a grand, imposing capital, which is why it was once called "Paris of the East"; Estonia is Scandinavian, and its capital, Tallin, looks like a town from a fairy tale. It's definitely worth your while to spend a few days in each of these countries, and get to know these fascinating and proud people.