Russians invade Estonia

And they leave big tips.

Hotel occupancy rates, full restaurants, and the predominance of the Russian language on the streets of Tallinn’s Old Town are good indicators of the success of Tallinn’s push to bring Russians to Estonia during the New Year’s holiday. Our hat is off to whoever had this good idea (EAS?), because from what we’ve seen and the people we’ve talked to, the Russian guests in Tallinn were mostly of the gracious and generous kind.

The benefits of their visits should be many. Russians get a brief escape from the Wild East, Estonian businesses get needed income, and both go home with perhaps a bit better understanding of the other: Russian citizens realize Estonians aren’t Nazis, and young Estonians realize that it’s not a bad idea to learn the Russian language.

Here’s to mutual understanding through commerce. Perhaps Mr. Putin ought to bring his family for a visit?