Sveiki...

Today we are going to Riga (Latvia), we don't need our passports or ID's because Latvia is part of the European Union.

Riga is the largest city in the Baltics and dubbed the 'Paris of the North'. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial,commercial,cultural and finacial centre of the Baltic Sea region. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the river Daugava.

First impressions aren't great driving through the suburbs that appear little changed from the concrete jungle associated with communist USSR (Latvians are an ethnic minority to the Russian majority). Arriving at the busy station and the vibe in peak hour Riga is noticeably more edgy than the relaxed vibe Tallinn. We stayed in Hotel Irina, just 10 minutes walk from the bus station.

After an hour we had a walk into the city from Sahra, our tour guide. We headed to central Riga. Arriving at the centre, Riga presents some unexpected sights. Not least is the central canal running North West to South East parallel to the river that provides a pretty and tranquil lush leafy area to relax and row. Crossing the bridge over the canal leads to the giant column of Freedom Monument which is symbolic to Latvian liberty. Riga has its fair share of historic buildings dating back to the 13th century, with a collection of buildings still in surprisingly good condition built by the apparently prodigious 'Knights of the Sword' that include baroque churches and towers that have been re-used for numerous purposes in the subsequent 800 years (many now museums). The most touching museum in Riga is the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia charting the sorry story of Latvians through the Russian and German occupations over the part 100 years until its recent independence.

By night, Riga starts to come alive and 'The Second City that never Sleeps' becomes a little more apparent. The plazas full of locals and musicians of mixed ability cabaret entertain anyone willing to sit and listen. The whole scene is a little cheesy and Riga trying a little too hard to appeal to Western tourists, but in the mild evenings, the surreal mix of cultures in the shadow of Russian/Baltic architecture make it well worth sampling.

The next day we had a free day to do things by ourself. Part of the group went to the Powder Tower, one of the original fortification towers of the city, it houses the Latvian War Museum. After that we had lunch (pasta) en a beer. Later on I decided to go back to the hotel and do my blog things. At seven 'o clock we went out to Lido, Lido is a canteen-style chain with a wide choice of Latvian food for little money that is popular with travellers & locals. This time I decided to have an vegetarian meal. Later on we went to a Kiwi bar an had some shots and beers.

The following day we had to go up early to get the bus to Vilnius, Lithuania.

Tiksimies velak !

Edwin