"Labdien" - Good Day!
Latvia joined the European Union to their great joy in May 2004, finally cutting the reigns of their tumultuous past of empirical slavery courtesy of various unkind neighbours. Today the Latvians now think of themselves as modern Europeans with a very Western sensibility. This gives the country an excellent balance of modern, clean top class service orientation mixed in with living inside a breathing historical museum.
And so on to the 800 year old Riga, capital of Latvia (city of population 800,000) flying in courtesy of a 30-odd British Pounds return flight. 6 British Pounds accommodation and here we are on the other side of the no-longer-existent iron curtain. Riga in it's most recent history has swapped hands between both Russians and Germans but is now currently once more in Latvian hands, yet there appears to be no visible scarring within this modern living and architectually scenic (so far) intact city. The people appear to be unexpectedly friendly and go out of their way to see you are comfortable in their city, everything seems clean and in working order, and this is very refreshing.
By a quirk of unplanned timing arrival into Riga was made the day after their first snowstorm of winter and so Riga was covered in 1 foot worth of a beautiful white blanket. Then with clear Latvian efficiency, the scoopers and trucks went around clearing pathways for pedestrians and the roadways for vehicles. With Christmas (hope I didn't say a bad word) on it's way to us, this all seemed like the perfect almost fairytale backdrop, because let's face it Britain won't be experiencing snow for Christmas on this scale, (but that may well be a good thing...??)
Latvia represents very decent value for money with some beers for example even costing as low as 50 satimi (about 50 English pence), and a very decent two course meal and drinks is perfectly possible for under 10 British Pounds.
For the tourist I would say some things worth focussing on in my personal view are The Museum of Occupation - this provides a no holds barred insight into the atrocities committed in Latvia by various occupying forces, including details of the slaughter of 100,000 people at Salaspils, a Nazi Concentration Camp set up just outside Riga during World War II (45,000 of these were Jews of Riga). Riga Castle - not a knockout in itself but it's great to wander up to the edge of the old town by foot or tram to this point and catch some views back into town and take a ramble around the old streets and historic houses. Central Market - held inside five enormous Zeppelin Hangers is apparently the "in place for buying CDs, pig's heads, sheep cacasses and Ecuadonian bananas".......And believe me a whole lot more!
So for a glimpse of Riga, the following link will take you there..... a little peek through the trusty lens....